Push Bar - Is this too much?

[ExpeditionAndy]

Bullets typically leave clean round holes on the surface of soft plastic, paperboard, and animal tissue.

-- Chuck

But... If they have already passed through something else and are tumbling they can make a hole like that.

 

[Adieu]

There’s more science to this I think. In Michigan we have big 55 gallon plastic drums filled with water set up like bowling pins in front of some of our bridge abutments on the interstate. The concept works for dispersing energy. They are called impact attenuator barrels. Sometimes they fill them with sand. But the tiny amount of water inside a metal tube bumper can’t be that effective I would think?




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We have "attenuators" too. For protecting railings and bridges from the citizenry, not the other way around.

Oh and for extortion.

State of CA once billed me $4k for a barrel of sand... needless to say that car was totalled (steering wheel decided to lock up as it occasionally did before...this time at speed....frikkin Toyota)

 

[Adieu]

Wow. This has sparked quite a conversation and provided me with some great information I did not have previously.

The reason I was contemplating this is because a part of my grille is damaged. Neither my wife or I hit anything and we always park in a spot that will minimize damage. The only thing I can think that happened is that one of the neighborhood kids ran into it. If i had the push bar, he would not have damaged the car (FYI - the replacement part, which is just trim, is ~$150). Yes, this is cheaper than the Westin push bar I was thinking of (link in my original post), but I also like the way they look. However, after reading some of the posts, I will have to give it more thought.

Thanks for everyone's input.

View attachment 22513

90% kicked up rock damage (the kind that puts stars and cracks in low-riding sedan windshields when driving behind trucks)


10% maybe just maybe an industrial grade slingshot, one of those forearm braced upgraded cord catapult things

 

[llhoneymoons]

I guess I will likely never know, but I ended up ordering the replacement molding from Tasca Parts who had by far the best price, even a coupon for shipping I found.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

[Dorzak]

Would police fleets use them if they were a liability to the drivers? Not on your life.

Ford addresses the issue in their retrofit manual for the Expedition. They mention only that the vehicle may respond differently in accidents. That's very subjective.

To correct one point posted here - Fleet and SSV vehicles have exactly the same airbag and roll sensors in the same places as the rest of Expeditions. The airbag sensors are not affected by a push bar and still react if the occupants are endangered. Unless, of course you drill a hole through the thing or move it.

And yea, a push bar can crumple a hood that would otherwise be missed in a crash. That's a great point.

Many push bars, bull bars grill guards are Chinese junk and just made to look cool. I'd suspect if you want to get any real protection out of a product, look to the American made stuff the police agencies use: Generally Setime, Go Rhino (Mexican), Pro-Gard and Westin.

Generally speaking the push bars on police vehicles are mounted more substantially. A lot of the aftermarket ones just bolt onto the two hooks or replace the tow hooks.

 

[Adieu]

There’s more science to this I think. In Michigan we have big 55 gallon plastic drums filled with water set up like bowling pins in front of some of our bridge abutments on the interstate. The concept works for dispersing energy. They are called impact attenuator barrels. Sometimes they fill them with sand. But the tiny amount of water inside a metal tube bumper can’t be that effective I would think?




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They're filled with sand.


Their goal is to splatter your vehicle and prevent damage....TO THE BRIDGE.

Vehicle guaranteed a total loss. Injuries highly likely.


Also, at least here in CA, the gubmint will send you a bill of $4k / trash bin if you crash into em.

 

[Adieu]

Generally speaking the push bars on police vehicles are mounted more substantially. A lot of the aftermarket ones just bolt onto the two hooks or replace the tow hooks.

How are the police ones mounted???

 

[chuck s]

"Roo guards" are common in Australia where the kangaroos hop down to the edge of the road, look both ways for traffic, and cross regardless. Some amazing protection bars and grills on their big road trucks in the outback where they travel day and night. (Heck, in some areas cattle magically appear on the road in the middle of the night.) Great idea for a semi-tractor where the driver is several feet higher than in a pickup truck where all these do is increase potential for passenger injury as nothing crumples as it's designed.

-- Chuck

 

[Dorzak]

How are the police ones mounted???

The often replace the whole bumper and or have extra reinforcement. Even when not visible. I was rear ended by a California CHO Camaro that slid under the back bumper of my Chevy Venture. The only damage was scratched paint. It didn’t have a push bar so I commented on it. It was mandatory we stay at the scene for a police report since CHP was involved. I marveled at the lack of damage. He opened the hood and showed me where there was extra support behind the bumper area.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Proof that certain versions of these do indeed contain water. Most I’m sure contain sand but I’ve actually seen inside some traffic ones that use water. And yes they did protect the occupants of this car from further injury had they actually hit the concrete:



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[chuck s]

Never seen sand in the barrels other than racetrack videos. Water is all I've seen and sand surprised me.

-- Chuck

 

[edizzle]

They're filled with sand.


Their goal is to splatter your vehicle and prevent damage....TO THE BRIDGE.

Vehicle guaranteed a total loss. Injuries highly likely.


Also, at least here in CA, the gubmint will send you a bill of $4k / trash bin if you crash into em.

WTF are you talking about? That is absolutely incorrect.

 

[chuck s]

If they wanted to protect the bridge they'd just use a bigger chunk of concrete since it needs no maintenance even after a crash with less than a 100 ton vehicle. And hire lots of lawyers for the law suits for deliberately putting them near the road.

-- Chuck

 

[deweysmith]

They are generally filled with water (and some kind of antifreeze) or sand. True, water doesn't compress, but it can (and does) move out of the way, absorbing some energy along the way.

Concrete doesn't compress OR move out of the way.

 

[J Ski]

We have water ones here in VA. Usually 6-8 of them stacked like bowling pins. Water is best energy absorber and a lot easier of a cleanup over sand. I’ve never seen any involved in person but ally of pics I’ve seen show little damage to whatever the barrels are stacked in front of and a really wet vehicle