Opposite lock 3 loop steel bar mounts cracking...

[Kumabear]

So I noticed my bull bar seemed a little loose, went over it and tightened it all up last weekend.

Then did a day trip out to the blue mountains.

Yesterday I noticed it was again feeling very loose, upon inspection the metal on the bull bar mounts is either tearing or the weld has cracked...

Checked the warranty online and all I can see is it says 2 years.

Called opposite lock just now and he mentioned the warranty is 5 years on that bar and to bring it past for some pictures and he will "try and get a new bar out of it".

Wish me luck I guess, its pretty disappointing this happened tho as I am very careful to deflate my tires any time I am going off road, and I have not done any long distance corrugated drives with it.

Others with this bar it might be a good idea to take a look.

[sharkcaver]

So I noticed my bull bar seemed a little loose, went over it and tightened it all up last weekend.

Then did a day trip out to the blue mountains.

Yesterday I noticed it was again feeling very loose, upon inspection the metal on the bull bar mounts is either tearing or the weld has cracked...

Checked the warranty online and all I can see is it says 2 years.

Called opposite lock just now and he mentioned the warranty is 5 years on that bar and to bring it past for some pictures and he will "try and get a new bar out of it".

Wish me luck I guess, its pretty disappointing this happened tho as I am very careful to deflate my tires any time I am going off road, and I have not done any long distance corrugated drives with it.

Others with this bar it might be a good idea to take a look.

Good luck, but it sounds promising so far. I'm following this to see how TJM customer service compares to the one I had dealings with. Would love to see what the actual fault is when you get time to determine what that is/take pictures.

[Kumabear]

Went and took some pics before grabbing lunch.

Both the passenger side and the drivers side are cracked, Not sure if its failed welds or metal fatigue.

[Kumabear]

Well I have an update.


Took it in to opposite lock to have a look.


They were quite shocked at how badly it was cracked right up until one of the installers was on the way to his car which was parked next to mine as we were looking at it.


He asked what was wrong, bent over and took one look at the lower bracket and said "yep, whoever installed this did not tap the chassis holes and put in the lower bolts to stop it shaking and leveraging on the bar"


I then replied... "but you guys installed it 3 years ago"


Suffice to say... I am going to be getting a new bullbar, although the wording from them was "we will try to get you a new bar" I will definitely be making a stink if I do not get one.

[sharkcaver]

Nice work, glad to hear that...the resolution that is, not the piss poor performance in the first place

[Wicks747]

Something to be said for having experience on the tools which so many sales reps don't have these days

[littleriver]

Went and took some pics before grabbing lunch.

Both the passenger side and the drivers side are cracked, Not sure if its failed welds or metal fatigue.

one would think there would be a weld in that seam

...

[NFT5]

He asked what was wrong, bent over and took one look at the lower bracket and said "yep, whoever installed this did not tap the chassis holes and put in the lower bolts to stop it shaking and leveraging on the bar"

I don't understand this.

In both pictures there are bolts in the plates that run back along the sub-frame.

Mine is identical and, while not cracked, was installed exactly as per the instructions.

Should there be another bolt, and where should it be?

[Kumabear]

I don't understand this.

In both pictures there are bolts in the plates that run back along the sub-frame.

Mine is identical and, while not cracked, was installed exactly as per the instructions.

Should there be another bolt, and where should it be?

So there are supposed to be 5 bolts on either side according the the fitter i spoke to.

4 are to the front part of the sub frame where the chassis rails would be on a body on frame vehicle.

Then if you bend down looking side on, in front of the tires you will see the bracket continuing down the side of the sub frame and there is a hole for a bolt in the bracket, and a corresponding pre existing but un-tapped hole in the sub-frame of the car.

What they are saying is that they are supposed to tap that hole in the sub frame and put a locating bolt through to stabilise the bar and prevent alot of the vibration from corrugations from damaging the bull bar mounts as they have in mine.


Also in an update they have tried to convince me to accept replacement brackets rather than a new bar.
I have polity refused


It is my position that the bar has suffered unintended and unacceptable wear and tear as a result of the incorrect fitting mixed with 3 and a half years of off road use. I have a winch on the front and I will not be confident using it on this bar as I believe there is increased risk of someone getting hurt or equipment being damaged. How can you promise me that all the other welds on the bar are sound, or that the metal where the fit kit attaches to the bar is not invisibly fatigued.

I refuse to have equipment that I may have to depend on far from help on my vehicle that I do not trust especially in a recovery situation which is hazardous enough without additional unknown variables.


Basically a sum up of what I replied with after being told head office just sent a new fit kit.
Wish me luck I guess.

[NFT5]

Thanks for the response Kumabear.

Just to be sure, a picture of mine when I installed the bar. Are you saying that the missing bolt is the one right at the back, partially hidden by the splash guard in this photo?

[Kumabear]

Correct


That bolt at the back that is partially hidden is not there, and was never installed on either side.

And it is what they are saying caused the cracked mounts.



Also to correct myself its meant to be 6 bolts not 5 either side i think now looking at you pic

[NFT5]

Thanks. I'm relieved that I did it correctly, although I didn't tap those holes - instead used one of those nuts on a wire which had a backing plate to spread the load a bit. Can't remember if it came with the kit or I used some that I have here in the shop. Either way, they're pretty secure.

Interesting that where the cracks are in yours is not a weld but, rather, a fold in the plate. Makes me wonder if a couple of small gussets on each side would stop this from happening? It's always bothered me a little that those 4 big nuts and bolts squeeze the ends of the plates together as they clamp on the flanges around that stub section.

If you do get lucky and they replace your complete bar can you tell them I'd be interested in buying the old one? Mine is a little bent after an altercation with an Audi which wrote itself off on it. Insurance paid me to repair but I'd rather replace and have been looking for one for a while.

[old Jack]

I can see the rear bracket taking the load off the sub-frame "bump" where the mount clamps onto but I do not see the rigidity of the rear bracket providing a huge amount of strength to the front bracket. Front bracket is a poor design and the 2 side plates should be a bent one piece plate rather than a fabricated bracket. It would not surprise me if the OP's sub-frame has also some stress fractures that will become evident when the bar is removed.

OJ.

[NFT5]

That piece of plate is folded, OJ.

On another note, it seems somewhat amusing that when someone else was looking for a set of these mounting brackets recently, OL maintained that they only came with a bar. Suddenly they've changed their mind when they're up for a replacement in Kumabear's case?

[old Jack]

That piece of plate is folded, OJ.

On another note, it seems somewhat amusing that when someone else was looking for a set of these mounting brackets recently, OL maintained that they only came with a bar. Suddenly they've changed their mind when they're up for a replacement in Kumabear's case?

If the bracket is already folded and it is cracking ialong the fold then the bend radius is too tight and the edges of the material at the bend have not been radius-ed either, both these things induce stress points in the fold of the steel and this is where the brackets will fail.

OJ.