smartbar bullbar

[Vk3zgw Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vk3zgw]

Has anyone done test with antennas and Smartbars? With the reduced ground plane offered by a Smartbar I would assume a lesser performance particularly on HF frequencies.

Looking to fit a bar on my 150 but want good antenna performance (ham radio operator).

Cheers
Geoff

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

Has anyone done test with antennas and Smartbars? With the reduced ground plane offered by a Smartbar I would assume a lesser performance particularly on HF frequencies.

Looking to fit a bar on my 150 but want good antenna performance (ham radio operator).

Cheers
Geoff

I would have thought the bull bar has negligible effect compared to the car body.

[Rogerthatv2 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Rogerthatv2]

Looks like Trev has a GME AE4018k1 antenna and these are a ground plane independent antenna so being mounted on the smart bar will not be an issue - the tip just needs to be the highest point on the car, looks good in the black on the pearl white Trev. When's the big day?

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

Hi Dan
Dec 20 is our last day at work - will start meandering south just after new years. Literally just watching a feature on Broome at the moment on ABC24 - can't wait!
The GME is mounted on a metal bracket and sits a lot higher than on the nudge bar.Have no idea on the technical aspects - all I know is it works.

Trev

[Vk3zgw Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vk3zgw]

The antenna characteristics at UHF are much different to those at HF. It is easy to have a ground independent at VHF and UHF, but at HF some form of counterpoise is required. The antenna's radiation pattern is determined by the combination of the vertical element and its reaction with the ground. So a steel bar as compared to a plastic one will have some effect.

Just wondering if any other amateurs are running smart bars as antenna mounts on HF between 6m and 80m.

Thanks.
Geoff

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

I wouldn't put one on my vehicle.

Back in 2005 or thereabouts, we were agents for these bars. We fitted them to about 10 of our Hiluxes, but after the first decent roo strike on the Hay plain rendering the ute un-drivable and with a lot of damage. We stopped using them and went back to steel bars with side rails after that.

The Smart Bar itself looked perfect after the hit, apart from the spot lights being smashed off, you couldn't tell it had hit a huge roo. It was just the rest of the ute between the smart bar and the windscreen that didn't look so good.

I'll be getting an ARB Deluxe soon.

[Rogerthatv2 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Rogerthatv2]

Hi Dan
Dec 20 is our last day at work - will start meandering south just after new years. Literally just watching a feature on Broome at the moment on ABC24 - can't wait!
The GME is mounted on a metal bracket and sits a lot higher than on the nudge bar.Have no idea on the technical aspects - all I know is it works.

Trev

Great stuff mate, looks real good. We will need to organize another steak night before the big trip.

Cheers Dan

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

Great stuff mate, looks real good. We will need to organize another steak night before the big trip.Cheers Dan

For sure. Look forward to it.T

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

Trev, Make sure you keep us up to date of your progress during your journey. Cheers Robert

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

Some refer to these bars as a 'bull bar', doubt if it would even deflect a poddy calf !

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

So which 'bull bar' would take a hit from a cow or even a calf...its going to be a long sleep Roo.

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

I do wonder when the old "Roo" bar became a "bull" bar, something I often chuckle about having seen what a hitting a Bull can do to a Semi!

Cheers Andrew

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

OK...I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, convince people they are right or wrong, or justify my decision. But, if anyone has managed to wade through 20 odd pages of arguing and is still interested in a Smart Bar's owner thoughts, here goes...

The smart bar is the correct bar for my purposes .
The pros for me are primarily the weight of the bar vs. the other options, and the protection it offers. Our driving will primarily be during daylight hours, which I know from experience doesn't mean there isn't animal hazards, but certainly less than at night.

There is criticism of the Smart Bar but no one can logically argue it doesn't offer protection.
How much protection, and in particular how much protection relative to other bars, is what seems to be the point of debate, and I'm not interested in participating in that.

If I thought I would be in situations that warrant it, which in my mind is regular rural driving particularly at dark, I would most likely have a steel bar.

If I picked a bar that was the most visually appealing to me, it would have to be Sahara Bar, colour coded of course!

But I picked a bar based on my individual circumstances, my decision is informed and well considered, and is the correct one for me.

Trev

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

Or a feral cat.
Wake me up when this is over.
The Roo.

ROO! WAKE UP!!!






Only kidding .... this stuff goes on forever...;-)

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

I'd like to see some facts about vehicle protection from an animal strike when comparing the Steel bars to a Smart Bar. (And I'm not talking about an angry or sleeping Roo ).

It seems that the structure of the Smart Bar absorbs some energy before transmitting energy to the chassis, while the steel bars deforms the concertina section at the mount to absorb the energy. Regardless of the type of bull bar, if you hit an animal or water drum the energy has to go somewhere, it doesn't just disappear.

It seems that there are stories of radiator damage from the Smart Bar deflecting, but it would have to deflect quite a long way before the radiator gets hit. I haven't checked but it must be at least 200mm between the bar and the radiator. As for the stories they don't tell you a lot because it all depends on the speed, size of animal etc.

Jasen has been unusually quiet.....