How to choose the right vehicle protection accessories for your next adventure

Despite the massive variety of models available in Australia today, not all four-wheel drives and dual-cab utes are built exactly as owners want them to be.

Luckily, there is just as much choice when it comes to customising off-road vehicles to suit individual adventurous pursuits from Australia’s leading accessory suppliers.

Even still, not all bull bars and similar accessories are created equal and designed to maintain the integrity, styling and operation of the donor vehicle while complying with Australian Design Rule standards.

Modern four-wheel drives, like the current-generation Y62 Nissan Patrol, have advanced safety features which utilise an array of sensors that are integrated into the standard body work. So, it is critically important that, when choosing to replace or modify body panels such as the bumper bar to fit an aftermarket bull bar, you choose the right one.

A bull bar’s primary purpose is obviously to protect the vehicle’s crucial components in the event of an impact. And fitting the correct one can, obviously, assist in avoiding such incidents from occurring in the first place, as well as maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the original design while improving ground clearance and underbody protection.

Australia’s leading off-road accessory supplier, Opposite Lock, comprehends the varying needs of four-wheel drive adventurers with a wide range of bull bars and other accessories. But it also understands the important benefits of ensuring the integrity of safety systems such as airbags, parking sensors, active cruise control and automated emergency braking remains intact.

That philosophy is highlighted in Opposite Lock’s new Premium Steel Bull Bar specifically developed for the Y62 Nissan Patrol.

For starters, its slim-fitting design neatly integrates into the exterior style of the Patrol as it has been formed and folded to look the part with a sleek profile that also provides exceptional strength without an excessive weight penalty. The bar is offered as standard in matt black but can be colour matched with the vehicle’s exterior paint.

More than that, the Premium Bull Bar has been engineered to deliver on its promise of added frontal protection with precise clearances and a central split air dam that not only helps deliver consistent air flow to the Patrol’s 5.6-litre V8 engine but improves its overall strength. Alternatively, the Premium Bull Bar is available with a three-piece frontal protection plate to further reduce the chance of impact damage.

Constructed from 63mm heavy-duty powder-coated steel, the Premium Bull Bar has strong over-riders that protect the bar against nudging, recessed LED indicator lamps, conveniently-located Hi-Lift jacking points, three quick-fit CB aerial mounting points and a low winch mount location that allows for optimum vehicle recovery and is designed to suit a wide range of popular winch models.

A huge range of additional driving lights can easily be fitted too and buyers have the choice between either LED or halogen bulbs in the fog lights.

Importantly, the Opposite Lock Bull Bar has been designed to allow unimpeded operation of the Patrol’s airbags as well as the forward camera and sensors needed to operate functions such as Intelligent Cruise Control, Intelligent Lane Intervention and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning.

As one of Australia’s largest independent four-wheel drive and vehicle accessory specialists, Opposite Lock not only creates rugged and reliable accessories suitable for all types of driving adventures, its retail network is staffed by four-wheel drive specialists that provide expert knowledge with friendly service as well as high-quality fitment and vehicle servicing.

So, before choosing to fit a bull bar – or other key accessories – ask an expert at Opposite Lock for the best solution to suit your vehicle and driving style.

What sort of driving do you intend to do?

Where you go – and how you drive – will determine, first of all, the type of bull bar your vehicle requires. If you are touring the country’s highways with a caravan, and not venturing too far off the beaten path, a lightweight poly bar may be all you need. At the opposite end of the spectrum, if you intend to drive deep into the Outback then a high-strength bar with an integrated winch mount like the Opposite Lock Premium Steel Bull Bar would be a more appropriate solution.

For extreme off-roaders, a tube-style bar provides added protection and improved departure angles without impeding the engine air intake, while for those that travel regularly on country roads at night, where the risk of an animal strike is increased, a triple-loop or post-style bar offers maximum protection.

If the majority of your off-roading is on a work-site, recreational driving on a beach or on country gravel roads then a single-loop or a lightweight bumper replacement may be all you need.

The type of adventure will also decide what additional accessories you might need, which can then dictate the type of bull bar to fit.

If you’re heading into the Outback, far from mobile telephone reception, or often travel with a group of fellow enthusiasts, then having a CB radio provides easy communication. Fitting high-powered driving lights or a light bar can also help illuminate the road ahead when driving off-road at night. And having a winch will ensure you can extricate your vehicle – or recover others – from precarious situations.

Any – or all – of these can be fitted to certain bull bars, so it’s best to determine the full suite of accessories you intend to fit before first deciding on the bull bar.

Most importantly, whatever bull bar you choose it is imperative that it does not adversely affect the performance and functionality of the vehicle’s safety, such as the accelerometers that determine whether to deploy airbags in the event of a frontal collision or the everyday operation of active crash avoidance systems like parking sensors, cruise control and automated emergency braking.