Not many people would go out in the rain without at least a coat on (except maybe in the middle of a stinking hot summer’s day). So why would you want to go off-road without some protection for your 4WD?

It’s interesting to note that there is a big move afoot in Australia to have mandated pedestrian safety standards imposed for bull bars. 

The point opponents of bull bars make is that they (arguably) increase the risk of injury to pedestrians.

The pro-bull bar lobby states that bull bars save more lives than they take, especially in Australia where serious injury and sometimes death is caused when vehicles run into kangaroos and other animals, especially at night– not to mention the high cost of damage to the vehicles - and fitting a bull bar does help prevent or at least limit this.

They say it’s better to keep pedestrians and vehicles apart rather than trying to provide a “soft landing” when a pedestrian does walk in front of a 4WD.

I suspect this argument will go on for a long time in Aussie, for the politicians there are nothing if not pragmatic, and must recognise that the Australian automotive aftermarket industry has an aggregate gross annual turnover of NZ$6-billion, exports of NZ$720-million a year and employs 30,000 people.

That’s a lot of political clout!

In New Zealand, though, things are different.

Generally 4WD owners want to fit a bull bar – as well as side and rear bars – to protect the vehicle when travelling off-road (although there will always be those who go for “the look” and might in fact never venture off-road at all).

Bull bars in particular are a great way of ensuring the front, especially the radiator and oil cooler, doesn’t get damaged by contact with trees or hidden obstacles, particularly at night.

In New Zealand the rules on the fitting of bull bars are quite strictly set out by the NZ Transport Agency (that’s the latest name for what used to be LTNZ) and available at its website.

However, we set out the rules elsewhere on these pages so you don’t have to look them up.

It’s important that the rules are followed and that only approved bars are fitted as this will result in your vehicle failing its next WOF if you don’t.

So what should you look out for when choosing a bull bar?

Quite often a bull bar replaces the whole front bumper as a unit, and this type is particularly useful if you’re in a modern “shiny” as it improves the approach angle no end, and gets rid of a lot of the plastic bits that break easily.

Many also have a built-in recovery hook, or a hook mounting point – but don’t just slap a hook on unless you’re sure or you could pull the whole thing right off!

 You should note that the holes fitted to the base of some bars are intended for static recovery and NOT snatch recoveries. Ask about this when you buy.

The bull bar is also a good place to put a mounting point for a high lift jack – another thing you should enquire about when purchasing.

And of course it presents a nice solid platform on which you can fit extra lights, aerials, and even a winch (though an extra cradle might have to be used with the latter).

What we’re saying here is that decide what you’re going to need to add before you put your cash down – even if you can’t afford everything right away.

There’s another element  to consider, and that’s what the bull bar is made of.

Ordinary steel is the most common, and especially for the most rugged uses the best since it’s easy to repair if damaged, unlike aluminium or plastic.

However, rust can play a factor, and you’ll have to ensure you regularly check that it’s not been weakened if it does get rusty.

Stainless steel is better, is harder to repair in an ordinary backyard workshop.

Aluminium is becoming more popular since it is lighter than steel and therefore doesn’t affect the front springs, but it is harder to repair, as well as generally being more expensive.

You would use alloy if you’re only going to be doing less arduous off-roading.

And then there’s plastic – or more likely polyethelene. Not that strong – although a lot stronger than it looks – its main benefit is to prevent minor damage since it bounces back into shape, and to minimise danger to pedestrians.

It’s your choice and will depend largely on what you’re going to put it through. But most of all, make sure it’s airbag compatible so it doesn’t interfere with the triggering of the vehicle’s front airbags.

Now you’ve chosen your front protection, what about the sides?

Many 4WDs come with running boards as standard, but when it comes to off-road use these are quite often more trouble than they’re worth as they are easily damaged while offering little by way of protection apart from keeping the paintwork clean.

A better option is a proper sill protector bar – sometimes with a built-in step to help access into a high vehicle – and sometimes also incorporating front mudguard protection.

These bars allow the vehicle to slide over rocks and logs and protect the side sills from damage.

Side protection bars can also provide good jacking points for a high lift jack.

And then we get to the back of the vehicle.

With more and more plastic being used at the back of 4WDs this is probably the area most likely to be damaged as soon as you go off-road.

There are various ways you can protect against this. A replacement aftermarket rear bumper is a good option. Like a replacement front bumper this will allow a much better angle of attack to the ground – the departure angle in this case – as well as being tougher and therefore less prone to damage.

You can also use the rear bumper as a mounting point for various accessories, such as a spare wheel carrier, jerry cans, high lift jack, or even a spade.

However in many cases a less expensive option is a strong towbar with a horizontal crossbar.
We have tested several vehicle off-road with this type of option bar, and it has proven superb in protecting the back of the vehicle from damage. This also allows you the option of using your 4WD as a tow vehicle!

The towbar will usually have a recovery hook built-in; if you’re getting a new bumper, make sure it has one too.

Of course protection doesn’t stop there.

In our recovery box we have two sets of heavy-duty slip-on seat covers which are perfect for protecting your precious cloth or leather, especially if you’re getting all muddy - and it’s hard not to get some mud onto your pants or jacket once you get involved in a recovery.

We also have several sets of heavy duty rubber mats, with a deep dish design which keep the mud, sand or water away from the carpets.