smartbar bullbar

[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.

[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

[Trevc]

Steve

I'll have to check the invoice but I think the bar was about $1650 - the front sensor kit and fitting was extra.

Trev

[krypto]

Without getting involved in any of the bullshit, here's my setup - installed today.

Apart from the sensors not matching, all good.

Trev

Looks good, how much did it cost?

[Trevc]

Without getting involved in any of the bullshit, here's my setup - installed today.

Apart from the sensors not matching, all good.



Trev

[craigm]

(IMO & FWIW) Smartbar - Smart? Mmmmm Maybe... my description of a smartbar is they're a bit like a chick with a nice personality. clever, nice, but pretty Fugly, that very few would want to date...

[Prone]

A link to a news item on Autoliv the crash testing facility that did the bar tests.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25789600299A2B

It was a 65Kg water barrel at 80km/h sled weight 1240Kg (about 1/2 the mass of a 4wd).

Cheers
Prone

[Leethal]

As posted above people have made choices about steel vs alloy vs smart bullbars and most likely most will not change their view.

Stirring the pot a little I wonder about processes after a major impact, what checks are done afterwards to ensure the bullbar still meets its initial design parmeters? Are the mounts weakened/stressed, the bar itself etc? How many impacts is too many? Think about a helmet after any impact/accident it is discarded, a bit more extreme I know but the principle is basically the same.

What made me think about this.. at a recent BBQ in discussion with a engineer from the mining sector he commented in general discussion that the mining company he worked for had conducted testing on 4WD's with and without bullbars and roll over protection. There findings he said was in frontal impacts the occupants suffered less in 4WD's without bullbars than with bullbars. As for rollover protection he said if a 200 ton truck runs over you then the rollover protection won't do anything to help. He was talking about 5 star rated vehicles which may alter the results somewhat compared to older vehicles.

My thoughts are for an animal strike a steel bar is probably best however for a head on impact with tree/car etc a bar that crumples to absorb energy would be better. Best of course is not to hit anything to start with

Lee

[mjrandom]

Jasen again you bring up the same points. In your opinion it is the safest bar there is. The testing using water barrels may or may be representative of hitting something like an animal but I doubt it. I haven't looked a the videos in a long time but I assume that they are using 200L barrels? So a stationary 200kg point load in the centre of a bullbar? That is a big short roo in that case. A university may well be independent but what makes you think they are certified and certified to what.

Let it go. You and others made a choice and so did the rest of us. You wont convince me that a Smartbar is better for me and I have no interest in convincing anyone of anything.

[Beach]

I'm still not convinced of their ability to take multiple hits.

I seem to recall them doing a lot of testing as there was a lot of skepticism about the idea of a plastic bar for frontal protection. It worked quite well against water filled barrels. Alloy and steel bars caved into the front of the vehicle.

[mjrandom]

When the 120 was in production the then owners didn't believe there was enough demand to warrant setting up a mould, recycling enough wheelie bins, and making some bars. Maybe this was based on demand for the 90 series bar which wasnt very popular. Later when the business was bought out the new owners obviously kicked off more bar styles and production. No way now would a manufacturer go to the trouble for a few bar sales.

[wooley]

Most of the other bullbar manufacturers make a bar for the 120 so there must still be a big market for them.

People are still buying 120's 2nd hand without a bar and fitting them, people are still smashing their bars up and replacing them, I just think it's a shame the 120 boys don't have access to the best bar on the market (IMO).

"still not convinced" and still reading the Smartbar thread, looks like you are coming round to the idea slowly lol

They developed those while the vehicle was in production, the r&d is done, now it's a matter of pumping them out when people require.

Not a chance I'm coming around, when my bar has enough of hitting wildlife the only bar ill be replacing it with is a 5 poster.

[hulbyw]

"I'm still not convinced of their ability to take multiple hits"

Neither am I and as an owner, I am damn sure I don't want to find the answer to that question the hard way!
Cheers..........Wayne

[wooley]

Correct, no 120 bar but they make one for the 90 go figure?

It's a real shame, I think they would sell loads if they had one.

developing and marketing a bullbar for an out of production vehicle (of which those which need a bullbar already have one) really isn't a viable business model.

and just because... I'm still not convinced of their ability to take multiple hits.

[Beach]

Last time I checked Smartbar don't make a Smartbar for the 120 series. I never did find out why, as theres quite a few of these on the road. I would like to fit one to my 120, but it looks like I'm going to have to settle for an alloy 'bar.