Outer Limits 4x4 Board

There are two points on the front of my GQ's ARB Bullbar, that I can only assume would be some form of recovery point, as I wouldn't see why a Bullbar would require a tiedown point.

But they don't impress me with their size.

There's only about 12mm from edge of hole to front of point

(Sorry it's blurry, it's hard to hold a camera and a tape measure at the same time)

And it's only about 9mm's thick (apears to be made from two sheets of steel overlapped).


Actually it's only two sheets around the front, it's not two along the bottom


Are these points meant to be used as recovery points or not?
I'd hate to think what sort of stresses could be applied to them in a snatchstrap recovery of a vehicle that probably weighs over 2500kgs. It seems to be asking a lot of a piece of 9x12 steel (though could use both and halve the stress on each if equalised properly)

Definitely not, had one bend on me during a simple snatch recovery and one come off on my mates patrol!

I did resize the photos at photobucket, but they seem to be still coming through fullsize.
Does outerlimits upload them from photobucket to their own server or for display or something?

Thanks for that, I suspected as much.
Pretty much it was if in doubt then don't rule of thumb, but just the look of them was that they couldn't possibly handle the forces.

So next question, ARB What the F did you put them there for if they aren't up to the job, either leave them off or put something there that is useful.

If it was a winch bar, I'd assume they were for holding the winch hook. But this isn't a winch bar, well not that I know of anyrate.

No, they are not recovery eyes (as stated by ARB).

They are used to bolt an "adapter" to for using a hi-lift jack ONLY.

I queried the same thing with ARB and they gave me the go-ahead to use them as a recovery point... "Why would we call it a recovery point if you couldn't use it to recover a vehicle" was about the response I got and in their catalogue, it's called a recovery point... have since used mine in many recoveries with no issues whatsoever.

I asked the question at the ARB Kilsyth factory tour and was told what I have stated.

Sales staff will say anything to sell their shiat, don't trust em ...

Bluefreak wrote:I queried the same thing with ARB and they gave me the go-ahead to use them as a recovery point... "Why would we call it a recovery point if you couldn't use it to recover a vehicle" was about the response I got and in their catalogue, it's called a recovery point... have since used mine in many recoveries with no issues whatsoever.

I'd be interested where it says this as I have their catologue sitting in front of me and they are specifically referred to as "Jack Mounts" with an explaination and pretty pictures.

RoldIT wrote:I asked the question at the ARB Kilsyth factory tour and was told what I have stated.

Sales staff will say anything to sell their shiat, don't trust em ...

It was Kilsyth who told me what I was told... It wasn't pre-sale, it was a couple of months after it had been fitted so no money to be made there... Dude there even opened the current(at the time) catalogue and showed me where it stated it to be a recovery point...

No point arguing about it ... if you want to use yours as a recovery point and bow shackle a snatch strap to it, you go right ahead.

You won't mind if I stand WAAAAAAAY back when you do it ...

I'd say they were designed to be used for recovery, but ARB has changed their mind, to cover their asses.

I use a bridle between mine (winch ext. strap), so that if one does break the strap will catch the shackle, and it spreads the load. I would't use them for a really big snatch recovery though, nor from an angle.

I always thought they were there for you to stick 2 big shiny shackles in there, for decoration . And handy storage for when you need to use one on a PROPER recovery point.

Makes your bullbar look like its got lip piercings
Like this

Could they be "reinforced" in some way, with more plate steel down each side, better welding along the top edge etc...? They'd be in a real handy place for doing recoveries, or would the place where the bar attaches to the vehicle not be up to the stresses?

Is that a drag chain I see attached to the shackle on that Rocky?

RoldIT wrote:

Bluefreak wrote:I queried the same thing with ARB and they gave me the go-ahead to use them as a recovery point... "Why would we call it a recovery point if you couldn't use it to recover a vehicle" was about the response I got and in their catalogue, it's called a recovery point... have since used mine in many recoveries with no issues whatsoever.

I'd be interested where it says this as I have their catologue sitting in front of me and they are specifically referred to as "Jack Mounts" with an explaination and pretty pictures.

This response wasn't here when I made my last...??? Anyhow, I have the current catalogue (as mailed to me by ARB) and it makes no mention what so ever of these points... The one the bloke showed me 3 years ago had exploded diagrams of the various bullbar designs with everything numbered and labelled.

mistaboz wrote:Is that a drag chain I see attached to the shackle on that Rocky?

Let's hope someone's winching!

dogbreath_48 wrote:

mistaboz wrote:Is that a drag chain I see attached to the shackle on that Rocky?

Let's hope someone's winching!

It was there to stop me rolling down the hill... sideways - other end attached to a tree IIRC. Same with the snatchy's in that shot.

We did eventually use it to pull, but only lightly, and it was a 'proper' one, outta a recovery kit. Not some bodgey bunnings chain

im pretty sure those eyes are actually in the plate which bolts to the side of the chassis, Its all one plate and the bar is welded in in 3 sections around them.

Looking at them i would not rust them for a recovery point. Tow point yes, recovery no.

just fit the recovery hooks to the top of the bar where holes are drilled, and use them.

Bluefreak wrote:

RoldIT wrote:

Bluefreak wrote:I queried the same thing with ARB and they gave me the go-ahead to use them as a recovery point... "Why would we call it a recovery point if you couldn't use it to recover a vehicle" was about the response I got and in their catalogue, it's called a recovery point... have since used mine in many recoveries with no issues whatsoever.

I'd be interested where it says this as I have their catologue sitting in front of me and they are specifically referred to as "Jack Mounts" with an explaination and pretty pictures.

This response wasn't here when I made my last...??? Anyhow, I have the current catalogue (as mailed to me by ARB) and it makes no mention what so ever of these points... The one the bloke showed me 3 years ago had exploded diagrams of the various bullbar designs with everything numbered and labelled.

If you are looking at the current catalogue, it is on the bottom of page 22 under the title "Jack Mounts". If you are looking at the last (superseded) catalogue, I'll get you a page number tomorrow.

they where okayed as recovery points for this years outback challenge but arb supplied a new ring to weld onto the bars.so the centre piece of steel which is part of the upright of the bar had a ring on each side of it

The only thing I would use them for is as a tie down point on the back of a flat bed if the need arises. I have seen way tooooooooo many stretched and broken to ever use one myself.

IMO mount a proper hook either down low along the chassis rail or reinforce the bar and put one on the bar.

So the story is that the bull bar is connected to the chasis well enough to use the bar as a place to mount a "proper" recovery point but the holes in the bull bar are just for decoration?

Could the ARB designers be thinking "it's better to have the eye in the plate rip out in a recovery than the bull bar rip off?

I think you will find they can be used for recovvery with a winch as there is no shock load like from a snatch strap

grimbo wrote:I think you will find they can be used for recovvery with a winch as there is no shock load like from a snatch strap

Agreed

BAzzle

Areed too

grimbo wrote:I think you will find they can be used for recovvery with a winch as there is no shock load like from a snatch strap

yes sorry - i had my blinkers on to the snatch gone wrong image that I have witnessed to many times. You could use it when winching, but if you have a better mount use it...

Ezookiel wrote:Could they be "reinforced" in some way, with more plate steel down each side, better welding along the top edge etc...? They'd be in a real handy place for doing recoveries, or would the place where the bar attaches to the vehicle not be up to the stresses?

I know a guy that has reinforced them in that manner and they work well as recovery points.

Had similar dilemma with the TJM bar, and decided to install sperate tow points bolted thru face of bar back to chassis.

Don't think they (ARB and TJM) make these lower eyes strong enough or place them well enough to rely on for any recovery. At the least reinforce them and make sure they can't shear off the monting bolts and twist the bar upwards into the bonnet etc.