are bull bars a necessity

[keptin]

thats where I have been confused....so do I have an A-frame brush bar? ....if you search bull bar, you get a combination of ARB-like stuff and a-frame stuff. ...but that description sounds correct.

If thats the case then I would have to say that yes....a bull bar (HD bumper) is essential as SCSL has said...and blah blah....they have already explained it, my bad there.

[AAXD]

I have had both styles on my trucks, and have mixed feelings about them. My RRC originally had a brush bar and it was actually pretty sturdy. I had 4 lights mounted to it and it served its purpose. I never hit anything with it so I can't speak for its sturdiness, but I think it wouldn't have held up under much of a hit. When I got my winch, I replaced it with an arb bumper which is a seriously sturdy unit. I've seen them bend under certain conditions, and I guess they are prone to folding back into the body in a frontal collision, but overall they will save you a lot of damage in a collision, with the main downside being their weight. Even with HD springs, my nose tended to dive in heavy braking a lot more than normal. My Disco has the stock LR brush bar and I hate it. It is all bent and doesn't fit right. The only reason it's still on there is it holds my driving lights, which I am thinking of removing as well. My ideal front end mod would be a slim bumper with a winch, light mounts and recovery points. Sure a brush bar will save your front end from damage, but whats the use if it pushes brush away from the front, only to have it drag down the side of your paintwork as you drive by?

[DevynsDad]

A little late to this discussion, but....

Fifteen or so years ago when I was stationed in upstate New York I was riding with my buddy in his Bronco II. It had one of the factory brush bars (which was pretty darn sturdy steel) with which we nailed a deer at about 70 mph. Due to the way the bar was shaped, the deer was basically plowed right under the truck, which while disconcerting at 70 mph wasn't the disaster it would have been without the bar.

Having said that, I don't have a bar on my truck. I'm holding off until I can get the ARB and Warn all at one time.

[Private Iron]

Only posting because I just saw this yesterday on my way to work. A huge F-150, lifted, big tires, blah blah blah hit a Toyota Corolla that made a left hand turn in front of the truck. Looked like the truck tagged the Toyota right behind the rear tire. The truck itself looked fine, hood wasn't bent, front quarter panels looked fine, Corrola was actually not that bad either, so I figured they couldn't have hit too hard. Anyway, the massive "Brush Guard" that was on the truck found a new home in the ass of the Toyota. Looked like maybe the corner of the bumper got wedged into the trunk space or something, and just ripped clean off the truck, so 3/4 of the truck bumper was sticking out of the rear of the Toyota. Damn I wish I would have had a camera.

[Funrover]

They help get those little ricers out of the way!!!!

[Adam in NYC USA]

Hi all from New York.

I have the factory brush guard. I looked at it when I bought and winced. I am an EMT and know what that thing can do when a human body gets hit or caught by one. It aint pretty.

Now after all the time I have had it, I swear by it. I have yet to hit something animal with it but I noticed a few things.

One is that the brushguard was slightly bent. Other than some minor rubbing, the body paint is fine.

Motorists in front tend to get out of the way. Good, as I need the braking space.

The other thing, about urban parking. Parkers tend to get you lots of room. If they don't, you tend to notice a lot of bent license plates. Their license plates, not mine.

After a month or two, I bought a heavy duty back step with stop lights and put in the rear hitch. Makes excellent rear protection. Now most respect the rear. Other realise that it is one wicked piece of metal and get me the distance I want.

The D1 has become a bit of a local hero. If it is bad out in the weather, it is busy. Like the documentary, it is always doing something important.

Adam in NYC

[Rovin4life]

seen a few lincoln town car bumpers with a hole the size of a trailer hitch ball.

kinda cool.

goes right thru and doesnt damage anything else.

[BIRD]

I have an ARB bull bar on my 04 Disco. I find it good to get shopping carts out of my way in a parking lot. One good bump with at 15MPH and the cart is gone. And some smaller cars tend to get out of the way when they see that huge bar in the rear view mirrior. It is nice when I am off road. It pushes allot of trees and brush out of the way

[llesra]

from what ive seen, a bull bar will save the body from potential damage. when i was out wheelin my buddy lost his concentration for just a second and boom, hit a tree. if that bumper wasnt there, there would have been some damage!

[Disco]

Originally Posted by Private Iron

so 3/4 of the truck bumper was sticking out of the rear of the Toyota. Damn I wish I would have had a camera.

Sort of like a condom sticking out of....... oh never mind!

[SCSL]

Originally Posted by llesra

when i was out wheelin my buddy lost his concentration for just a second and boom, hit a tree.

What buddy was that? Does he drive an RRC ?

[Funrover]

Originally Posted by SCSL

What buddy was that? Does he drive an RRC ?

He might just have a green RRC..LMAO!!!!!

[01001010]

lmao...

[llesra]

Originally Posted by Funrover

He might just have a green RRC..LMAO!!!!!

hmmm....sounds about right!

[Adam in NYC USA]

Originally Posted by Disco

Sort of like a condom sticking out of....... oh never mind!

err, out of your pocket?

Adam in NYC