Youtube personalities hype the bullbar. Hell, they’re mostly sponsored by manufacturers to hype them. I knew adding 60+ kg to the front of my Dmax was not going to improve its handling, braking or fuel economy, let alone the 30kg yet to add from the winch.
I have researched every modification I have added to the nth degree. Every modification has been from necessity, a need for it. Any addition is for me to achieve my goals in getting to the places I want to get with the things I want in those locations to have available.
At the time of writing this, I still have stock tyres, suspension and brakes. I was looking for the lightest bullbar possible that improved approach angle, could hold a winch and lightbar, and my only pet hate are those that are not OEM direct replacements. Like for like, no cutting. If Smartbar achieved that, I would have installed one of those, as the winch version for my model is only 42kg, compared to the 60kg Offroad Animal one I installed because it was the lightest, direct OEM replacement, I could find at the time. Still much better than the heavier TJM or ARB options.
I now need upgraded suspension and brakes to return my vehicle to OEM handling. More cost, more modification. It becomes a very nasty cycle that I would warn to beware.
Beware Youtube Personalities
Ronny Dahl released a video recently, dismissing plastic bullbars and stating that steel is the best, and not just any steel, it has to be the heaviest bar possible to be quality. Watch for yourself his completely misguided view of modern bullbars, engineered fabrication folding techniques and his lack of knowledge in aluminum extrusion strength. His ignorance was prominent stating truck bullbars are the toughest because they’re big, heavy and steel. Ummm… truck bullbars are extruded aluminum because they’re lighter than steel and as strong as steel.
Below, watch how well the SmartBar holds up hitting a calf at 100kph. I would actually say it did this better than any steel bullbar, as the impact would have been brutal with steel or aluminum.
A little more about just how good plastic smartbars are vs. ignorant opinions.
Smartbars compress. More people survive high speed accidents because of modern vehicle design, the crumple zone around the cabin. Keep the impact on the body to a minimum, whilst everything around the vehicle falls away, absorbing the force. Steel and aluminum bullbars DO NOT meet this standard and only increase risk of death. Great for low speed collision protection, but not high speed impact.
Honestly, if all you want a bullbar for is to mount lights, antenna and maybe a winch, for country driving and not heavy offroad driving, then I would honestly recommend a Smartbar any day of the week. Less weight you add to your vehicle the better that vehicle will continue to drive, handle and protect you, like its designed to from factory.
I can feel the weight added to my vehicle, and its quite honestly horrible. Unfortunately for my use, essential, yet still horrible.
I can’t recommend enough to not believe Youtube hype and the after market nonsense as though necessity. I have damaged my front bumper in the course of going where I want to go, but doing so I still took things the easiest way possible and sometimes had to turn around and not achieve my aim, because I knew the vehicle setup would not make it. I’m making changes so I don’t have to turn around and can get to my destinations, the easiest way possible, which can still be daunting at times.
Unless you have tried and failed, I would not change a thing on your 4WD without that experience. I destroyed my factory sidesteps before replacing them with sliders to protect my sills. There are needs and wants, choose carefully is my advice.