Announcement

**Anthony** · 12-10-2016, 03:57 AM

I've only ever noticed that brand on 1 or 2 4bies in the 20-ish years I've had 4x4s. Don't know much about the brand but the bar looks okay. Lots of products out there in the bull bar side of things with differing prices.

For what its worth..., I've had genuine bull bars & tow bars, only because there's less dramas should something go wrong with either product failing. eg; front crash & the air bag doesn't activate. I want to avoid the car maker saying the bar wasn't genuine, so its the bull bars fault the air bad didn't go off. Or alternatively, the bull bar manufacturer saying their bar meets ADR standards its the car's fault the air bag didn't go off. The last thing I want is to be caught in the middle of a car maker / bull bar makers dispute.

The above situation won't come up if the bull bar is the manufacturer's original equipment. But hey, that's my logic (right or wrong)!

**Silver Tuna** · 14-10-2016, 08:10 PM

Arb summit sahara bar also has one loop and looks good to me. I think tjm might have an alloy version.

With regards to full or single loop, depends where you drive most often. If your out in the bush and worried about animal strikes, go the full bar. If you just want somewhere to mount your spotties and winch, then the single loop is probably a bit lighter.

**Miki** · 16-10-2016, 03:57 PM

Thank Silver Tuna yeah I do like the single loop bar as I wont be out bush too much.
I didn't know arb or tjm would have a version, Ill have to have a look.

Ill ask at the 4x4 show this week.

**4Tuner** · 24-10-2016, 11:31 AM

Has anyone installed the Sahara Bar yet? I'd be keen to see a few more pictures. I would appreciate if anyone could upload.

There is only one picture available through ARB. I was dead keen on one but the photo ARB have supplied has me stopping to think about it.

I have been hoping to see more photos or even spot one on the road before i get it fitted. Particularly keen to see without all the lights, under protection, rack etc.

struggling to find even pictures of the latest hilux with one fitted other than the blue one on ARB website. Haven't seen a new hilux or fortuner with sahara bar fitted out and about. I have spotted a few of the older model hiluxes with sahara bar however.

**Meercat** · 24-10-2016, 02:59 PM

I have ordered an ARB summit bar colour coded graphite. I was tossing up between the two but in the end decided to go with max protection.

I should get the bar this week (been waiting 4 weeks) and I am self installing so will post pics of install and completed job.

**4Tuner** · 25-10-2016, 07:49 AM

ok thanks - look forward to the pics

one other question - did ARB suggest you need to upgrade suspension with the summit steel bar?

**Meercat** · 25-10-2016, 08:18 AM

ARB did not suggest, but I didn't ask. I had already decided that I will be upgrading to a set of lovell springs in the front once I have fitted the bar.

**Hylife** · 01-11-2016, 04:15 PM

Heres my 2 cents worth.

1. Why are you fitting a bull bar?
a) To look pretty or
b) to mount your lights on or
c) to protect your car

If your answer is:
a) buy a polished alloy nudge bar and you can keep all your existing front end because they cut off damn near the entire front to fit a bull bar.
b) buy a roof rack and mount your LED light bar up there, then buy a polished alloy nudge bar and you can keep all your existing front end because they cut off damn near the entire front to fit a bull bar.
c) Sensible view. Don't waste your money on nudge bars or single loop bars because they wont protect your car.
The idea of a bull bar is to have your car still drivable after an animal strike such as a whopping great roo.
Sure your bar may be damaged and you can pop in an insurance claim but you aren't left with a f*cked car in the middle of woop-woop that requires towing.

Steel Vs alloy?
Steel is heavy and rusts. These days alloy is just as strong, lightweight, requires no suspension upgrades and you simply wash and polish it.

Single loop is more pedestrian safe?
If your answer was (c), who gives a rats @rse about a less aggressive pedestrian friendly bar.
If some stupid pedestrian walks out from the kerb into your path you should consider them the same as a straying animal or roo and you fitted the bull bar because you wanted your car drivable after the event.

**4Tuner** · 14-11-2016, 05:13 PM

Thanks Hylife.

you have the genuine alloy bar i think

did you bother with fitting after market recovery points or will you just use the factory emergency tow hooks?

i want to know if there are any after market points are compatible with the genuine toyota alloy bar.

i have seen some posts on here that say there are no recovery points currently available that are compatible with the genuine steel bar.. just not sure about the alloy.

**Hylife** · 12-12-2016, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by 4Tuner View Post

Thanks Hylife.

you have the genuine alloy bar i think

did you bother with fitting after market recovery points or will you just use the factory emergency tow hooks?

i want to know if there are any after market points are compatible with the genuine toyota alloy bar.

i have seen some posts on here that say there are no recovery points currently available that are compatible with the genuine steel bar.. just not sure about the alloy.

Called into my local contact who not only owns an exhaust repair and Road Worthy business but is a 20+year committee member of the local 4x4 club. He looked at the hooks under the front and rear and said they were well and truly enough as recovery points due to their really solid welds.
He recommended for any vehicle when being snatched by a helper to have three D shackles and to use a tree trunk protector.
Connect the tree trunk protector to the two hooks at the same time to spread the load and the third shackle to connect the recovery strap to the protector strap.
He also recommended that when winching yourself, to use your own recovery strap (and tree trunk protector if required), in combo with a snatch block pulley, as this halves the load on your winch and makes winch pulls super efficient and easy.
So my recovery kit now comprises a recovery/snatch strap, a tree trunk protector, a snatch block pulley and three D shackles (and the winch) all virtually unused because of the tuna's great 4x4 capabilities.

I got the really expensive Warn/Toyota OEM winch and on my half lap up the top of WA I never needed to be recovered. I did pull a few rather embarrassed others out of strife, mostly pimped up utes with massive lifts and chunky tyres but sh!t leaf sprung rear suspension, or $160K top 'o the line Cruisers driven by well-to-do owners who have no idea about off-road techniques.

Only once did I contemplate using the winch after getting bogged in deep dry sand with the caravan on back, only a kilometre in, on the old back road that goes from the Gibb River Road crossing of the Pentecost River to Wyndham. (don't try towing anything on that road, you wont make it).
First step was letting the tyres down to 18PSI and out she came. Then with a little forward momentum in 4L, gently building speed and not stopping whilst doing a super-wide 50 meter U-turn, to get back onto the track heading to the gravel.

**4Tuner** · 13-12-2016, 07:30 AM

thanks for that

in the interim I worked out that the genuine toyota alloy bar winch bar weighs just under 65Kg.. this swayed my decision in the end as didn't appear much additional weight to go to a steel bar

cheers

**Hylife** · 13-12-2016, 04:10 PM

So you went with the steel bar?
Was the steel bar really that much cheaper over the superior strength and finish of an alloy bar?
Personally I never even considered getting a crappy steel one as they bend easy and rust like sh!t with every stone chip, and quite frankly don't look anywhere near as good or provide as good protection.

**mrh460** · 13-12-2016, 05:10 PM

Hylife - Some of us think our genuine steel bars look amazing. 😀

**4Tuner** · 13-12-2016, 06:16 PM

Love your enthusiasm Hylife!

glad you are enjoying the Forty as i am

couldn't resist the summit bar in the end... to be installed this side of xmas.

Announcement

Single Loop bullbar

Single Loop bullbar

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment