Handling difference with ARB Bullbar

[bdee Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdee]

Hi All,

Fairly keen to get a ARB Delue Winchbar but I do not want to change the Suspension (I may do that when I change tyres @ 60K).


A couple of questions to you all. Will standard suspension support the additional weight of the bar and is handling impacted greatly by the additional weight over the front wheels?

I love the look but do not want to go over the top just yet just in case I never really get right into this 4 wheel drive caper and therefore have an negative impact on my present use as a daily commuter?

Brett

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

The standard suspension is a bit soft now, with the extra weight, it will put more strain on your steering, suspension, tyre life, cornering ability, stability, braking, etc.

Not worth having the extra weight with nothing to support it. Think of it as having several bricks permanently strapped around your neck (if you have a weird sense of humour like me), your legs will get tired more easily and liable to fall over.

Yowie.

[Kev7762 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kev7762]

Hi All,

Fairly keen to get a ARB Delue Winchbar but I do not want to change the Suspension (I may do that when I change tyres @ 60K).


A couple of questions to you all. Will standard suspension support the additional weight of the bar and is handling impacted greatly by the additional weight over the front wheels?

I love the look but do not want to go over the top just yet just in case I never really get right into this 4 wheel drive caper and therefore have an negative impact on my present use as a daily commuter?

Brett

I have this combination and after 40,000kms the front suspension has sagged about 40mm, I wish I had put suspension under it when I bought the car, if you don't want to spend too much you can just have a suspension place replace your front springs with heavier ones without going for a full kit.

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

I had the same (with dual battery) and when I replaced the suspension after 46,000 the front suspension had sagged 2 inches.
Rear had sagged almost 3 inches too.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Hi All,

I love the look but do not want to go over the top just yet just in case I never really get right into this 4 wheel drive caper and therefore have an negative impact on my present use as a daily commuter?

Brett

A good suspension lift will not have a negative impact for on road handling, in fact it is likely to improve on road as well as off road handling.

If its only a commuter at this stage then why the steel BB? Not much wildlife in the city to worry about!

Cheers Andrew

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

A good suspension lift will not have a negative impact for on road handling, in fact it is likely to improve on road as well as off road handling.

If its only a commuter at this stage then why the steel BB? Not much wildlife in the city to worry about!

Cheers Andrew

But there are plenty of soccer mums and BMW drivers to run off the road... And the bullbar definitely helps.

[bdee Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdee]

A good suspension lift will not have a negative impact for on road handling, in fact it is likely to improve on road as well as off road handling.

If its only a commuter at this stage then why the steel BB? Not much wildlife in the city to worry about!

Cheers Andrew

Fair Call Andrew but I it will certainly not be a Toorak Tractor.

I do quite a bit of fishing in the NE Vic and on the last trip home almost had a deer for a hood decoration.

I would like some front protection but don't want it at the expense of handling.

I looked at the Nudge bars but not too sure if they work well with Front parking sensors.


Brett

[bdee Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdee]

I had the same (with dual battery) and when I replaced the suspension after 46,000 the front suspension had sagged 2 inches.
Rear had sagged almost 3 inches too.

Thanks Wooley appreciate this. I may hold off aget the tyres supension and bar done at the same time?

Car is on lease so when my next set of tyres are due I may go the full do all 3 at once.

Brett

[bdee Member Find all posts View Profile Close bdee]

I have this combination and after 40,000kms the front suspension has sagged about 40mm, I wish I had put suspension under it when I bought the car, if you don't want to spend too much you can just have a suspension place replace your front springs with heavier ones without going for a full kit.

Thanks Kev,

This is the sort of thing I was concerned about. Many thanks for your comments.

Brett

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

Id suggest to you that adding a steel bullbar and aftermarket suspension will give you a noticeable improvement in handling. Do they make a smart bar for the Prado? might be an option.

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

I have upgraded the suspension on a 4wd previously, raised it 25mm with King springs and Koni`s and BFG A/T when I then fitted a ECB Alloy bullbar, there was a noticeable affect on handling. Turn in and change of direction wasn`t as sharp. Fuel economy with all mods together took a hit by around 1l/100km.

Hanging 50kg+ on the front of your vehicle has to make a difference.
You can minimise the impact, tyres with stiffer sidewalls than original and the suspension upgrades will help.

Personally I am not going to fit a bullbar, I don`t plan on travelling on outback roads at at night, dawn or dusk. I have travelled twice around oz on motorbikes and done a trip with 4wd drive and tent, the only Kangaroos I have come close to hitting is around here in Gippsland early or late in the day. Well if I hit one around here its easy fixed, help is only a phone call and 5 minutes away. Personally I don`t feel its worth it for the sacrifices in handling and carrying around the weight.

Different story if you want to fit a winch or actually travel regularly in areas were Kangaroos are active and during those times.
Then I would look at a Smartbar.

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

I recently replaced my factory suspension with Tough Dog, although its 40mm lift, i ended up with >70mm lift all round. I replaced the suspension after the factory stuff starting failling. The steering at freeway speeds was atrocious to say the least, with the front end under steering constantly through corners. Under brakes the nose would dive, offroad the factory suspension would run out of travel, bounce UP, run out of travel again, then bounce down and bottom out really hard.

Since i put the TD kit in, the steering is incredible, the handling on and off road is perfect, and the extra height/articulation is brilliant. Next time i would take the car from toyota brand new, get the suspension/bar/tyres/etc fitted at once, sell the original stuff for near new price and live happily ever after!

[Sozjot Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sozjot]

Ryzz, PM sent.
Soz

[REV Find all posts View Profile Close REV]

I recently replaced my factory suspension with Tough Dog, although its 40mm lift, i ended up with >70mm lift all round. I replaced the suspension after the factory stuff starting failling. The steering at freeway speeds was atrocious to say the least, with the front end under steering constantly through corners. Under brakes the nose would dive, offroad the factory suspension would run out of travel, bounce UP, run out of travel again, then bounce down and bottom out really hard.


Since i put the TD kit in, the steering is incredible, the handling on and off road is perfect, and the extra height/articulation is brilliant. Next time i would take the car from toyota brand new, get the suspension/bar/tyres/etc fitted at once, sell the original stuff for near new price and live happily ever after!

That's what I did, the suspension was changed pre delivery & as soon as insurance was sorted over the phone, I drove straight to a tyre place & traded the Dunlops in.

Have not regretted it one bit.

Cheers
Rev

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

I ended up changing my suspension after 21,000km as it had settled too much, and was starting to cause me issues off road with the lack of clearence. If I had my time again I would have done the suspension at the same time, much better handling.