Smart poly bull-bars

[Moondog55]

I have always been impressed with these having seen a few after hitting roos and wombats.
They never made one that fits my XG ute, has any-one ever seen a Smartbar retrofitted to a different model car?
If so- was it technically difficult or just PITA?
Smart themselves offered no help; I guess they have liability issues but bullbars themselves are not all that difficult to fit,

Having one fitted would have kept me on the road and I'm keen to avoid a repetition

[Travis22]

5 poster a little much yes?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-Falcon- ... 1233305999

Bottom line I wouldnt think it would be hard to fabricate mounts to fit any sort of bull bar to your ute. You just need to find one with the right dimensions so it doesn't block your headlights/ indicators, stick out passed the sides of your car etc.

Travis.

[Strider]

Why not a proper bullbar?

Strongly suggest getting one that is made for your vehicle unless you feel like getting your mounts engineered to satisfy both insurance and keeping the popo happy

[Travis22]

Old vehicle... Any bar will do really as long as it complies with std bull bar design. Plenty of people fabricate their own without issue. Newer vehicle with air bags etc. totally different ball game.

Travis.

[Moondog55]

I don't believe in "Proper" bull bars Strider, they place far to much strain on the vehicle and weigh far too much for good fuel economy. If I wanted a cheap 3/4 or 5 bar monster the wreckers here are full of them. The smart poly ones do a really good job of both absorbing impact and recovering to 90% of new after 24hours. I can knock something up but it wouldn't have the same impact absorbing qualities and ability to recover.

Panel work is done, New radiator needed now, I just hope the aircon radiator is OK as we haven't yet tested it.

[phsculpture]

Thanks for this thread. I've been deliberating on what to do with the front end of my BA wagon, and wasn't aware of this product. The website shows they make one for my car, and they make a lot of sense, but provision for a good pair of HIDs looks a bit cumbersome.

[Moondog55]

Roof-bar is the best place for driving lights, the higher the better

[Walking_addict]

Roof mount lights can be an issue with going through bush with encroaching low vegetation.
Also bonnet, any front bar / antennas fitted can have light glare coming off them.
Can wrap or paint these matt black to counter this if an issue.

Sent from my HTC1 using tapatalk

[Moondog55]

True that, but for the open road or track/open desert I would go higher. Bashing through thick bush should be done slow enough not to need driving beams and yes my bonnet is painted matt black and I'll use shields as well

[Travis22]

Along with the issues Les mentions roof mounted is also illegal for 'road use' as the lights are mounted above the maximum height from the road as per the laws. 99% of the time the authorities turn a blind eye but personally I'd rather avoid all things that will attract unwanted attention and nothing draws attention like spotlight on your vehicle roof except for maybe 35" tires and 6" lifts...

Travis.

[Strider]

They are allowed on the roof so long as they are not connected to a power source.

[Travis22]

Yes... As I said illegal for road use. I'd rather not get pulled over at all then to be pulled over then argue the point then have them look for something else to fine one with. Just not worth the hassle HID with a good reflector and lens can throw so far it isn't funny and with such efficiency led still cannot quite match.

Travis.

[Moondog55]

ADRs

DRIVING LAMPS
7.3.1. Presence: Optional on motor vehicles. Prohibited on trailers.
7.3.2. Number:
7.3.2.1. Two or four.
7.3.2.2. To be used in conjunction with headlamps.
7.3.3. Arrangement
No individual specifications
7.3.4. Position
7.3.4.1. In width no individual specifications.
7.3.4.2. In height: no individual specifications.
7.3.4.3. In length: at the front of the vehicle and fitted in such a way that the light
emitted does not cause discomfort to the driver either directly or
indirectly through the rear-view mirrors and/or other reflecting surfaces
of the vehicle.
7.3.5. Geometric visibility
No individual specifications.
7.3.6. Orientation
Towards the front.
7.3.7. Electrical connections
The driving lamps must be able to be lighted only when the main-beam
headlamps switch is in the “lamps on” position.
7.3.8. Tell tale: No requirement.
7.3.9. Others
The aggregate maximum intensity of the main-beam headlamps as
specified in paragraph 6.1.9.1 of Appendix A can be exceeded with the
fitment and illumination of driving lamps. Driving lamps do not have to
comply with ADR 46/….
The part of the Vicroads site that mention driving lights is no longer there, but it used to say
"A vehicle may have 2 : 4 : or 6 main beam lights only 2 of which need to comply with the relevant ADR
As far as I am aware mounting on the roof bar isn't a problem in Victoria these days

[Travis22]

It's always pretty vague / spread out over different acts / regs but using the above reg: you could be pinged as the lights on the roof are not in compliance with 7.3.4.3.

Plenty of stories still going round that I hear of guys getting done for lights on the roof.

4x4ers and B&S ute being the top targets. Stay we'll well away from Mansfield with lights on your roof that's for sure lol.

Travis.

[Travis22]

http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewt ... 0&start=15

The same arguments been had on many different forums and I'm sure on the sides of many roads with the boys in blue but at the end if the day IMO it's not worth the potential hassle.

Travis.

[Giddy_up]

Just angle the lights to look at the verge of the road rather than straight ahead and they become work lights not driving lights.

[Moondog55]

Even the engineers at Vicroads can't decide what determines the front of the vehicle when I talked to them about a decade ago, one said it means anywhere in forward of the B-Pillar another said forward of the A-pillar and yet another said it meant at the extremity of the bonnet in a standard format vehicle [ that is not a forward control vehicle] I was driving a cab-over / forward control vehicle at the time and had mine mounted on the roof bar and it passed the roadworthy and reregistration inspection at Vicroads in Benalla with the Driving Lights fitted. I guess the solution is to do what the sky-sailors do and extend the roof rack all the way to the front of the car

[Giddy_up]

Use to have lights mounted on the head board of my Land Cruiser in NSW and never had any trouble getting it past rego. Turn them out sideways when using the boom spray at night and then turn them back up the road for the trip home. They came into their own when driving more than 1 meter of floodwater at night as the Cruiser lights would be blacked out by the bow wave but the roof lights let you see the tops of the odd guide post so you could stay on the road.

[Moondog55]

I called Vicroads again this AM, after being on hold for a while and then being transferred to different operations sections a couple of times I was told to expect a call back in a day or two as there was no information in the data base and all the vehicle safety experts were already answering calls
So even if I do get a clarification it won't be in writing I guess.
Same went for my reversing light question

[Moondog55]

To be used in conjunction with headlamps.

7.3.3. Arrangement:

No individual specifications

7.3.4. Position:

7.3.4.1. In width no individual specifications.

7.3.4.2. In height: no individual specifications.

7.3.4.3. In length: at the front of the vehicle and fitted in such a way that the light emitted does not cause discomfort to the driver either directly or indirectly through the rear-view mirrors and/or other reflecting surfaces of the vehicle.

[CoenB]

Why not a proper bullbar?

Strongly suggest getting one that is made for your vehicle unless you feel like getting your mounts engineered to satisfy both insurance and keeping the popo happy

Yeah I’m going to have to agree with Strider in getting a bull bar fitted for your vehicle. These days it’s just worth it for insurance and obviously the boys in blue. Over here in Sydney when I first started out, I had the help of the blokes at Aussie off-road that had a promotion for free fitting. I don’t know if it’s still on but worth checking out, even if not free anymore, they’re pretty approachable and we’re super helpful.

It’s been a few years since I went looking for a bull bar but looks like they got loads more in stock: http://aussieoffroad.com.au/bullbar