TheSamba.com :: View topic - Hurst Bar or Roo-Bar or None...

Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:56 am

Just curious which you guys prefer.

Build quality
Looks
Etc...

Just interested in the outcome as I have not seen many of the Hurst ones, but have seen the Roo-Bars.

Hurst

Roo-Bar

PS...if the owners of the pics do not want me to use them please let me know and I will change them, just chose some at random I found.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:04 am

Hurst bar looks to be the more "substantial" of the two. The roo bar looks like it would offer zero protection, the the Hurst bar would be questionable at best.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:40 am

Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:44 am

niether bar suits the bus in my opinion....i also don't think either would protect the nose of you bus from damage in the even of an accident.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:16 am

Ned-unable to send a pm until monday but thanks on the upper cot. Interested. Let me know how you wanna handle shipping. Please include all the mount screws if you have em. thanks! HS

Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:22 am

69hnk wrote: Ned-unable to send a pm until monday but thanks on the upper cot. Interested. Let me know how you wanna handle shipping. Please include all the mount screws if you have em. thanks! HS

Talk about a shameless hack on a thread. :roll:

I voted Hurst style. I just like the look, albeit original Hurst's were never made for Bay windows that I know of. As far as protection....it's anybody's guess depending on what you hit and how fast.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 3:19 pm

A simple policy:

Does it make the vehicle safer?

No. Considering anything likely to wreck my bus with me in it isn't going to be stopped (or even slowed down a little) by some bent tubing...I see it as decorative. Its as daft as the idea that a spare on the front of your Bus makes it 'safer'. No.

So decorative? Have fun. I'm looking for ways to lighten my bus that don't compromise the body integrity.

Bull bars are something completely different. Especially the ones which would cause the bus to 'ride up' the other vehicle so the impact centers on the bumper. That has a practical application.

M

Thu Apr 12, 2012 3:27 pm

Personally I think they both look like crap, thats just me, you wanted opinions, I dont like the spare tire on the front either...keep it stock.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 3:32 pm

I know I said this elsewhere. Roo bars on a VW will not offer you protection in a 'hard' crash. in fact they can leave you paralyzed, and amputee or dead.

As the name implies they are for protection in 'soft' crashes. I'd consider the roo bar in the second pic mostly for decoration and holding a spare. The Hurst one is too low to really do much. It also has obvious weaknesses which would cause it to fold depending on impact point and direction.

If you are going to be hitting roos / Honda owners / whatever regularly, hand in your keys. Otherwise yes the bars do help but remember it's pretty much a one hit thing. The kinetic energy has to go somewhere. They will get bent / broken to a degree and need to be repaired / replaced. The heavier ones like the ones made by ARB, who are the accepted go-to manufacturer of vehicle add-ons still are capable of sustaining damage but can take a lot before failing. Remember the trouble with really solid ones again is kinetic energy. If they hold up, the force is transmitted to the bus' frame.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:27 pm

Like I said

Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:49 pm

Most Roo Bars I see remind me of this:

The Hurst style reminds me of this:

How do you want me to see you since for the most part it is added bling. Unless you have a Roo bar with tires and jerry cans hanging all over it. :lol:

Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:30 pm

For the record, the red bus is mine. Use the pic all you want. I put the Roo on for looks only, and think it does fine for me, for that reason.

They didnt have hursts when I bought mine, or I might have done that instead.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:01 pm

notchboy wrote:
How do you want me to see you since for the most part it is added bling. Unless you have a Roo bar with tires and jerry cans hanging all over it. :lol:

Emphasis mine. I've noticed this. many people who do fit them it is for looks or for the utility of holding a spare without destroying the front apron.

Where I live you could stand in the main street and see that every non commuting-appliance will probably have a roo bar, many have winches, and quite a few with things like jerry can holders, a hydraulic hoist, an animal cage, generator, locked toolbox etc. etc.
As far as I'm concerned it's a utility thing. i don't consider my roo bar to be pretty. It rusty, bent, worn away in one place and heavy enough to weigh the front down. However I also consider it to be useful.

Rear bars are also common to put things on and keep them out of the way while providing rear protection. I guess it depends on where you live and what your intent is.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:15 pm

No Roos near me mate :wink:

Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:46 pm

F**K - I don't usually fall for those.
That one about made jump out of my skin :oops:

Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:06 am

Didn't need to play it.

So, I was just playing Dead Island before I read your post. :lol: Must be the day for it.

Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:42 am

I was just curious since I have seen both styles and just wanted opinions to what people think.

Now whats a bull bar?

Ps...I just have overriders on my bumpers.

Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:34 am

only love euro deluxe bumper trims

8)

Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:44 pm

I like both the roo bars and the hurst ones. I'm thinking about putting the hurst style bars on my SC. One thing people seem to forget is that these
bars were not supposed to be used as protection in crashes(maybe the parking lot types) or for mowing down game on the hiway. They were orinally a brush guard to protect your front end from getting it's lights broken or your radiator(if you have one) pierced by a branch.

Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:16 pm

snapped wrote: I like both the roo bars and the hurst ones. I'm thinking about putting the hurst style bars on my SC. One thing people seem to forget is that these
bars were not supposed to be used as protection in crashes(maybe the parking lot types) or for mowing down game on the hiway. They were orinally a brush guard to protect your front end from getting it's lights broken or your radiator(if you have one) pierced by a branch.

Brush guards are a different beast again. Roo bars would probably snag any sticks etc. and harpoon the front. Ones like the big ARB bars with the bevelled plate bottoms would probably do this job well though.

Then we have push bars and nudge bars. Even one of our old daily drivers had a nudge bar on it for some reason. I'm still not really sure what the purpose of those are.

Diverging even more, when I was picking up the P clips I needed for the bay I was looking at the ride-on mowers for sale. One of them had what I could only really describe as a sort of a push bar on it. That's a first for me.