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-   -   Why small cars shouldn’t be fitted with a bull bar/crash guard (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-safety/69603-why-small-cars-shouldn-t-fitted-bull-bar-crash-guard.html)

Before we go to the main topic. A little tech. info which I promise will be useful as we go further.
These days most cars are designed around two types of chassis.
monocoque frame (most passenger cars and small vehicles) and body mounted on a separate chassis (bigger vehicles).
the monocoque chassis differs from the conventional chassis in the sense that the body itself becomes the chassis. By strengthening the body shell at strategic points the need for an extra chassis frame is eliminated.

now coming back to the subject of discussion.
Every manufacturer designs the safety aspects of a vehicle, from bumper to bumper to absorb and redistribute the crash impact so that the passenger cabin is protected the most.
A bull bar or a crash bar fitment is understandable on a SUV or a car with a ladder chassis or a backbone chassis frame where the body is separately mounted onto the chassis. In such a case the bull bar absorbs and distributes the impact across the chassis alone without affecting the body shell.

Now, when you fit a crash guard, say on a Alto or and Indica, you will notice that the guard is fitted on the metal frame just below the radiator bed, bypassing the bumper and its designed function, completely.

In case of a reasonable impact the force is transmitted directly to the front lower and results in the damage reaching the passenger cabin much quicker and increases the risk to passengers instead of protecting them (as perceived by most car owners who fit these contraptions!)
Of course in our country where people seem to attach more value to a car than human life, it will be quite useless to argue on this aspect.

However, not only does this ignorant fitment harm the lives of passengers in the vehicle, it also increases the damage to critical vehicle parts that could have been protected by the primary crash absorbent systems like the bumper bonnet and fender panels.

So the next time some idiot dealer executive tries to sell you a crash guard for your small car, please refuse and avoid the risk to your life!

Nice Info "James", Thanks for putting up the same.

done!...my internet is on the blink every now and then hence the typing in word and pasting

Exactly, Crash guards defeat the purpose of crumple zones in a car with monocoque chassis. Crash guards divert the energy of the impact to wrong places making it unsafe.

For city driving at slow speeds, these things help prevent the usual bumper dents and scratches due to 10-20 kmph bumps with fellow motorists, bikers, autos.

This is one reason why people in small cars think of going for it. It used to look ugly until offlate there have been some nice designs that have come up with these guards which gel with the car design and colors well.

Its not only small cars as sterlingjames has mentioned, Safety is compromised for all cars with a monocoque chassis be a hatchback, sedan or a SUV.

and bear in mind, that if you attatch a crash guard, your chassis will get damaged instead of the bumper, and you do not want chassis damage , as opposed to the bumper which can be replaced.

And to add, insurance will deny claims if a crash guard was installed. If you hadn't used one, you would have gotten at least 50% of the price of the bumper :D

Really? I did not know that. What is the logic behind this?

Also, with a crash guard a car with an already low GC may become even lower, leading to scraping on our roads/ potholes/ bumps. That may cause its own set of ramifications...

cause, you can claim and get 50% of the value of plastics part on your vehicle.And if guard was fitted you are not entitle to get that claim on plastic parts.
BTW james, thanks for the thread and information, very vital one.Have seen many 800,alto and old jellybean zen users fitted with those guards.

Hi All,

First of all Apologies to All T-BHP members.
I had putted the ill fated Bumper Gaurd or Crash Gaurd Bar in my WagonR. It was placed before i joined T-BHP. Basically to avoid Bikes & Autos which scratches the front portion. But later on found that crash gaurd is damaging the bumper itself and the bumper become loose & rattles. It was removed few days back after i hit a puddle deep enough to push the crash gaurd into the bumber itself damaging the bumper.

I learned the hard way, So removed it.

I think placing the crash gaurd can be termed as Alteration with Basic design/Modification and any accident caused by this wouldnt be laible for claims also.

generally, insurance will deny any claims if it can be linked to any unauthorized/non arai certified modifications. crash guards are just one of them.

To give an example, if you are running 15" alloys on a car which came with 14" wheels as stock, if you are in an accident, and have suspension damage, insurance will probably be denied. there have been cases where insurance was denied for far more trivial deviations from spec - like upsized tyres, tubeless tyres etc

This thread takes me back to 1995 when buying my first car the M-800. The first ever accessory that was mounted on the car was the crash guard as at home everyone was new to cars including me.

Internet (forget TBHP) was not in existence then as much as it is now and there was no one to educate. It was one fine day about after a year of owning the car when I was driving through the good roads of Chennai during heavy rains and happened to hit a pot hole when the crash guard by itself crashed and gave way. I had no option but to leave it on the road side and carry on.

It also poses a serious threat to pedestrian safety. In the event of a collision its most likely they will get dragged beneath the car.

Thanks for bringing this up and your wonderful explanation. Many times in other threads this has been discussed and some how people who use crash guards do not agree - even when logic is completely explained.

These damage vehicles and also are threat to pedestrians (some one any link to Unsafe at Any Speed?) as the sharp edges / small dia pipes give more harmful point impacts.

Another thing, it does look horrible. I for sure would not have it on my vehicle.