Bullbars - ARB or TJM or others.

[Stitch Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stitch]

Hi all,
I am tossing up between the ARB winch bar or the TJM T13 winch bar for
the 120 series. Both are very similar in price, and each has its differences.
Anyone with ARB, TJM or others please give their 10 cents worth on their
opinions so I can make up my mind a bit easier.

Thanks all,
Mark.

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Hi Stitch.

I have the ARB deluxe winch bar and love it.
I ran the car with only the bar for a while but have just fitted a 3rd IPF 900xs light and a winch.
Because the bar is chassis mounted and the body mounted on rubber you will notice the bar shaking in relation to the body over bumps and broken ground. This (according to ARB and others) is no problem. And now I don't even notice it.
I don't know anything about the TJM stuff.

Jeff.

[GeoffM Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GeoffM]

As with Jeff above, I have the ARB deluxe winch bar which I had colour coded to my vehicle. As it's only been on for about 5K, I can't comment on any sort of longevity issues and as Jeff mentioned, because the bar is mounted directly to the chassis you get the impression that it's shaking around a lot, when in fact it's the body moving on it's rubber mounts.

Mounted to the bar I have a pair of Cibie' Super Oscars, UHF antenna and a 12,000lb winch.

The only comment I can make regarding TJM is that on my last truck (Hilux) I had a T15 steel bar that after 4 years had the powder coating inside the bar flaking off with a lot of surface rust beginning to develop.

Hope this helps in your decision making process.

Geoff

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

ARB bar comes with integrated rated recovery points and not too shabby integrated bash plates, the plates are verrrry important on the 120 in terms of protection of radiator and condensor, particularly in sandy conditions
Im a vote for the ARB steel bars

[Stitch Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stitch]

ARB - 4, TJM & others - 0.

I am leaning towards ARB so far, thanks to those who commented.
Any others????

Mark.

[denzilmstn Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close denzilmstn]

Make that another vote for the ARB. I've got nothing to say against them. except you will have to upgrade your suspension but you'll have to do that for any steel bar upgrade. Have a look here at some pics if interested

http://www.pradopoint.com/prado/thumbnails.php?album=3

[Stitch Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stitch]

OK, OK, OK..... ARB it is. To Jeff and Geoff, did you fellas modify your suspension for the bar and if so, which setup did you go for???

Mark.

[GeoffM Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GeoffM]

Hi Stitch,

I went with an OME setup. 884's in the front and 896's in the rear (spring numbers). This gave me a lift of 40mm front and 54mm in the rear, but bear in mind that I have a Black Widow draw system and tow an off road camper with a draw weight of 112kg. When we're packed up with the camper and all, the rear is back down to 42mm over standard.

And as I said in my preious post, in the front I have the spotties, UHF antenna and 12K winch and second battery.

I think that you need to figure out how much weight you want to compensate for and then select your springs according to that.

Hope this helps a bit.

Geoff

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Stitch.

I didn't modify the suspension just for the bar.
The bar was the first thing we bought for it (ordered it before we took delivery of the car).
Drove it like that for about a year. with only a UHF areial on it.
We also have an offroad camper trailer.
The car was normal day to day but when we went away it was sagging in the arse end.
But then I made a rear draw setup for the fridge.
Went on a club run as a visitor and another prado in the 4X4 club had Lovells and he crawled over rocks that we were banging.

Then we got dual batteries, spotties, tyres, suspension and eventually a winch.
Now it sits higher, Approx 40mm-FR /60mm-RR(unladen) is firmer, tows heaps better.
So in answer to your question, What do you want to do?.
If the bar is all you want you'll be OK with out suspension upgrades.
But if you want to unlock more levels in the Prado game, go get some springs....

Jeff.

[10-Dee-Q Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 10-Dee-Q]

i;m also intersted to buy a bull bar for my Prado
mine is Japan Domestic Market
Petrol engine
i don;t use it for off road just on road
but i like my ride to "look" like a tough and rough Off Roader :P

So far i already installed 20" rims with Pirelli ATR 275/55 R20

hoe about the Original Toyota australia steel bar ?
does anyone have any review on it ?
and how much it cost ?
cause the ARB seems to look a little bit to Extreeme for me :P

[Stitch Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stitch]

Ordered the ARB deluxe winchbar today for $1500, which I thought was good considering ARB's bar includes underbody protection plates as well. A big thanks to everyone that helped in my decision making......I supose that's what these forums are for, they are a great help.
Mark.

[Viking Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Viking]

My vote is for the steel ARB winch bar as I have on my 90 series.
Ive had the odd encounter with skippy with no ill efffects.
Also a few weeks ago I had a idiot in a Hyundai come through a give way sign and I had no where to go except hit the anchors and try to miss him.
Didnt quite miss and he had substantial damage in the front of his car was pretty much belted and his front quarter panel was torn off.
I sustained a few scratches and I had the bar and car checked out and all was fine and nothing had moved after a this big shunt.
Without the bar I would have been alot worse off.

Craig