Bull Bar/Brush Guard Opinions

[hectikart]

Hi All,

I'm thinking about adding something to the front of my KJ for added protection, and appearance. I know most of the "bull bars" are crap and are basically for show. That's not what I'm looking for. Ideally, I'd love to get the ARB deluxe bull bar and winch, but I really don't want to shell out over $1000 on it...

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas. I'm looking for something that will be able to protect the grill and lights off-road, be strong enough to push another vehicle (for example a car stuck in the snow that needs a nudge), would like light mounts, and I don't want to lose my tow hooks. Any thoughts?

Also...I do work in a custom steel fabrication shop and have access to a CNC plasma capable of cutting through like 2" steel, so I'm even considering fabricating my own out of 1/4" steel. I'm just worried about it being too heavy, and also the cost since I would either have to make it out of stainless, or bring it somewhere to be powder coated. appreciate any suggestions. thanks

 

[J-Thompson]

ARB or build your own
1/4" is way way to heavy
I would use 1/8 or even 3/32 for the
"skin" and 1/4 or 3/16 for the "frame"

 

[teckman02]

Go ARB all the I have one on my WJ and it was the best 900 bucks ever spent Let's just say there was this one morning on my way to work some one passes me on the double yellow someone clipped me the ARB saved the jeep of about 2500 in parts... The guy had to towed away and all I had was a scuff on the paint on the ARB

 

[hectikart]

Thanks guys. I will probably save my money and do the ARB...it would probably actually be more money to custom fabricate anyway. Did you have to modify the stock suspension at all, or was the ARB bull bar alright on it?

 

[teckman02]

you are going to need to upgrade your shocks and springs. the ARB is about 100 110 pounds

 

[hectikart]

you are going to need to upgrade your shocks and springs. the ARB is about 100 110 pounds

Yea I thought so. I think I'm going to spend the money on new tires first.

 

[tommudd]

upgrade suspension
then
upgrade tires
then move on

 

[Loki]

Figure I am going the my design/my build brush guard route. The start of it is even already on the libby. My problem at this point is bending without crushing....