Can someone Explain why Bull bars are so bad and Plate Bumpers are so good?

Title says it all. I understand the differences between the 2 products as in the plate bumper is basically and entirely new front end and the bull bar is this weird looking bar in front of the grill. All I have heard is "They (bull bars) damage your radiator in small collisions." So what gives here?

 

It's partly a clearance issue. Bull bars decrease your approach angle, while plate bumpers increase it. Of course that's only relevant if you wheel.

 

Bull bars are not meant for real protection either. more for show or used as a grass spreader... just my 2 cents

 

Ah I see...well I guess if look is all you are after I can see the appeal. I never really thought about how it has no support at the top of it, so the part you actually see just pushes up toward the truck if it gets hit.

 

Not that I am trying to show the accidents as a good thing in these photos but you can easily tell a difference



vs

 

Wow that thing crumbled! What a POS

 

While what Bruce said is true, it isn't what makes bull bars weak and plate or tube/hybrid bumpers strong. You can have a plate bumper with terrible approach angles, but that's besides the point.

Here are a couple points, I hope it helps!

1st construction: Most companies that make bull bars make them in large quantities out of thin walled crappy metal, and in some cases use plastic for components, whereas fabricators who build plate bumpers use 1/8" plate and above, generally 3/16" and 1/4" for the construction.

2nd how they're mounted: bull bars are mounted with a couple bolts under the frame and have no moment strength, meaning they have nothing from preventing them from bending backwards on impact and crushing the bodywork, and potentially doing damage to other components, i.e. The radiator.

Plate bumpers mount to the front of the chassis, replacing the aluminum "under bumper" and have a much stronger connection to the truck. A lot of fabricators also have support straps running parallel to the frame to give extra support when being recovered, or for winching. Because how they are constructed, and mounted (6 bolts minimum) they are inherently stronger than the bull bar.

Imagine a lever, you try to move it close to the fulcrum and it doesn't move, however if you grab it from the very tip, you can move it. Same principle. The plate bumpers have inline strength because how they're mounted to the frame, small fulcrum, and bull bars have a low mounting point below where plate bumpers mount, and nothing supporting them at the top, big fulcrum.


The biggest difference is bull bars are purely aesthetic, unless you get a true push bar from a police car.... And plate bumpers are built to provide protection in low speed impacts off-road, and minor impacts like rear ending, poles, trees, etc... and are well designed and look great in the process. Better than bull bars in my opinion.


To give an example I hit a deer last rear going around 40mph with my plate bumper. Killed the dear instantly, and the truck sustained zero damage. I just had to pick some hair off the front. And the winter before that I got rear ended in a little snow flurry and even though the car lifted my rear end off the ground, my rear plate bumper took the impact and no damage was sustained to my truck. Can't say the same for the girl who was texting though... Her Ford Taurus got crunched...


Hope this helps, sorry for the length.

 

the only 'bull bar' worth installing is an actual bull bar or roo bar
which is fat welded steel or aluminum with quad attachment points.
[and you will be cutting holes in the front to install one]

these are designed to push aside bulls, deer, kangaroos up to 45mph without
bending inward

the thing is, about all the bull bars you see are mere imitations and for looks only
and have no actual damage prevention function


this is why everyone says plate bumper, or go home. installing a plate bumper
solves the problem of attachment points as you remove your stock bumper and they are usually plenty beef to be able to nose up the entire vehicle w/o damage

 

Awesome reply flyboy. That is exactly what I was wondering about on the topic of mounting them. It makes sense that more support would make the plate bumpers stronger. I was just trying to figure out how they could also be mounted low but have much more rigidity.

Also as a side note, glad that we are talking about moments here. I have an engineering background and love seeing those school years paying off haha

 

It's nice when stuff learned comes in handy! Glad I could help! Looks like plenty of fabricators are coming out with 2016 bumpers, before you know it you'll have tons of options for a great stock replacement!