Bullbars Aux Battery and suspension.

[pradoprime Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradoprime]

Gday all, i have just bought a 2014 GXL Prado, new to the game of modding a vehicle and have been told by the ARB workshop supervisor that if i plan on fitting a bull bar steel is better, aluminum cracks in extreme conditions, he has also told me that if i want to fit a steel bull bar with winch (ARB Deluxe winch bar) an aux battery i should also install a 50mil lift kit to allow for the weight, i don't doubt him but can anyone tell me if once all this is installed will the handling of the vehicle change significantly, with the added weight will that take some of the stiffness out of the suspension.

Thanks

[snewby Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close snewby]

G'day and welcome.
So you have a brand new prado... I don't know why you started talking to ARB (a very well regarded mob btw) do you need a winch ? or do you just want to mount extra lights? or do you just want protection from the wild life?
Your new car is quite capable as it is, but as you change things you will find that other things get effected.
eg. If you have decided you need a winch, as you expect to put the car into situations where you will need to be winched out (sand, mud steep rocky climbs etc),
Then this decission will effect other things, a bit like ARB said.
You need a mounting platform for the winch (assuming it is mounted electric and not a hand winch )This is usually a "bull bar" but there are other options.
Then you should consider where the power will come from, ie do you need a daul battery? (most likely for a winch) if so which type of battery and which type of isolatiom/management system is best for you? Then do you need to wire the new battery to the rear for a trailer or fridge? Is the front suspension strong enough for the extra weight? If not and you decide to chuck out your brand new suspension then do you want extra lift for more ground clearance, if so how much?
With more ground clearance, should you now think about different tyres? and on it goes...
I would suggest you work out all the things you eventually want to change or upgrade, then work out a timeline plan of what needs to be done before what.
eg, you want the bull bar before the winch and the extra battery before the winch... but battery and bull bar are not dependant - you can choose which you want first.
Most people do this gradually, but you may want to do it all at once, in which case a singe supplier may be an advantage. Otherwise you can pick and choose different poducts that best suit you. There are lots of options. and sub options (wire on the winch or use spectra rope and save weight)
Read thru the Pradopoint topics, there is a lot of experience there. someone has almost certainly done what you want before or commented on the options.
Consider it a journey, and enjoy the trip towards customising your new prado - so it is just right for you. (and have fun).
ps.you should expect most suspension upgrades to be a bit stiffer, better and more stable off road.

[Prado_The_2nd Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Prado_The_2nd]

I've just added an ARB Deluxe Winch Bar (WITHOUT winch or 2nd battery) to my 2012 Altitude, and haven't really noticed any significant handling difference on the stock standard suspension. Certainly, the more weight you add, the more likely the front suspension will be affected, and at some point, a firmer suspension (not necessarily a lift though) might be needed. I'm fairly sure I read another post talking about handling changes (or not) from a 2nd battery and winch ...

You'll probably get lots of opinions here on different bullbars, but from my own experience:

Aluminium/Alloy (which I had on my 120 series) are much lighter, but they are also weaker and will almost certainly crumple or even split in a collision with something hard (animal, fence post etc). My brother slid into a fence post in his old Patrol, and the aluminium bar bent backwards, taking out the front lamp assembly. But, they are lighter, so if you are just wanting to mount lights and a winch ...

Steel (which I have on my 150 and on previous landcruisers). Tough but heavier. I once tapped a wall with the bar, and the bar won! My preference.

Plastic (like the SmartBar which I had on my 90 series) - I really liked the 90 series Smartbar - it looked good and was very light. Unfortunately, they seem to have become much uglier since then. And I'm not sure that they can take a winch.

[pradoprime Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradoprime]

Thanks snewby and Prado_The_2nd really appreciate your thoughts, i think i will do what you did snewby put the bull bar on first see if that has any effect and wait till I'm ready to do the trips i have planned IE: Simpson Desert and alike and do what needs to be done like battery winch and the lift.
Thanks again.

[DDK Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DDK]

I have an ARB steel bar, winch, dual battery and a 2inch suspension lift (and A/T tyres). I am leasing my Prado and for me it worked out better to have it all installed at once, so I can't really comment on how it changed the car - as I never drove it without. I do really like the suspension though and find it quite comfortable. I came from a Kluger and I find that the Prado has a lot less body roll in corners in comparison, which I think is because of the OME suspension.
As mentioned above, it all comes down to what you need/want, but I just wanted to share that the car certainly remains comfortable.
one thing to note: be careful with parking garages given the extra height.... I measured my car after the suspension upgrade and found it to be 1.98m high, so if you use a parking garage that is lower than that, then you'll have an issue...

[pradoprime Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradoprime]

Thanks DDK i never give it a thought about the height, just checked it out should be OK, I'm still tossing up as whether or not to do the lift with the bull bar, the more i read and think about it i may go down that road.
Thanks mate

[shodown Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shodown]

I reckon you could be able to get away with just a bar without worrying about suspension, but as soon as you add the weight of battery and winch you will find the front sink under brakes.

My mate complains about hitting the bump stops going over speed humps in his 120 with steel bar and dual battery (no winch).

I think my front suspension sinks a little too much for my liking on my 150 with just the steel bar - most people rave about the handling improvements after a 2" lift though, so I would personally pony up the dollars if it were affordable.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

My alloy bullbar and dual battery, no winch & driving lights dropped my front suspension about 25mm (measured after 100,000km). I've just had the OME kit in and the front is sitting 50mm higher and it definitely no longer dips as much as I corner or brake. Feels firmer - rear feels the same, but I only had the medium duty springs fitted as I have airbags and its not under constant load. Haven't had it off road yet.

[sunchaser Member Find all posts View Profile Close sunchaser]

G'day pradoprime,

It's well worth the money to get a lift kit put in. It's one of the first things I did along with getting a steel bull bar. The stock suspension is so soft the front end dips down when braking or going down my drive way kerb! Cannot fault the ARB OME 2" medium lift kit. (Have had them before for 15 years, performed faultlessly) once you start packing her up and going away or towing something at 100km/h you'll really appreciate it. A bull bar and lift kit are a must have

[pradoprime Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradoprime]

sunchaser & r4ndll thank you for your experience and input, with all the knowledge and experience being offered humbles me, thank you to you all, it has helped me decide, I'm going to go with the steel bar and lift kit from ARB.

[sunchaser Member Find all posts View Profile Close sunchaser]

You won't be sorry, it's money well spent and will help turn a mum's taxi into a very capable offroad touring weapon that will last. Buy the best and buy once!!
Cheers Gaz