</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by Alan H.:
<strong>Its not entirely a good analogy, but if you had a choice between getting hit with a 5000 lb concrete block or a 5000 lb sack of styrofoam peanuts at 40mph which would you pick?
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">I'd pay to see a 5000lb sack of styrofoam peanuts.. how much fun could that be? hahahahaha

Im sold on the Smart Bar <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by PleaseTurnMeOver:
<strong>I have not idea what to say...I suppose you can all judge for yourself <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Click Here

Mike</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Any news on the clear tailights?????????? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

ahahahahahah

<img src="http://members.ozemail.com.au/~smartbar/sa017aa017.jpg" alt=" - " />

OK, OK, now I'm seeing the trend. First there were plastic bumpers, then plastic body cladding, then plastic bullbars. By 2015 we'll all be driving plastic cars and SUV's. Maybe it's the government's way of improving gas milage, thus decreasing crude oil importation and bringing Iraq to it's knees. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

<small>[ December 13, 2002, 11:55 PM: Message edited by: Rob ]</small>

As long as that plastic is REALLY strong, then I think those are actually a good idea for a lot of people. I don't think it's intended for repeatedly slamming it into rocks and mounting a winch in it. But if people just want a stronger bumper than stock and don't want the added weight of metal, I think it's a smart idea. It's just not for serious use off-road.

I've previously read an argument about the pedestrian injury issue with bull bars - I think it's partly because the upper bars will cause broken bones instead of the person rolling onto the hood. And it might be a little more likely that a pedestrian will go underneath instead of over, once they've been hit. I don't see much difference with a plastic versus metal bumper, unless it'll deform a long ways in an impact - in which case I'd say it might be worse for hitting a deer and the bar will angle back and launch the deer upward and into the windshield. Of course, this is all just guesses.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by Rob:
<strong>OK, OK, now I'm seeing the trend. First there were plastic bumpers, then plastic body cladding, then plastic bullbars. By 2015 we'll all be driving plastic cars and SUV's. Maybe it's the government's way of improving gas milage, thus decreasing crude oil importation and bringing Iraq to it's knees. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Check out this quote: The idea was to make an entire car out of injection-molded plastic somewhere between 2004 and 2007.
from this link: http://www.visteon.com/newsroom/autoline/2002/050102a.shtml
and Chrysler's attempt here:
http://www.cnn.com/US/9709/29/plastic.car/

I think the idea has some merit. Like Lee pointed out, I'm wondering if the bumper bent and allowed damage to the vehicle during the testing. Makes me wonder why they didn't have an "after collision" photograph with the bumper still mounted on the vehicle.

I think a hybrid bumper would be best. Use metal for the main bumper and plastic for the hoops. You get a relatively pedestrian-safe bumper, less weight than metal and no rusting.

The whole point of the steel bumper is to spend the money to save the front of the truck instead of a Manik like bar that will absorb some of the shock and give but it gives straight into the hood and grill meaning those will have to be replaced too. I put a steel bumper on my 4Runner to protect the nose and to be able to push down small trees and frighten little children. I dont want to have to spend the same amount or more and have something thatcould bend and have to be replaced after hitting a deer or tree offroad. Basically, if you're standing on a curb and see a bullbar equipped 4x4 coming down the street, dont attempt to beat it, stay on the curb....

It's the same fawking crap all the time. People just blow sheit out of proportion b/c they are intolerant, ignorant, and have nothing better to do with their lives.

You should see all the crap environmental legislation that gets pushed through based on ancedotal evidence and illogical arguments w/ absolutely no scientific basis or regard for common sense. It's all a joke.

Of course truck hits will kill more people than car hits, and for God's sake there are always going to be trucks and people, and there's always going to be morons (driving and walking). There's no way it around.

BUMP for the Bullbar. PEace.