When it comes to choosing a bull bar for your vehicle, it’s tempting to go with the best-looking bar from a well-known brand. Aesthetics aside, there is so much more to choosing the right bull-bar for your vehicle – it’s certainly not a ‘one-size-fits all’ purchase.
Modern 4WD vehicles have complex safety systems, such as airbags, sensors, cameras, lane departure warnings, cruise control and so on. Your bull bar needs to be compatible with all of these systems and more importantly, it needs to comply with Australian Safety Standards.
Is a bull bar really necessary?
The primary role of a bull bar is to protect your vehicle’s vital engine components in the event of an animal collision, thus the (unfortunate) name.
Bull bars are also commonly used for mounting equipment such as spotlights, winches, radio antennas etc.
If you will be taking your vehicle on serious off-road tracks or night driving in regional or remote areas, then a bull bar is for you.
Now you need to decide which one is right for you from the many available on the market.
What to consider when choosing a bull bar
The type of bull bar you select will depend on many factors but ultimately, it comes down to how you intend to use your vehicle.
- Do you need to mount a winch, lights or other accessories?
- Do you need recovery points?
- Are you planning on serious off-roading?
- Do you need maximum ground clearance?
- Will you be doing a lot of regional and/or remote driving or will you be staying in urban areas where large/high speed animal collision risks are much lower?
- Is design and aesthetics a priority?
How will a bull bar affect your vehicle?
Bull bars can be extremely heavy accessories and you need to consider that once you have a bull bar fitted, it will form part of the gross vehicle mass, and reduces the maximum payload your vehicle can legally carry. Increased weight and wind resistance can also result in increased fuel consumption.
Compliance with Australian Safety Standards
All bull bars need to comply with Australian Safety Standards. The bull bar you select will need to be certified by the vehicle manufacturer as suitable for your particular make and model.
Steel, Alloy, Plastic…. Which material is best?
This decision will be based on the intended functionality of your bull bar and personal preference. Steel is the most popular choice and provides maximum protection and mounting options but is far heavier. Alloy nudge bars may be more suitable to urban dwellers who want protection from minor collisions.
Need help to decide?
Our expert, Adelaide-based team is able to discuss your needs and advise you on the best bull bar to fit your lifestyle and requirements. We stock bull bars from reputable brands such as Max Bull Bars, East Coast Bull Bars and more. Whether you’re looking for something to suit the occasional family adventure or you’re driving serious off-road tracks, we have the solution for your vehicle.