Member Since: 11 Jul 2007
Location: Mokopane
Posts: 233
Opinions on D4 front protection bar ?
I have this itch to fit a front protection bar. Any comments on this piece of kit? Anybody who have it installed? I would appreciate all honest inputs before taking the irreversable step. Thanks in advance.White MY2011 SDV6 HSE
12th Apr 2011 5:47 am
Discocruise
Member Since: 13 Apr 2011
Location: Harare
Posts: 30
Well, there is the indestructible ARB bull bar. It's expensive, ugly and heavy and will kill everything that is unlucky enough to be hammered by you - but it will for sure protect you and your car.
Then there are the nudge bars, or A-Frame bars. They look much nicer but give almost no protection, maybe a bit to the fan. And they protect your front end from scratches when parking in Paris...
Ans then, there is something like the discreet Devon 4x4 winch bar. I'd say that it will also give a lot more protection to your front end in case of a collision with a car. It's not its main purpose though.
What bar were you thinking of?
15th Apr 2011 8:37 pm
Kabous
Member Since: 11 Jul 2007
Location: Mokopane
Posts: 233
Unfortunatly the LR plastic one. Must say the only real reason is for the looks and maybe protecting the front when in a carpark etc. I had an ARB bar on my Disco 3 but to be honest I won't go that route again. Although its functional and strong it changes the way it drives and it doen's age as little or as well as the rest of the car. Also I love the front of the D4 so I don't want to change it too much, there is also off course the warrenty issue with other bars.White MY2011 SDV6 HSE
16th Apr 2011 9:26 am
Discocruise
Member Since: 13 Apr 2011
Location: Harare
Posts: 30
I have the same thoughts. The ARB is just too heavy and especially too ... well, maybe ugly is the wrong word, but as you said, the Disco 4 is such a well designed car that the bulky thing ruins its beautiful lines. The bar looks exactly the same for each vehicle! Be it a HZJ105 or a Prado or a Hilux or a Disco - the always look the same.
Do you think that the LR plastic bar is any good to protect the fan from an impact with, say, a goat or a baboon? In Okavango, I hit a stork with my Patrol and that stupid suicide bird destroyed my hole front: headlights, bumper, hood - all wasn't too bad but all had to be taaken care of. The headlight was totally beyonf repair... A baboon would probably be even worse to hit. Thing is, you can continue your drive home with a bump in your hood and a broken headlight, but if I had hit that stork 50cm more to the moddle of the car, I'm sure it would have destroyed my fan and you don't want to be stuck in the middle of the Okavango, Namib, Makgadigadi or Kalahari because a freakin' bird decided to hop in front of your car and brake your fan. MAYBE the LR plastic bumper would protect you against this as well. In fact, that's exactly what I need.
16th Apr 2011 11:17 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
The only practical reason to fit one would be to protect any additional lights you might want to fit. I think the D4 looks a bit ungainly with spots mounted directly to the bumper, and the protection bar would probably make it look a bit more purposeful. For some reason, the D3 suited bumper mounted spots better than the D4.
16th Apr 2011 11:42 am
caverD3
Member Since: 02 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
If you want frotection from wildlife at speed you need a bullbar. ARB or Opposite Lock. TJM do one but it looks like the D3 has collected a gate. “There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
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16th Apr 2011 11:47 am
Discocruise
Member Since: 13 Apr 2011
Location: Harare
Posts: 30
ECB does a very neat bull bar and nudge bar for the Disco 4 too. Looks way better to me than the other bars and it's much lighter alloy and not steel so there shouldn't be a difference in how the car drives.
BUT - in contrast to what it proudly claims on their website - they only ship to Australia and New Zealand. That's their definition of "worldwide" shipping
16th Apr 2011 12:02 pm
Kabous
Member Since: 11 Jul 2007
Location: Mokopane
Posts: 233
Dealer borrowed me the bar to check out and make a decision so here's my opinion:
The bar is very lightweight but looks like it is designed to absorb impact. It has two metal brackets that bolts onto the chassis behind the metal bumper, which is directly behind the plastic bumper. Two 8mm holes gets drilled through the plastic bumper which then attaches a thick plastic bracket into which the bar slides from the top. The top of the bar is then attached via 2 plastic brackets to the top of the plastic grill with press and click type pins. The bar can be removed in seconds should you want to remove the grill. It should withstand some impact and will definatly protect the grill and therefore the radiators and fans etc. to some extend.
To fit additional lights:
The lights doesn't bolt onto the bar only, you need to attach two upright pillars onto the metal bumper, cut two holes through the top of the plastic bumper and then theres a bracket that goes horizontal to the front and connects to the bar and the light mounts on there at a 90 degree angle. The difference between the parts for with and without the bar is only 1 pair of brackets that is different.
Hope this helps.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Please tell me what looks best?, with or without the bar?[/img][/img]White MY2011 SDV6 HSE
For me.....without, I think the bar just looks like it's sat ontop of the bumper compared to it's predecessor on the D3 which was longer. The front of the D4 looks great without adons IMHO, but it is just my opinion
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16th Apr 2011 4:31 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
I like it with the protection bar - especially on the white car. It would look very purposeful with a couple of decent lights in there 8)
16th Apr 2011 5:26 pm
Kabous
Member Since: 11 Jul 2007
Location: Mokopane
Posts: 233
Thanks for the replies Skip, Gareth . I think the comment on the lights is very true, it would look great with some but what puts me off a bit is the fact that the bar makes it look a bit............. Freelanderish , I love the D4's front and I think for now I will keep it that way 8) , also wouldn't like to loose the Silver Land Rover lettering as the bar obscures it totally.White MY2011 SDV6 HSE
16th Apr 2011 9:00 pm
mowog
Member Since: 12 Jan 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 90
This may be of interest to some of you. A genuine Land Rover front bar (In Australia)
Anyone down under have any experience with this make ?
or a Genuine LR version (bit too bling) Oops posted above
Last edited by PSC on 17th Apr 2011 11:09 am. Edited 1 time in total
17th Apr 2011 10:27 am
Kabous
Member Since: 11 Jul 2007
Location: Mokopane
Posts: 233
Eish, I think for now I will stick with the soft front and let the insurance worry about mishaps 8) Thanks for all the input, very interesting that the need has been realised and adressed although not there 100% yet.White MY2011 SDV6 HSE
17th Apr 2011 10:44 am
pieter
Member Since: 27 Apr 2008
Location: Fourways
Posts: 53
I have the same itch, and think the bar on white in your picture looks great
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- but it will for sure protect you and your car.
Okavango, Namib, Makgadigadi or Kalahari because a freakin' bird decided to hop in front of your car and brake your fan. MAYBE the LR plastic bumper would protect you against this as well. In fact, that's exactly what I need.
Looks way better to me than the other bars and it's much lighter alloy and not steel so there shouldn't be a difference in how the car drives.
, I love the D4's front and I think for now I will keep it that way 8) , also wouldn't like to loose the Silver Land Rover lettering as the bar obscures it totally.
