Push Bar/Brush Guard

[Tiggie]

I have no idea where to put this, but it doesn't really matter anyway does it.

I'd like to add a Push Bar or Brush Guard to my wagon (if it stops smoking like a freight train). Finding an original push bar is probably not gonna happen, so I need to make my own.

I need pictures of the factory push bar, or if anyone has made a custom one.

Gotta have something to plow through the deer.

[P72Ford]

Try to find a newer one. Will that work? If not, modify the newer one. Can't be too much different than the older ones.

[Nathan in MI]

Seems to me people have said you can buy a push bumper like they use on the newer CVs and still get the older brackets for box bodies. Someone with more expertise will have to give you some better input on it than I can.

I've had the same thought, actually--driving thru the UP of Michigan at night through rural state highways surrounded on either side by woods is a rather risky proposition deer-wise. I'm thinking about making a huge piece that goes across teh whole front end of the car, though I don't know how that'd be safety-wise in the event of a crash since you'd lose the shock absorption of the bumper. Mostly I'm concerned about protecting my lights and radiator from getting punctured by an antler or something. Doubt it'd do much significant damage other than that. Might dent up the hood and a fender or something, but it wouldn't total the car the way it would a Toyota Corrolla (I know someone who was driving one of those and hit a deer...he was okay but it completely mangled the car).

[Archangel]

I've had two of these, first one was a Code 3 police bumper off an NYPD Caprice Cruiser, brackets needed some widening and two holes needed drilled in the bumper but that was it, unfortunately this pushbar got destroyed in a collision with some SUV or whatever - grille and header panel got severely damaged, but the radiator and everything behind were just fine. Here pics of old bar:






I now have another brush guard I fabbed myself, I used 2x2" square steel, it's all welded up and mounts to the bumper using the holes I drilled for the old police push bar. Pics of new bar:









The brackets for the fog-lights you see are also welded to the brush guard. Extensions for the headlights may be added soon, depending on material availability.

[mrltd]

I was going to install a Code 3 squad shield on my 89 vic before it was totalled. It's on a wagon now... Easy modification to mount it. Make your own brackets.

[P72Ford]

I drive through a deer infested area everyday. My neighbor was driving his '84 B2200 mazda (perkins diesel power, and stacks with glasspax!) through this particular area and nailed one. Since his truck is so fuckin rusty it almost destroyed it.

If I hit one, I'm sure it will be good and dead. And if it isn't I'll stop and beat it with a 4 way wrench.

I've gotten too far away from the "cop" theme to make the push bumper look at home.

[Archangel]

I was going to install a Code 3 squad shield on my 89 vic before it was totalled. It's on a wagon now... Easy modification to mount it. Make your own brackets.

I know exactly which wagon you're talking about, and the push bar is exactly the same as the one I got first. I'm pretty happy with the new one tho, the old one never looked quite right on the Lincoln, on a station wagon it's nice but not on my car.

[Tiggie]

Ooo sexy push bar MeLikeyStripperChicks. I gotta have one now!

If I could find a newer one at a decent price, I'd nab it. But can't seem to find one (being the online search).

[Archangel]

Tiggie, you may wanna look for one for an old truck too, I believe bbub86 (or whatever his username was) has one off a truck installed on the front of his GMQ and it looks real nice too.

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,
I suppose I've hit eight or ten deer in the thirty five years I've lived in the mountains. Two expensively, neither needed towing. The impact seems to be at radiator height. I've never had one come over the hood. Never heard of one coming over the hood.

In Australia all the long haul bush truckers - and most of the outback family vehicles - have bull bars for kangaroos. They tend to be higher than the Code 3 and the top bar is welded at an angle to the frame. Maybe roo impact is different from deer impact. Dunno.

I really like Me-Likey's set up. I wonder if it would be possible to run angle braces from the end of the top bar through the plastic flange behind the bumper to the frame.

Donald McCaig

[Archangel]

In Australia all the long haul bush truckers - and most of the outback family vehicles - have bull bars for kangaroos. They tend to be higher than the Code 3 and the top bar is welded at an angle to the frame. Maybe roo impact is different from deer impact. Dunno.

It's also for cows, not just roos - the bull bars are angled so that when the truck hits the animal it fies out forward, and not just up and over the cab. Consider this tho, 18-wheelers have front ends that are really tall, so they make the bull bars tall too, and then the whole thing works like it's supposed to, passenger vehicles tho (cars and utes and 2wd pickups) have relatively low front end so if they hit a tall animal they gonna hit it in the legs, so even if bull bars are angled like truckers have them that won't really work like it's supposed to.

I really like Me-Likey's set up. I wonder if it would be possible to run angle braces from the end of the top bar through the plastic flange behind the bumper to the frame.

Yep, not only possible, but one of the next upgrades I'm planning for it, will lose the 5mph impact absorption of the bumper tho.

[Nathan in MI]

That's the thing I've been worried about - mounting it to the frame means you lose the shock absorption function of the bumper. You think that'd make an accident more injurious, or would you just mangle the other guy's car more seriously?

[Archangel]

stock bumper mounts only absorb impacts up to 5mph, so instead of hitting someone at 75mph you're hitting them at 70 - same difference, me thinks. Also keep in mind our frames are fully boxed, while most of them big ol' puckups with huge bull bars got just C-channels - add some crossmember in the front (Lincolns already got one) and you should be alright, or at least I hope so

[Nathan in MI]

Excellent points, all.

[86GmLsCoupe]

I always thought that we had 10mph bumpers on the cars, at least for my 86 GM. I could swear I remember reading that in a few places over the years. Is 5mph the highest speed that will not damage the absorber itself?