Should you get a nudge bar or bullbar for your vehicle? Both options have their pros and cons. Let’s a take a look now in more detail what’s best for you.
For many years, bullbars were popular with motorists both in the city and suburbs and for offroad driving too.
The appeal of bullbars is easy to understand.
If you get bullbars that are properly installed and a good match for your vehicle then they will protect the vehicle (and the motorist/passengers) from serious damage even if you hit something solid.
Those who drive in the outback need bullbars because of the threat of stray wildlife running into their path while driving.
A collision with wildlife on a dirt road could write off your SUV and be potentially life-threatening.
This works both ways.
If a vehicle with a bull bar hits a pedestrian the pedestrian is going to come off far worse than they would have if they had been hit by a car with no bullbar, and ‘crumple zones’.
Nudge Bars Are A Controversial Compromise
The law regarding bull bars and nudge bars has changed a lot in recent years.
Now, it is forbidden to get big, bulky and forward-protruding bull bars fitted to your vehicle.
Nudge bars are smaller, lighter, and typically made of aluminium.
They are legal for road use and are installed in a way that ensures that if a pedestrian hits them, the bulk of the impact will be taken by the lower body and the pedestrian’s body will be guided to impact the car in a ‘safer’ way (so their head won’t hit a rigid part of the car body).
Unlike bull bars, nudge bars are not designed to protect your 4WD from the impact of a kangaroo.
They are designed to mitigate the damage from minor bumps and scrapes.
So if you accidentally clip a street sign while parking, the grinding of the nudge bar will alert you.
How Nudge Bars Differ from Bullbars
In most cases, bullbars are fitted to the chassis. Nudge bars, meanwhile, are fitted to the bumper.
They are good for protecting the radiator grille and for reducing cosmetic damage from minor collisions, but nothing more.
Nudge bars are, however, always road legal.
The Centre For Road Safety sets out precise and exact standards for the size, shape, and alignment of bullbars and it is easy for someone who purchases aftermarket bull bars to fall foul of those rules.
Are Nudge Bars Worthwhile?
If you are thinking of purchasing a 4WD or adding some protection to your existing vehicle we recommend that you seek expert advice before you invest in any modifications.
We can help you select bullbars or nudge bars that are suitable for your vehicle and its intended use, and that is also road legal.
Nudge bars are a good investment for a 4WD that will only be used in the city or in the suburbs.
If you are planning on doing a lot of driving in more remote areas where there is a lot of wildlife then we strongly recommend that you look at better protection such as heavier bullbars.
We have a selection of bullbars that can be installed on popular Ford, Nissan and other 4WD vehicles and that offer full protection, although they may need the existing bumper removed for secure fitting.
Nudge bars and bullbars serve vastly different markets.
There has been some significant backlash against the new bullbar regulations in the offroad driving world, and this is understandable.
When you take into account the vast difference between the hazards faced in cities and in the bush, however, the reason for the existence of bull bars makes more sense.
Be realistic about your driving needs and consider other road users when making your buying decisions.
If you are looking for a canopy for your vehicle then look no further than us at Hektik Automotive Group. We specialise in the supply and installation of a wide variety of automotive accessories, audio-visual and security systems.
Please call us today on (03) 9998 2504 or contact us through our website.
