Quality of "other" bullbars

[OzDriver Member Find all posts View Profile Close OzDriver]

Just seen a Genuine Toyota 150 alloy bar (facelift) in a car park. Looked like the same thickness as a 70s chrome bumper. No that confident on protection.

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

... No that confident on protection.

Alloy bars are not about protection, just a great place to mount your lights and Arials. They are light weight, which is a good thing, but don't expect protection.

[Steerpike Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Steerpike]

Have an ARB steelie on my 90 series, and am getting another one installed on my new 2.8 150. A couple of weeks ago, a 120 series Prado with an alloy bar ran up the back of my 2011 Corolla. $1700 repair for the Corolla, and a decent dent in the alloy bar on the Prado. A steel bar would not have scored any damage.

[Mule Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mule]

Have a TJM steel only cos the ARB was not available when I needed one heading outback but also like the look of a black bar on white car. The main bar has been sort of OK so far but the series of plates that bolt to the underside have all shed their powder coat and are thus rusting, not exactly happy after less than 4 years.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

On a related matter, can the powder coated bull bars be painted if they start to go ratty [after fitting]. Any tricks/tips to doing this?

[Nik83 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nik83]

I had sidies, brush bars and a bull bar installed by opposite lock local shop. They installed the sidebars and brush bars first. As far as I know: rookie error. Then the bull bar must have gone on. it looks like they made the bar fit the brush bars. The front bar is now on an angle that annoys me every time I walk up to it. It was terrible when I first had it installed. I've had the angle fixed by another mechanic... But it is a sore spot every time I look at it.

I bought some dobinson suspension, and I asked these opposite lock guys to install it in order to garner a good long term relationship. The moment I left the shop the car was squeaking. Like crazy, I felt like Mr bean in a clown car. After a few weeks I took the car back as the noise obviously wasn't going to go down any time soon if it hadn't already.

I took it back and asked that they stop the squeaking and fix up the uneveness of the bar work. And get the roadsafe recovery points back on ( they were on before I had the barwork done).

So I dropped it off one morning ($40 cab ride to work, each way). I asked them to install my recovery points also as they should have an angle grinder present as they are a 4wd shop. And it should have been installed the first time considering they were already on the car when I originally got the bar work installed. Grinding shouldn't be that big a deal.


I picked it up and spoke to the business owner. Jason? He said the hats were faulty on the rear suspension - implying it was my problem as id supplied a bad product. He Never mentioned the bar work - my bad on that. When someone talks to me only in sunglasses, I lose trust. So I left...

So I took the car to Craig Hall mechanical and they straightened the bar as much as they could (its still a bit off due to the holes drilled in my bars and Aaron, the main guy I've spoken to, not wanting to drill more holes) and they removed the squeaks from the suspension - the hats were installed upside down by the original OL shop. The grinding for the recovery points "look like they've been done by a kid". I'll get that fixed eventually.




If I were to do it again, I'd get the same kit, but I'd get someone else to install it.

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

On a related matter, can the powder coated bull bars be painted if they start to go ratty [after fitting]. Any tricks/tips to doing this?

Yes you can paint the powder coated bars. Give them a good rub before of course. May need more work if the powder coat is chipped or deep scratches. If needed you can re powder coat. The bar will need to have all powder coat burnt / blaster before re powder coating. Cost is about the same to paint or powder coat. I was quoted $400 for a front ARB and $450 for a rear Kaymar twin carrier.

Rusty.

[mikey87 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close mikey87]

Im buying a prado 2016 model and toyota said i would void the warranty if i fit a ARB steel bar. Anyone followed up these rumors from toyota.. really dont want to buy there ugly alloy bar

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

That dealer who said you void the warranty is telling you bull****. I have had the ARB bar since new and no issues.

They only say that to sell you their product.

Rusty.

[Guest Close Guest]

Yep. Load of crap. I had warranty claims honoured by Toyota whilst fitted with an ARB bar.

Personally I'd be pulling your purchase and going elsewhere. It shows how your dealer thinks. God knows how any future dealings would go..


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[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

A mate had an alloy bar on a 100 series and nudged a tree at LCMP a few years back. Was a very slow, uphill nudge and cause $1000'odd worth of damage as the bar bent back on the panel... go steel if getting for roo protection or the like.
Also, I recently replaced my Powerful 4x4 steel winch bar which was a badly fitting piece of heavy crap with a TJM steel winch bar...
Couldn't be happier now


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[jaco150 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jaco150]

That dealer who said you void the warranty is telling you bull****. I have had the ARB bar since new and no issues.

They only say that to sell you their product.

Rusty.

Just repeating what the others have said - my dealer (Hornsby) even gave me tips on why I should prefer the one major brand above the other the day I picked up the car...
If this is the local dealer you will ALWAYS go to when servicing your car - try another around the corner (if possible). As mentioned by others, you may end up with issues with them trying to always charge you for stuff "because" you do off-road.