ARB Bull Bar not flat for UHF Aerial

[thebigo Member Find all posts View Profile Close thebigo]

I have a 120 with the ARB steel bull bar where they put holes on the top plate of the main bar body on either corner for your UHF aerial. I fitted my spring base and aerial and it leans over badly when tightened down as the top plate of the bar is not flat and angles downwards from the outside of the bar in.

I thought well this is the same issue thousands of 120 owners would have so rang local ARB dealer and they hadn't heard of that problem. Called ARB and they said yeah we had one other person with the same issue and we had to have nylon wedge machined to pack the aerial base up so it stood vertical.

So has anyone other than me and one other person had this issue and can offer suggestions to fix. Can i deduct that if only 2 people have had this issue my bar has come from the factory with this issue?

Ta

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

You can get tapered washers from bolt and nut places. I think AJ made a comment about this is the past. Try locally but if you are nsuccessful there are a couple of places in Brisbane, Brendale and Geebung, that I know will stock tapered washers. By the way the tapered washers were created to give a flat bolting surface for tapered flange channels and I beams.

[Guest Close Guest]

You need taper washers
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=t...UIBigB&dpr=0.9

[thebigo Member Find all posts View Profile Close thebigo]

Thanks guys. I will take a stab that they should be Nylon if i get them so as not to cause rust by using another steel.

That sound right?

[Guest Close Guest]

I would go with zinc plated steel. Nylon would just crack under pressure.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

I have a 120 with the ARB bar and don't have that issue.

[thebigo Member Find all posts View Profile Close thebigo]

Yeah i am beginning to think my bar is not as it should be. Will keep you posted.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

We are all a little different Bigo. It doesn''t mean your is un-natural and doctor AMTS has a solution. You should get a second opinion, maybe even see ARB, but they will just say you played with it to much and that's what happens.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

I didn't have that issue but I used to run an antenna from that spot until on one desert run the vibrations caused the antenna to smash against the headlight cover and breaking it. I now have the antenna mounted on the top of the bar where it can wiggle around freely without impacting on the car. Raising the antenna to this spot will also make it perform better.

[thebigo Member Find all posts View Profile Close thebigo]

So spoke to a really great guy at ARB Nundah and he was keen to look into the problem and speak with ARB in Victoria. They advised yes they are built with a 3 degree downward top plate and according to them it is normal. He managed to get them to agree to machine a tapered solution and mail to me to sort the issue.
Great customer service form ARB Nundah.
Downside is i still think ARB are wrong that they do that plate that way and should have tabs on the top rail on the left of those middle main verticals so as to avoid the grille clearance issue.
I'll see how this taper works but if it does my question would be why the f*&k don't they include them when they sell the bar to the owner and avoid wasted time wasting. They would know 100% that if that 3 degree exists then nothing put in the holes they put in the bar is going to be level.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

So spoke to a really great guy at ARB Nundah and he was keen to look into the problem and speak with ARB in Victoria. They advised yes they are built with a 3 degree downward top plate and according to them it is normal. He managed to get them to agree to machine a tapered solution and mail to me to sort the issue.
Great customer service form ARB Nundah.
Downside is i still think ARB are wrong that they do that plate that way and should have tabs on the top rail on the left of those middle main verticals so as to avoid the grille clearance issue.
I'll see how this taper works but if it does my question would be why the f*&k don't they include them when they sell the bar to the owner and avoid wasted time wasting. They would know 100% that if that 3 degree exists then nothing put in the holes they put in the bar is going to be level.

So why are there soo many (every one I know of) defective bars that DON't have the 3 degree taper? It's your choice and I am a big fan of ARB, but really? If it were me I would like the response in writing or agree to replace the bar.

[Guest Close Guest]

Not only that but performance of the aerial is reduced when mounted there (as Bushbasher already mentioned) and the amplitude of the vibrations are larger. Better on the top tube but then gets in the way of the passenger.

[Doug32 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Doug32]

I had the same problem with my TJM bullbar - the antenna leant forward by about 5 degrees. Had to use a packing piece to get it vertical. I have two antennas a 0.5 and 1.2 metre. Now I am looking at moving the spring mount to another location owing to my better half always complaining it is in her line of vision whenever she is a passenger. (Perhaps the easiest solution would be to sit back and let her do all of the driving except then she will complain about the sand flag when it is used.)

[spike69 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close spike69]

I have my antenna mounted in that spot on the plate, and it's perfectly vertical. I was very happy with it there right up until Bushie's post about his smashed light cover! Now I'm worried!

It begs the question though Bushie, since the bar doesn't have a mounting tab, how did you mount it to the top of the tube? Some sort of clamp?

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

You can get clamps from any 4WD accessory shop, ARB, etc. GME even sell them to suit their antennas. They come in black or stainless. Just need to get proper tube diameter.