1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Bull Bars

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by 21 4Runner, Dec 9, 2022.

  1. Dec 10, 2022 at 8:05 AM
    #31
    Spare Parts

    Spare Parts New Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2020
    Member:
    #14274
    Messages:
    2,873
    Gender:
    Male
    Southern Maine
    Vehicle:
    22 LR ORP
    Sherpa Crestone. 4X Innovations Sliders
    upload_2022-12-10_11-5-43.jpg
     
    Thatbassguy likes this.
  2. Dec 10, 2022 at 9:36 AM
    #32
    ElectroBoy

    ElectroBoy Ad astra

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2020
    Member:
    #15823
    Messages:
    2,002
    Gender:
    Male
    Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2018 ORP
  3. Dec 10, 2022 at 11:07 AM
    #33
    Captain Spalding

    Captain Spalding . . .

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2022
    Member:
    #25492
    Messages:
    2,130
    The first time I heard of the use of a sacrificial structure was back in 1973, in reference to a Mercedes Benz 450SE (incidentally, the pinnacle of Mercedes quality. IMHO.) Mercedes used the term “crumple zone” in their literature.

    [​IMG]
     
    Thatbassguy[QUOTED] likes this.
  4. Dec 10, 2022 at 11:27 AM
    #34
    Metalsaber

    Metalsaber New Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2021
    Member:
    #21350
    Messages:
    101
  5. Dec 10, 2022 at 11:45 AM
    #35
    ElectroBoy

    ElectroBoy Ad astra

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2020
    Member:
    #15823
    Messages:
    2,002
    Gender:
    Male
    Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2018 ORP
    True. Bull bars and beefier front bumpers are most useful to provide some front end protection from animal strikes. Very popular for deflecting kangaroos in Australia.
     
    Slopemaster likes this.
  6. Dec 10, 2022 at 4:38 PM
    #36
    4runGirl88

    4runGirl88 Get a little mud on the tires!

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2019
    Member:
    #11817
    Messages:
    449
    Gender:
    Female
    Vehicle:
    2018 Black SR5 Premium (AKA Black Betty)
    I have a bull bar. I like my bull bar. It has helped me twice when some idiots tried to back into me in parking lots. Will it save my front end in a higher speed crash? Probably not. But in a higher speed crash my factory front end will most likely be toast anyways. Get a damn bull bar if you want one and like the look of it!
     
  7. Dec 10, 2022 at 4:58 PM
    #37
    Trekker

    Trekker Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2020
    Member:
    #15732
    Messages:
    991
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    1997 3rz 5spd
    The effectiveness of bull bars is completely dependent on design and execution. I know ARB designs theirs to work with the vehicle collision system. The problem I see with most is they aren't high enough, at speed you'll sweep the legs out from under the critter and your hood will still take the brunt of the impact.

    They add considerable weight, have potential to do more damage to your own vehicle or anything you might hit, and make pedestrian crashes much worse for the pedestrian.

    In rural areas where deer might be a problem on unlit roads, there is a reason to have a bull bar. But if the animal is tall enough to clear your hood, it wont stop it from coming into your hood. That said, many improve approach angles and come with additional spots to mount accessories. So even if the crash aspect is debatable, there is still a valid reason to have one.

    New cars aren't designed to disintegrate, they're designed to crumple. Big difference. In the old days they'd stick a thick chrome bumper and call it crash protection. It worked at slow speed collisions, but at faster speeds this hard point would transfer more energy into the vehicle and make it worse for the passengers. Now they crumple to absorbed the energy and make it more survivable.

    Someone said earlier that the guys at 4wd 24/7 don't use bull bars- what? They do, here's one, I think they even call it a "bull bar" in some of their videos.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2022
  8. Dec 10, 2022 at 5:30 PM
    #38
    IMLGND

    IMLGND New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2021
    Member:
    #24587
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2022 Army Green 4Runner TRD ORP
    If only I had a TSS & MTM camera friendly bumper/bull bar installed before this wild creature wanted to attempt suicide it would have helped minimize the damage. I said minimize.

    It went directly into the radiator and moderately damaged everything else (hood, lights, right apron and all that plastic). The radiator and all of its parts took the major brunt of the hit. All but two airbags went off.

    The metal bumper could have helped prevent the airbags from going off and the bull bar prevented the thing from severely impacting the grill.

    Subtract the labor and part cost of the radiator area and air bags my repairs would have been much simpler and cheaper.


     
    ecoterragaia and 4runGirl88 like this.
  9. Dec 29, 2022 at 10:02 PM
    #39
    marktrezz

    marktrezz New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2022
    Member:
    #30309
    Messages:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    mark
    Vehicle:
    4Runner
    Have you seen THIS video ? from TJM factory.. they slam a huge weight into the bar to show where it takes the shock and barely folds in,
     
    AJRUNNERPRO likes this.
  10. Dec 30, 2022 at 4:09 AM
    #40
    Too Stroked

    Too Stroked New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2021
    Member:
    #23370
    Messages:
    480
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tom
    South shore of Lake Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2021 SR5 Premium
    Not bad at all! You will note that my original comment referred to "most of them" though. The TJM product would appear to be an exception to the rule.
     
  11. Dec 30, 2022 at 10:54 AM
    #41
    AJRUNNERPRO

    AJRUNNERPRO New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2022
    Member:
    #30304
    Messages:
    12
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    AJ
    Vehicle:
    2023 4RUNNER PRO - SOLAR OCTANE
    C4 LOWPRO BUMPER - WARN WINCH, ROCK RAILS
    I'd highly recommend XPELs Clear shield film. It really is the best in the business but also the most pricy. Wont stop damage if its a hard hit but wont have scratches if its a bump.
     
  12. Dec 31, 2022 at 9:48 AM
    #42
    McSpazatron

    McSpazatron New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #19810
    Messages:
    5,595
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 4runner OR
    Dobinson IMS Warn Bumper CaliRaised Sliders 285/70 K02s
    The confusion is with how the words “bull bars” are defined. In the US , bull bars generally mean thin tubing with a simple L bracket installation. Nothing like a full crash tested system shown in the linked vid.

    Prices will pretty much tell you what’s what. If it’s a few hundred dollars and you can install it without a hydraulic jack, then it’s for relatively superficial protection.
     
  13. Dec 31, 2022 at 4:57 PM
    #43
    Slopemaster

    Slopemaster Slope Survivalist

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2021
    Member:
    #20442
    Messages:
    3,109
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5
    265-70-17 Ridge Grapplers, TRD Pro rims, 3M precut bra, N-Fab nerf/steps
    Try this.

    B6CE8B6E-752D-4DA5-9CF2-314F719498F3.jpg
     
    WTW15 likes this.
  14. Dec 31, 2022 at 7:01 PM
    #44
    Captain Spalding

    Captain Spalding . . .

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2022
    Member:
    #25492
    Messages:
    2,130
    In the old days the distinction was brush guards vs. bull bars.
    Brush guard: lighter and thinner. Protects the paint from brush, and the radiator from punctures by branches.
    Bull bar: heavier. Stout enough to protect from animal strikes, and even enough to push a stalled vehicle off the road (like you might find on law enforcement vehicles.)
    Full steel plate bumpers are in a category of their own.
     
  15. Dec 31, 2022 at 7:41 PM
    #45
    McSpazatron

    McSpazatron New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #19810
    Messages:
    5,595
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 4runner OR
    Dobinson IMS Warn Bumper CaliRaised Sliders 285/70 K02s
    Lexus is one step ahead of you. :D
    F04B3D89-23AB-4AC6-9DCD-5C559A7F571B.jpg
     
  16. Dec 17, 2024 at 8:37 PM
    #46
    Green Machine

    Green Machine New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2024
    Member:
    #41822
    Messages:
    5
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Don
    Vehicle:
    2022 ORP Army Green
    GX460, a 4-Runner in a tuxedo.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top