[pvrajan]

If you mod anything serious like suspension, you should expect trouble from Toyota dealers for honouring warranty later.

Is there any specific reason for a ARB or ironman bull bar? what is the intended usage?


for mounting a pair of lights, a nudgebar is an option.
NEW - Fortuner Stars in Epic | Cars in Action Online

http://www.toyota.co.za/picturedata/...9c0662edef.pdf

toyota sells these in south africa as options for fortuner. If u are making it locally, then doing a replica may not be a bad idea (with small improvizations for the looks you prefer). Toyota will not sell these anywhere if it is NOT airbag compliant. Important item is to use the same mounting points.


the easiest way to mount a pair of lightforce is to use the unibar
Lightforce - Products

I had a pair of strikers on my previous car, cant go wrong with them, the size is ideal. sizes above 170 ones attract too much attention.

[vb-saan]

A bit late to the party. Just finished reading all 10 pages... Great thread indeed.

I have a question. Does adding bull bars in front act as a safety hazzard? Modern cars by design have good safety features like air bags, crumple zones etc. On a head-on collision will this interfere with the inherent safety features, or badly go against pedestrian safety?

[nilanjanray]

Well, recently:
1. A Sumo back into my other car at a signal, resulting in a bad scratch and dent in front
2. I have had bikes squeezing in (e.g. at a signal) and scratching the front of my vehicle

A strong bull bar protects against minor and medium impacts.

It is during major impacts and potential pedestrian hits that the bullbar's negatives come into play. Moreover, the weight/potential suspension issues/lower fuel efficiency(?) are other factors to consider.

I have been weighing the pros and cons, and am yet to take a call.

@ pvrajan: the Indian accessory nudgebar looks pretty similar (to the one in the first link). I don't like its (or the Unibar's) looks though.

How would you rate the Striker lights vs. the Fortuner's lights? Big difference? The Blitz and the Striker are priced close to each other, but the Blitz is huge, and I am not sure I need the extra power or attention.

Can you share pictures of your Striker installed vehicle?

[pvrajan]

fortuner high beam is quite impressive, but the difference is the intensity & beam strength of the spot on the lightforce.

The 240 has better spread than the 170.

For pics,I will need to search backup HDD, it was on a black scorpio with a carry boy nudgeguard, with a pair of 170. which I felt was quite good looking.

Somehow dont feel the same kind of nudgeguard would look good on a fortuner, so I am still not decided what to do.

[nilanjanray]

This is OT, but I am super thrilled to read about the Indian National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) team going to Antarctica near the South Pole on Hiluxes modified by Arctic Trucks. I knew that the Hiluxes had made a few trip to Antarctica, but didn't know that Indians had also used them.

Check out the pic of the tri-colour on a red monster Arctic Truck-modified Toyota Hilux:

(Disclaimer: Image sourced from http://www.antarcticachallenge.com/library/8691/proc/41 - copyright belongs to Arctic Trucks)

Other pictures can be found at: Photos and videos < NCAOR Antarctica 2010 < Arctic Trucks (copy rights to their respective owners e.g. Arctic Trucks).

Mods, please remove this post if linking to other sites/images is not allowed.

The interesting thing - the HIluxes used the stock 3.0L D4D engine. Feel great that the same engine is in service in our Fortuners.

[TheStig]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

This is OT, but I am super thrilled to read about the Indian National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) team going to Antarctica near the South Pole on Hiluxes modified by Arctic Trucks. I knew that the Hiluxes had made a few trip to Antarctica, but didn't know that Indians had also used them.

Check out the pic of the tri-colour on a red monster Arctic Truck-modified Toyota Hilux:
Attachment 488478
(Disclaimer: Image sourced from http://www.antarcticachallenge.com/library/8691/proc/41 - copyright belongs to Arctic Trucks)

Other pictures can be found at: Photos and videos < NCAOR Antarctica 2010 < Arctic Trucks (copy rights to their respective owners e.g. Arctic Trucks).

Mods, please remove this post if linking to other sites/images is not allowed.

The interesting thing - the HIluxes used the stock 3.0L D4D engine. Feel great that the same engine is in service in our Fortuners.

Sorry OT again.
That Hilux looks exactly like the one that was used by the Top Gear TV show during their artic expedition episode. Or is it the same one?

[nilanjanray]

The Top Gear and NCAOR trucks have been modified by the same company - Arctic Trucks. I believe that this Indian team also planted the tricolour on South Pole.

[nilanjanray]

Have fitted a couple of Lightforce Blitz lights in front using the Lightforce Unibar (the cons of an ARB or Ironman bullbar outweighed the pros).

Got a pretty good deal for the lights, but didn't get B&W from Kumar's (easy to guess why they didn't provide). Used the LF harness that cost quite a lot. Happy with the light pricing, but not with what K charged for Unibar and the LF harness.

Fortuner alternator has an amp rating of 80 amps, so will need to be careful about putting on the music system when the LF lights are on along with the low/high beam and ac (not sure how much wattage the ICE and ac pull).

Am in the process of adjusting the lights. Tough finding a dark empty road that is safe late at night (many muggings are happening lately - so getting down and tinkering around for 15-20 min on some isolated road is not a good idea). I guess I will need to wait till I do my next Nilgiris trip.

Spot is great - much more powerful than the Fortuner high beams, which are pretty good by themselves. Trying to adjust so that I get more spread (also thinking whether to buy the combo filter).

Am trying to figure out how to best secure the lights - ideas welcome! Easy option: put Araldite in the screws and in the adjustment/rotation section (once I finetune the lights). Welding option is out, since the lights are fitted close to the bumper. Also thinking of cutting grooves in the bolts.

What about a cage for each light + small padlock? How/from where can I get the light cages that I see in some Jeeps and overseas SUVs?

Pictures will follow...

[nilanjanray]

Excuse the IQ - the images were taken with my camera phone.

Front view...parked on a side street


With high beam + stock fogs on


With LF (pre-adjustment) and stock fogs on. As you can see, light is too concentrated - I am more interested in getting a working beam.


View from front at night


Will get a few good pics with my DSLR during daytime and night (with extended exposure to capture the beam)

Looking for inputs on securing these lights, guys...

[pvrajan]

But, you mentioned that you didn't like the looks of unibar!!!

for securing the light mounts Lightforce - Products

for securing the globes, I have not come across anything so far, why not improvise the unibar design by incorporating a removable cage of not so thick wire mesh over it?

[nilanjanray]

The Unibar was a compromise. The standard nudge bar looks worse. I decided not to go for the heavy imported bullbars. And I didn't want to fit the lights directly using a clamp.

"..for securing the globes, I have not come across anything so far, why not improvise the unibar design by incorporating a removable cage of not so thick wire mesh over it?" - I am thinking of this.

[mayankjha1806]

Hello nilanjanray, Fortuner is one of the cars of my list for our next ride, was there a problem with the existing headlights+Fog lamps, and any comments on the middle row comfort.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Does adding bull bars in front act as a safety hazzard? Modern cars by design have good safety features like air bags, crumple zones etc. On a head-on collision will this interfere with the inherent safety features, or badly go against pedestrian safety?

Your concerns are 100% valid. At low speeds, a bull bar will protect your vehicle (mainly bumper) from dents & scratches. However, at high speeds, a bull bar can actually work against the inbuilt safety / crumple zones of your vehicle. Some cases, it has even resulted in the air-bags not activating when they should have. Not to mention, body-on-frames can suffer from serious chassis damage from after-market bull bars.

Related threads:

Why Small cars shouldn't get crash guards

Bull bars worth it?

[nilanjanray]

@ GTO: Yes, that is why I decided not to go for the ARB or Ironman bullbars. The negatives outweighed the positives.

@ Mayank: middle row middle seat is a bit hard, but one can used to it. High beams are great, low beams/fogs are average. I have put on Vkool on the windshield, and do night driving on highways/empty stretches e.g. jungles, so wanted more powerful lights. Be realistic about the Fortuner's pros and cons when you evaluate it.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Your concerns are 100% valid. At low speeds, a bull bar will protect your vehicle (mainly bumper) from dents & scratches. However, at high speeds, a bull bar can actually work against the inbuilt safety / crumple zones of your vehicle. Some cases, it has even resulted in the air-bags not activating when they should have. Not to mention, body-on-frames can suffer from serious chassis damage from after-market bull bars.

Related threads:

Why Small cars shouldn't get crash guards

Bull bars worth it?

Thanks GTO for the clarifications, and the links shared are very informative indeed!

@Nilanjan: Sorry for going slightly off-topic here... Back to your black beauty/beast