Bull Bars

Forum: 

Does anyone know a good method of repairing bull bars? Mine have a huge rust hole in! and whilst filling them is not a problem, how do I deal with the hole in the powder coating. Or should I fill them and paint the lot?

Hi. Suggest you stitch weld

Hi.

Suggest you stitch weld or plate the hole with a MIG welder, you will need to remove the powder/plastic coating from around this area. ( wrap wet rags around it)

The coating on my Bull Bar was of a plastic type. Some powder coating can be removed with heating up with a hot air gun/propane torch and wire brushing, temp is critical ,as as one has to take it back to a "powder" and wire brush it off. Other types of "powder coating" is of a more like a plastic coating, this melts when heated and wire brushing has no effect, in these case's I have used Nitromoors!!! paint stripper, very messy. Rust tends to creep under powder/plastic coating , so quite an area may need cleaning, touching up with paint never seems to match. ( the plastic coating is quite thick)

Warning !!! beware toxic fumes, when heating these coating !!!!

Try removing coating from area around patch, derust, weld up, prime area and bring up level with fine/knifing filler, prime and top coat whole bullbar with a gloss black "Plasticote" paint. (rattle can stuff from DIY/hardware store), just a suggestion !!!

Though my solution was in the end to remove the whole thing, it really looks crap, the truck looks better with out this factory fitted item.

I did in my Land Rover days design a what now is called a Bull Bar and which I then sold on( all rights.ect) , often seen on 4x4's and HGV trucks specificaly in Australia, yep ' now a Roo Bar !!!. Originaly thought out as a replacement bumper for Series 2 Land Rovers working in a forestry inviroment in Scotland, to protect the steering arm link and push timber brash/light growth/scrub away from the rad and front of the truck.

Edward (ews) '92 Fourtrak 2.8 TDX

Thanks Chaps, It sounds like

Thanks Chaps, It sounds like a lot of work! I think I might look into the suggestion of removing them and bolting the driving lights to the front bumper.

Does anyone know

Whether the more rounded bull bars off the MK 2 fourtrak (93 onwards) will fit to an F75 MK1???

Need a new one and would prefer that shape over the square on i currently have

Powder coating is a standard

Powder coating is a standard range of colours called RAL colours. Weld a patch as Edward suggests then use stopper instead of filler and wet flat with 600 grit wet and dry paper until perfect.
Prime with high build primer and sand again with 600 grit wet and dry, then go to a powder coaters who will order you an enamel touch up tin of the appropriate RAL colour. These are all numbered so make a note of the colour for future reference, it will be RAL 1111 for example.