Commander Bullbars

[Wanderer]

Originally Posted by azasjeep

That bar sodoesnt suit the lines of the commander you taken a sexy pimpin truck and turned it into a farm hack, that bar looks straight out of 1981

Sorry guys id rather replace bent panels than have something that looked like that hanging off my rig.

I'd agree as much as I'd like one this bar does look agricultural. I was toying with the idea of modifying my nudge and might still do that instead...Just need to get someone who'll bend & weld some pipe and polish it....Good for brush but not as good for Roos probably

[Micfee]

WANDERER ::: go to there web site and have a look at their polished bars. Polishing is all done on site and as I said my bar was built to stop roos or atleast make it back to town, as for azasjeep's thoughts everyones entitled their own as for me I didn't buy the XH for it to look pretty or to look pretty in it ,it is my company car it's 18 months old done 58 000 ks 8000 of those in the last 22 days & belive me if you hit ANYTHING with the naked front of an XH bent panels are going to be the least of your probs......radiator ,,intercooler ,,oil cooler ,, aircon ,,,the list goes on and your catching a cab that's my thoughts anyway

[Blue C]

I would agree Micfee esp as front end is expensive to repair- punctured radiator crossing Simpson last year meant > $700 bill for labour taking off entire front end incl intercooler, trans oil cooler, air cond condensor, fan & radiator & then put it all together again -fortunately had extra coolant & bottle of Mopar power steering fluid (runs the fan too) with me- just 11hrs of Birdsville mechanic labour time!
However I have custom 4mm high tensile steel extra front flat bash plate to protect radiator (might need some "pruning" to fit bar) - thus would drop lower rail & mesh & I think it would look less "agricultural" & I would be happy with it.

[Micfee]

Blue C ... You don't have to have the mesh or bottom bar you can choose to have flat plate .......as in attached picture slots groves whatever you like or think of can be put across the bottom...

[Bomber]

What's the effect on approach angle of that bottom plate?

[Micfee]

Bomber............IN measuring mine I think it has decreased the approach angle with the bar and mesh underneath ,if you went to the plate instead I belive the approach angle would change very little.

Another thought was to angle the bottom bar backwards & by doing that the angle could even be increased but it would be at the expense of bottom radiator protection....

[Bushtracker Bandicoot]

I went back today for the second fitting of my bar, side rails and side steps . I spent the whole day there.
My bar is basically the same as Micfee's, but they are happy to build to whatever you want.
However, it includes side rails and side steps.
The bar itself is very strong, huge tubing in the centre.
J&J's must be a good little business as they are flat out and there were people bringing their vehicles in all day long to talk about bars etc.
My bar will have fog lights using the OEM harness, and also fit the OEM front parking sensors. These just pop out of th OEM bumper and can be Sikafex'd into the new bar.
It will also have a protection plate from the bar back to the cross-member behind the radiator, protecting the underside of the intercooler and radiator as well as a/c condenser.
It will also have 2 x 10000 lb tow hooks fitted to it.
It will also have tabs on top of the bar (left and right) for the HF autotune aerial and the sand flag pole, as well as a fitting for my 50 amp Anderson plug and the spotties.
Every time during the day I went and looked at the bar and asked for something else, they just went and did it!
Micfee was very helpful; he gave me "real time" feedback on his bar, how that he's got back to L'reach, and I'd go and tell Jason from J&J!
I agree that the end product probably won't be "pretty" but, let's face it, it's a jeep. How pretty was the original WW2 Jeep? Is its reputation build on being pretty? This bar will be the most functional and custom-designed that I've ever had, and I've had a lot of 4WDs in my time.
At the end of the day, different people are after different things from their vehicles. I'm always amazed at those who have flash alloy wheels and extra low profile tyres and the like. Last year going up the Canning, we came across a L/C which had fitted (taped) heavy clear plastic sheeting down both sides to "stop" the scratches from the scunge down the tracks. What a laugh! It was ripped to shreds! But why bother going if you're worried about the duco! Stay at home and save yourself the angst!
This is not a put-down of people like that; just that they're not me!
I want to be able to get my family confidently and safely around the scrub...through washouts, over rocky bars, through soft sand, through kangaroo infestations, and similar! And I want to be able to tow 3 1/2 tonnes while doing it. That needs a vehicle set up to be tough and as close to bullet proof as I can reasonably get it.