Why not just a brush guard?

[wheelhard916]

 

[wheelhard916]

It has two bars that go underneath and attach to the frame . As I approach something it slides on that und then tends to guide everything towards my frame. It does protect my lights and plastic junk drone debris and branches.

 

[Desert Runner]

Sorry to hear about your accident though I imagine a deer strike in Ohio is something you have gotten used to — I hear they are everywhere down there.

I’ve heard of similar stories about brush guards bending back, but to me that’s not the important question. Cosmetic damage is a given in a deer strike at highway speeds. What matters is mechanical damage.

A proper bull bar isn’t supposed to prevent cosmetic damage. When you hit a fleshy projectile weight 250lbs at highway speeds, stuff is gonna bend.

A good bull bar and even some well designed brush guards will take the brunt of this impact, and surely the vehicle will be damaged, but it will be way more likely to be able to drive home under its own steam or at least get out of the Bush.

In order to prove that any bull bar or brush guard is actually a damage modifier, it needs to be tested — so, using the same weight and same speed of projectile on two identical vehicles: one without a brush guard and one with a brush guard. According to ARB, they test their bars for exactly this kind of thing and the results are “bull bars help get you home”. Yes, it’ll still need repair but that is cheaper than dying of thirst waiting for rescue. Obviously the merits of this change depending on where you take your rig. If you are near towns and cities or tow trucks, or travel in a group, perhaps this is less of a concern.

Bought a ARB for exactly this reason. During a driving project outside Detroit, on the Interstate, my partner and i saw AT A MINIMUM, at least 25 dead deer that had been hit by vehicles in less than 10 miles distance. Saved my pennies and bought my bumper as soon as I got home out West. Deer/Kangaroos(large) are similar in size and weight, so if it's designed for the Outback, it was going to be good for my needs. I remember reading a story, that an insurance company in Australia, sent an agent to investigate the large 'ROO' claims they were having. He had to put in a claim on his rental car, from an impact with one, while driving to investigate the situation. I'm sure our members "down under", could supply a host of stories on this very topic. They seem to suffer the same thing we do in the spring each year with rabbits, albeit, with a larger size animal.

A good topic thread, for those on the fence. Some excellent observations by posters above.

 

[wstark54]

I have come to the same conclusion, there are 5 or 6 small firms that do aftermarket front bumpers for Xterra's and I looked at all of them. My best resource was my 4X4 instructor at OffRoad Consulting, Kyle Butcher. He's on the trails in Pa. everyday and could use anything he wants, he's got an ARB bumper on his jeep. After spending a few hours installing the ARB, you see the engineering and testing that goes into the design. Not the cheapest, but money well spent.

 

[Kilo Sierra]

As an example, here is a photo I found. This is a 1st generation Xterra and I have no idea who manufactured the brush guard.
This was obviously an accident on the road vs off road.

View attachment 103457

That's one of the ones I remember seeing!

 

[flyfisher117]

I haven't seen a brush guard harm a radiator but I have seen a cheap $99 ebay push bar or bull bar bend back and take out a radiator. Person just booped the back end of a car in traffic. Enough that it would have likely just been broken plastics and maybe some head lights and tail lights.