Why do I need a nudge bar?

[Colonel]

Forgive my ignorace as I've never bought a 4WD before. As I see it, nudge bars don't provide any protection if you hit something like a kangaroo. It just seems to be useful as a place to mount extra lights. Am I missing something? So I don't see the point of them as you can get cheaper, lighter light mounting solutions. I'm probably goint to buy a KX-S soon and just trying to see what justification there is in getting a nudge bar.

Thanks.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Colonel

[KevO]

my mate smashed his kluger not too long ago and the nudge bar took most of the damage and it just looks more aggressive...

[Blind Kid Seeks]

saves getting the whole front bar resprayed after some tool accidentally reverses into you in a car park

[KevO]

ram people without damaging your car ?

[Kesawi]

Forgive my ignorance as I've never bought a 4WD before. As I see it, nudge bars don't provide any protection if you hit something like a kangaroo. It just seems to be useful as a place to mount extra lights. Am I missing something? So I don't see the point of them as you can get cheaper, lighter light mounting solutions. I'm probably going to buy a KX-S soon and just trying to see what justification there is in getting a nudge bar.

Thanks.

I was of the same opinion when I originally placed the order for my KX-S. I did the sums as nudge bar =$700 extra, insurance excess = $450, so just pay the excess in the event of a collision and pocket the difference. The dealer offered me a universal light bar to mount the lights, which uses the number plate mounts. Details can be found at http://www.oztion.com.au/vshops/item.aspx?...amp;shopid=4610

After examining the licence plate mount on the front bumper of the kluger form the outside, I wasn't convinced that the light bar would mount through to the chassis at this location and would be only supported by the plastic bumper bar (someone who has actually pulled the bumper off the car may be able to clarify this). The dealer recommended against mounting anything other than small lights from the bar, and also not to install the bar if I was to drive over bumpy surfaces regularly.

Another consideration was that I am also having front clearance parking sensors fitted to the vehicle. The sensors are adjusted by the dealer to make allowance for the nudge bar, but they could not confirm whether the sensors could be adjusted to the light bar.

Finally the Queensland Transport Motor Vehicle Modifications booklet (which can be found at http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/...r_vehicles2.pdf) states on page 10:

"

Vehicle accessories and equipment

It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure all accessories

and equipment attached to a motor vehicle are designed

and fitted in a manner which reduces the risk of injury

to pedestrians and other road users making contact with

the vehicle when the vehicle is parked or in motion.

Driving lights/brackets must not protrude forward from

the front face of any bumper or above the top of any

bull bar."

The light bar protrudes from the front bumper and I thought that it may be considered an illegal modification. With a nudge bar the lights should not protrude from the front face of any bumper. It could be argued that the steel bar of the light bracket represents the front face of any bumper, but then the same bar could also be a bracket (Insert standard legal disclaimer here about not being legal advice, etc).

So in the end I chose to go with the nudge bar as it:

1. Provided a much sturdier mount for the driving lights than the alternative offered by the dealer
   
2. Allowed me to mount decent sized driving lights
   
3. Was compatible with the front clearance parking sensors
   
4. Appears to have fewer issues with Queensland laws on vehicle modifications.
   

If I didn't want decent driving lights I probably wouldn't have purchased it though.

[Colonel]

Thanks Kesawi, we are on the same page but I don't think I'll be needing driving lights any time soon. Maybe in a couple years tho.

Pitty there's no way to mount them on the grill so as they don't protrude behond the bumper?

Speaking of the parking sensors how much were they from the dealer? I had a quote from an auto shop they would instlall front and rear sensors and frong and rear speakers (that beep) for about $700. They are user adjustable too so you can set them to start beeping from 2m to about 30cm. Dealer fitted ones work the same way? Do they put in 2 speakers or more? Can they be easilty adjusted by the user?

[Kesawi]

Thanks Kesawi, we are on the same page but I don't think I'll be needing driving lights any time soon. Maybe in a couple years tho.

Pity there's no way to mount them on the grill so as they don't protrude behond the bumper?

Speaking of the parking sensors how much were they from the dealer? I had a quote from an auto shop they would instlall front and rear sensors and frong and rear speakers (that beep) for about $700. They are user adjustable too so you can set them to start beeping from 2m to about 30cm. Dealer fitted ones work the same way? Do they put in 2 speakers or more? Can they be easilty adjusted by the user?

I've only had the front sensor fitted as I figured the reverse camera will give me a good view of the back anyway so why pay the extra. You may want to ask the question in this thread which contains a discussion on the issue.

I won't collect my car until Friday so I don't quite know how the dealer fitted sensors work. I did find a document at the following link which explains how the Toyota sensors work on a particular US model (not a Kluger/Highlander):

http://www.brockandbecca.com/files/fj/Tech...king_assist.pdf

I'd like to be able to adjust the sensitivity to substantially less than the 50cm given in the above document or the 30cm you've given above. I think 50mm would be more realistic for those tight spaces. If the alarm starts going crazy at only half a metre then I'll probably end up ripping it out as it will drive me insane (I have an ability to parallel park in extremely tight spaces that are only 300mm longer than the car I'm driving).

Cost for the front sensors only according to the sales contract and excluding discount is $478 +GST +Stamp Duty

[Blackkluger]

We have nudge and tow bar, the tow bar has paid for itself already when some "nice old lady" decided she wont waste her brakes and rolled into it at an intersection, the front nudge bar will assist in stopping people in carparks mainly from knocking your car, helps also when you need to push things out of the way...lol

I think it makes the car look better, maybe thats causing my tyre wear issue....? They can also fit large driving lights.

[Blackkluger]

PS: hence my pic on the left

<<<

[Colonel]

Are they easy to take off and put back on yourself? Might be worth it just for mounting lights when going bush. Probably not good for city driving as it would just increas fuel consumption and some idiot would probably flog the lights.

[Blackkluger]

I didnt put it on but it only has the two mounting spots through the bumber bar holes and two support nuts underneath, i dont think it would be hard to remove.

[Taka]

We have nudge and tow bar, the tow bar has paid for itself already when some "nice old lady" decided she wont waste her brakes and rolled into it at an intersection, the front nudge bar will assist in stopping people in carparks mainly from knocking your car, helps also when you need to push things out of the way...lol

I think it makes the car look better, maybe thats causing my tyre wear issue....? They can also fit large driving lights.

LOL on the highlighted...

[PC XT]

Our nudge bar was on the car when we purchased it as a Demo, I asked them to remove it at the time, but It has grown on me now it breaks up that standard bull nose look!

[Kesawi]

Well I finally picked up the car last week and I must say the nudge bar definitely makes it look better, and also accommodates the driving lights well. The parking sensors are on back order so still not sure how they will work yet. Unfortunately by adding the lights and a hotwire 12v outlet I've taken up all of the spare blank accessory positions on the dash so nowhere to fit the kill switch for the sensors. The kluger seems to have far fewer blank accessory points than the US highlander (refer video inToyota Guide site).