Disco 2 Nudge / Bull Bars - What are they for?

[john snoo]

Silly question maybe, ok I am new round these parrrts.

What is the difference between the foam nudge/bull bars, versus the metal ones?

I want to protect the (facelift) front end of my disco2 in a bump, but also maybe use to shunt hay bales now and then. Wondering what provides the best protection for the bumper/radiator mainly, but perhaps lights too. I would appreciate any recommendations for what would be the strongest addition, I will add a couple of lights I think too.

 

[Turboman]

Silly question maybe, ok I am new round these parrrts.

What is the difference between the foam nudge/bull bars, versus the metal ones?

I want to protect the (facelift) front end of my disco2 in a bump, but also maybe use to shunt hay bales now and then. Wondering what provides the best protection for the bumper/radiator mainly, but perhaps lights too. I would appreciate any recommendations for what would be the strongest addition, I will add a couple of lights I think too.

Metal full width bull bars are illegal on vehicles after (I think) 1997.
Foam/plastic type A bars are OK on vehicles after the cut off date.
Bars with lights fitted don't do much for your fuel economy at speeds greater than about 50 mph.

 

[Henry_b]

One is made from foam and the other i made from steel

Metal bull bars are Illegal IIRC a foam one is best if you must fit one..

 

[Turboman]

One is made from foam and the other i made from steel

Metal bull bars are Illegal IIRC a foam one is best if you must fit one..

Metal full width are still legal if they were fitted to a pre 97 vehicle before the regs came in.
Think it is 97, not 100% on that, but around then

 

[john snoo]

Thanks
"Bars with lights fitted don't do much for your fuel economy at speeds greater than about 50 mph." - I hadn't thought of fuel economy, how would that affect it exactly?

Does the foam one offer any protection to the vehicle or is it just something people fit for looks?!

 

[Turboman]

Thanks
"Bars with lights fitted don't do much for your fuel economy at speeds greater than about 50 mph." - I hadn't thought of fuel economy, how would that affect it exactly?

Does the foam one offer any protection to the vehicle or is it just something people fit for looks?!

Because a modern car is designed to have as low a coefficient of drag as possible, which includes a smooth approach into the airstream at the front. Big bars and lights will increase turbulence over the vehicle.

Bars are a bit of a waste of money unless you plan on pushing bales around, or crashing through lots of interference fit vegetation.

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Foam is secondary protection for pedestrians who are daft enough to run out in front of a vehicle driving down the road. Hence the only thing legal now. Air resistance increases drag exponentially i.e. if you go twice as fast, drag is not twice as much it is four times as much, hence the effect on fuel consumption.

 

[john snoo]

Hmm. I hadn't even thought of drag/airflow etc, but makes total sense. I do want protection,but don't want MPG affected. What would be the best compromise, if there is one? I do need protection, 5 kids taught me that.

 

[Turboman]

Hmm. I hadn't even thought of drag/airflow etc, but makes total sense. I do want protection,but don't want MPG affected. What would be the best compromise, if there is one? I do need protection, 5 kids taught me that.

Protection from what?

Also bear in mind that bars can make access to some things for servicing and repair difficult.
For example, it isn't always easy to remove the grille with bars on.

 

[john snoo]

Thanks, yes that's a consideration too. Protection from anything the vehicle comes into contact with, mainly bales but possibly vegetation too. It's not actually for the vehicle I am buying (which won't go near even an ugly pedestrian!), it's for a friend's disco which he just bought dirt cheap and we want to have some fun/farming with

 

[Turboman]

Thanks, yes that's a consideration too. Protection from anything the vehicle comes into contact with, mainly bales but possibly vegetation too. It's not actually for the vehicle I am buying (which won't go near even an ugly pedestrian!), it's for a friend's disco which he just bought dirt cheap and we want to have some fun/farming with

I farmed for ten years with my Ninety. As it happens, it had full width bars, I didn't buy them, they were on it when I bought it.
As far as I can remember, they never protected the vehicle from anything.
I did use them, but only for tying cattle to when I was washing them.
I also had to remove them to change headlight units on occasion.

 

[john snoo]

Rather than big bullish bars, would there be something just to protect the headlights, or maybe radiator and headlights.

Also what sort of effect on MPG would bull bars actually have just out of interest, if anyone has tested or knows ?

 

[Turboman]

Rather than big bullish bars, would there be something just to protect the headlights, or maybe radiator and headlights.

Also what sort of effect on MPG would bull bars actually have just out of interest, if anyone has tested or knows ?

A bars are legal on D2s, but don't protect the lights. The radiator is quite a long way back, and behind a grille.

No idea exactly how much, and it would depend on speed. At a guess, a few mpg cruising at 70, a lot more at higher speeds.
Huge spotlights in the bars might be worse.

 

[john snoo]

Sorry, what are A bars?
Interesting stuff thanks. Maybe I will look into LED stuff or some aerodynamic lights if such a thing exists!

 

[Turboman]

Sorry, what are A bars?
Interesting stuff thanks. Maybe I will look into LED stuff or some aerodynamic lights if such a thing exists!

A Bars.

 

[john snoo]

Thanks. That looks chunky. Nice but a bugger for mpg maybe!

 

[john snoo]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROV...819762?hash=item3f18f79a72:g:tmQAAMXQeW5TaoVR - those look nice but they seem to lose you a lot of ground clearance if going up and down bumps/hills. Maybe that's to protect radiator?

 

[Turboman]

Thanks. That looks chunky. Nice but a bugger for mpg maybe!

Only at high speeds, I imagine, but you would have to try it to find out.
Different drivers will get very different fuel mileage out of the same vehicle anyway.

 

[Turboman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROV...819762?hash=item3f18f79a72:g:tmQAAMXQeW5TaoVR - those look nice but they seem to lose you a lot of ground clearance if going up and down bumps/hills. Maybe that's to protect radiator?

No idea, to be honest. I think most people fit them purely for cosmetic reasons.

 

[john snoo]

Thanks Turboman, very helpful. I am definitely not interested in looks. Just wondering what sort of protection I can give my front end from bumps into things. Not really in need of lighting. Maybe just foam would offer a bit, although steel would sure be stronger. I might get a used set and try out the MPG testing. Could make myself useful, do two long runs, one with and one without, compare!