After Market nudge bars

[Guest]

Hello all,

So the first question to those knowledgeable; What are the NZ reg/ WOF requirements for adding a nudge bar (probably bent steel or aluminium pipe) to the front of a vehicle... with airbag sensors? ???

Reason i am asking is amongst the various OffRoading mods im going to do, adding a more substantial nudge bar than the plastic OEM one is necessary for front end protection and driving light support. Oh and they look pretty mint too...

I've heard various companies manufacture to order (Harrier Engineering or Best Bars for instance), but i would like to know that what im bolting on isnt going to cause a WOF failure.

Gratefull for any advice anyone might have. Cheers

[Kiwi_Fozze]

i'd assume a bar surround would be fine, but a solid steel bumper would cause issues. but to be honest, I don't know

[newsuba]

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/virm-in-service-certification/docs/gen-2-vehicle-exterior-4a2.pdf

[X]

thats really strange cause my forester comes with nudge bars from factory and i got my warrant with it from VTNZ from previous owner

are they any different to an aftermarket one on impacts?

[Kiwi_Fozze]

yeah, there is a standard forester nudge bar available as factory and is therefore perfectly fine i believe.

[Guest]

Cheers for all the advice, and the transport NZ document too. ;D

Funnily enough there is NO mention of Airbag compliance, only dimensions etc, all of which the proposed bar will fit within. So? I thinking im going to go and ask the VTNZ lads what they think, because it would suck to spend heaps of cash but not get it passed...

Anyone else with thoughts, please make them known...

[Joker]

I know dad could not fit AM nudge to his new Hilux cos it would void the warranty or something

they were asking $500 for an 'approved' installation

[DRFVDR]

All Bars fitted to an airbag equipped vehicle HAS to be air bag certified,meaning that is has to be tested to not effect the airbag deployment.....

So this means that you will be able to fit an OEM one(like that which is on the Forester or the Impreza Gravel Express) OR an aftermarket one that has been tested, from say Bestbars or ECB maybe if they do a fitment for you

the other option maybe is to remove the airbags and get it certified

[Guest]

Yea that seems to be about the sum of it...

The guys at VTNZ say that unless its OEM, it cant go on if its going to affect the frontal impact of the vehicle. HOWEVER, in an interesting contradiction in terms, the guy told me that if Subaru manufactured a huge 3" thick steel plate for the front of the Forester, it would be road legal, thanks to the OEM clause. But basically, it cant happen unless the bar is certified by the LVV guys, which costs more money and time.

All in all, i think its another project thats going to have to wait...

[Kiwi_Fozze]

use the oem nudge bar? they can look prety cool and i think it mounts direct to the chassis rails?

[subi4snow]

The factory nudge bars are alright (got one on mine) but I'd also love a bigger bar. Cover more of the front similar to the gravel express but a bit chunkier with some spotlights would be awesome. Suit my plans too as I'm either going stiffer standard springs or a very slight raise. I just don't have the money or the know how to organise a new bar atm. Anyone know if gravel express bars might fit on a forester?

[DRFVDR]

It should bolt on as the forester is based on the impreza chassis BUT saying that it may not fit over the bumper nad such

Or if you have a quick look about

[Kiwi_Fozze]

the second pic actually looks prety mean... i like it!!

[DRFVDR]

www.ecb.com.au

[newsuba]

 DRFVDR said:

It should bolt on as the forester is based on the impreza chassis BUT saying that it may not fit over the bumper nad such

Or if you have a quick look about

Why on earth would you want some thing like that on your car ?

Positively dangerous.

:

[Kiwi_Fozze]

australian - roo bars

[D-Style]

 newsuba']

[quote name='DRFVDR said:

It should bolt on as the forester is based on the impreza chassis BUT saying that it may not fit over the bumper nad such

Or if you have a quick look about

img]http://www.ecb.com.au/Trade/DBfiles/images/Subaru/Forester/8S60YP_1.jpg[/img]

Why on earth would you want some thing like that on your car ?

Positively dangerous.

:

Call that a roo bar? This is a roo bar.

But yeah, you dont want to be 1000km from the nearest town and have a few Big Red skippies run out in front of you.

[Guest]

Taken that ECB is australian, i wonder what the shipping is like for getting something like that over here. Id be very interested in that second one. I had a quick look at the Gravel Express bar, but i think it wraps too tightly around the body for a forester? Can't be sure but its good idea anyway...

Wonder if i could get a bar with AirBag sensors built in, save time maybe?

I like the OEM bar, but it just looks a bit flimsy and not very solid