Ford’s F-series pickup trucks have been the manufacturer’s longest produced vehicle to date but being so big and heavy isn’t always a good idea. This gave the birth of a more compact version of Ford’s F models which was introduced back in 1982. The Ranger may have not been as popular as any of the F models but it has been a great alternative.
Although production stopped back in 2012 as the F-150 was being picked over the Ranger, this was only in the US. Internationally the Ranger continued its steady flow of sales numbers but it returned back in the US for its fifth generation. Today, this pickup truck offers some quirky features and it comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission. What it doesn’t come with is a bull bar.
Bullbars
What Are They?
A bullbar is a much-needed piece of metal that goes on the front end of your Ranger. It can be made from different materials and in different designs. All protective bullbars for Ford Ranger are made for one main purpose and that is to provide protection.
Benefits
When it comes to keeping yourself safe in an accident an airbag isn’t going to be enough especially in heavy impact. A bullbar can help lessen the blow since it sits right in front of the grille. They can also help protect you from animal strikes and provide a means to make use of more accessories that you would otherwise have a hard time mounting. These accessories can be anything from lights to winches and UHF antennas.
Types of Bullbars
Bumper
With a bumper bar, all you can do is add a little bit of flair to your Ranger’s front and nothing else. Bumper bars are made to be purely an aesthetical upgrade as they provide no protection at all.
Nudge
With nudge bars, you get to upgrade both the appeal of your Ranger and its frontal protection. But don’t expect the latter to be anything major as the bar is made to sustain light impacts.
Baja
A Baja bar, no matter how similar it may be to a nudge bar it’s still substantially better than one as it comes with the ability to fit a high-powered winch to it. This means that as much as a Baja bar doesn’t make for a safe trip through the bush it still is able to help in vehicle recovery.
Single Hoop
When it comes to higher levels of protection you can get yourself a double hoop Ranger bull bar. This type of bullbar has one metal tube going over in front of the grille. It offers enough protection for moderate impacts and it can be used in most driving scenarios on the road.
Triple Hoop
For a true off-roader, a triple-hoop Ranger bull bar is the only solution as it has 3 metal hoops with one in the middle and one bar over each headlight. This makes for much better protection even when driving through animal strike-prone areas, meaning you won’t have to worry about a thing no matter the terrain you’re driving on.
Competition
If you’re serious about off-roading and want to enter a competition you would definitely want to fit a competition bullbar. This Ranger bull bar is made only for this occasion as it allows you to remove it rather quickly when it gets damaged or even worse, rendered useless.
What Materials Are Bullbars Made of?
Plastic
The least sought-after material bullbars come made of is plastic. Although plastic bullbars exist they are not that popular since they don’t offer a great deal of protection and they are also not as aesthetically pleasing as other types of bullbars for Ford Ranger. But plastic bullbars are the lightest you can get and also the easiest to remove.
Aluminium
With an aluminium bullbar on your Ranger, you can expect to have a more protective solution than a plastic one but you can also have a lightweight bullbar at the same time. This is because aluminium is a light material but also rather strong for how light it is. If you want something heavier then avoid both plastic and aluminium Ford Ranger bull bars altogether. An aluminium bullbar is also the best solution when it comes to keeping your bullbar safe from corrosion as it comes with a naturally occurring protective layer.
Steel
The strongest and thus most protective type of bullbar is one made of steel. Steel bullbars are also quite heavy which is why they often require you to upgrade your Ford’s suspension as all that added weight needs proper support. Steel Ford Ranger bull bars are also not as good at keeping corrosion away as aluminium ones since they need to be coated in such a layer and treated from time to time in order to be safe from corrosion.
Conclusion
No one is as safe when driving through the bush as a vehicle with a bullbar, no matter how big their 4×4 is. Bullbars can be true life savers since their placement and design is able to keep flying debris and objects away from the windscreen and radiator which can be detrimental for both you and your Ranger.
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