EBay (Ironman) rear protection bar

[NowForThe5th]

OK, so it's arrived.

Has Ironman sticker on the bar and this label:


Towball is only 46mm, hitch is standard size and brackets attaching to chassis are 5mm plate but well supported laterally. There appears to be sufficient strength in the design where the hitch is mounted for, at my guess only, about a 1500kg rating although I'd think that could be increased substantially fairly simply. I'll get the family engineer to cast his eye over it first.

I do have a concern about the recovery point mountings - not as strong as I'd like to see - the eyes just bolt through the plate at the back of the bar.

Generally it appears well made, perhaps not quite as heavy as the ARB one, but the same can be said of the Ironman bullbars and there don't appear to be any problems with those. In terms of looks, well, it looks like a copy of the ARB bar.

All in all though, for over $1000 saving vs ARB, I think it's pretty good value.

[Wallace]

5th wrote

All in all though, for over $1000 saving vs ARB, I think it's pretty good value.

Only paid $800 for mine ARB

[Stu]

$750 here but that was 18 months ago, just got off the ph to arb thomastown and supply only no loom is $920 now. Still bloody good value for the ironman one.
5th, I wouldn't use the eyelets for snatching off even on the arb one, towing and maybe winching but that's all

[ag9111]

Somebody said $1600 plus change for supply, colour and fit. . That is a lot of money

[daryn]

These might be the Ironman Prototypes which ARB jacked up a stink about because they were so close to their design which in turn meant that Ironman then made their honkus current design.

[NowForThe5th]

Maybe, Daryn, maybe.

How come they didn't kick up a stink about the TJM bar? Other than the "T" shaped holes it's almost identical to ARB's. I found it curious that on the Ironman website they say that their rear step bars are ADR compliant and "heavy duty" but don't actually give a tow rating. have to agree about their two pipes lying down design though. Ugly just isn't strong enough.

Stu: Agree completely. I have rated tow/recovery points front & rear anyway.

[jop]

G'day 5th - what did you use on the rear for rated recovery?

[NowForThe5th]

Genuine Mitsubishi Triton recovery hook, Jop. They come standard on the 4x2 but, strangely enough, not on the 4x4. Bolt straight on to the chassis.

[jop]

Thanks - did you get it from the stealer or wrecker?

Does it hang down far or is it just a hook on the chassis?

[NowForThe5th]

It does hang down a bit, maybe 75mm but that's to the bottom of the hook which, in typical Mitsubishi fashion, is way over-engineered. It was left over from a job I did installing an ARB bar on a customer's car - it uses the same mounting position and has a similar insert that goes inside the chassis rail, Very strong.

The Ironman bar uses a different mounting with a plate bolted onto the side and another to the bottom of the chassis rail. I think, but not sure yet, that I may be able to keep the hook as well. Thought I had a photo but can't find it on this computer and Photobucket's site is down for maintenance.

[Stu]

Genuine Mitsubishi Triton recovery hook, Jop. They come standard on the 4x2 but, strangely enough, not on the 4x4. Bolt straight on to the chassis.

pics or [censored]

[daryn]

5th, even though it i only January I reckon that this is close to be being bargain of the year.

[Dylan 191]

Looks pretty good but the tow hitch doesnt look very strong not much holding it on , id be very wary of towing anything of any substance with it

Just my opinion though

[ag9111]

Call it 1500KG towing and be done with it.

[mjc85]

Good to finally see some good pics, but I think Ill stick with the ARB one for $1200, so if this one was a $1000 saving over ARB it was $200?

Cheers
Mitch

[NowForThe5th]

Stu,
Here's photo of the hook. What you can't see is the insert that goes inside the rail and bolts through bottom of rail as well. Afraid I won't get the Buzzy award for cleanliness.


Mitch, in the other EBay thread someone priced up a new ARB bar at over $1600. Even with some mods and paint I'll still save about a grand. Nothing against the ARB product - just have issues with their Agent and wouldn't buy from them again if my life depended on it.

Dylan, I agree on the strength issue - that's why I'm getting an engineer to look at it. The tow hitch is actually well welded at each end, not just at the front (of car) like many others. Because of the span and strength coming from a truss like arrangement this may be enough, but my concern is more to do with the fore/aft twisting forces which come from a trailer bouncing up and down and shock load which might come from a snatch recovery - but that's easily fixed

Daryn: Yep. I knew if I was patient enough something good would come up.

[Homer]

5th does the hook hang lower than a genuine tow bar?

[NowForThe5th]

Homer, nothing is as low as a GLX-R towbar. But, having said that, I did drop it onto a rock on the Brindies recce and now have the famous Triton tub dent to prove it.

[Dylan 191]

Would be really interested to hear what the engineer has to say after a look at it , keep us posted

[jop]

Priced up that hook at a stealers this arvo - $600

[Greedy]

Priced up that hook at a stealers this arvo - $600

And you sound so surprised. It's not on their site as an accessory. That's as far as I got. I need something to pull Boycee off the blacktop.

[NowForThe5th]

The bar is back from the welding shop and beefed up. The rectangular tube is 75x50x5mm. Not visible are gussets at top of front mounts for tube and additional welds between tube and the angle (with holes) at the rear.



Now just have to colour code and fit.

[NowForThe5th]

It took a while but finally painted this bar and fitted on the weekend.

Getting ready to fit :



Fitted!


Interesting task to fit it. The bar was about 10mm narrower than the chassis rails. Had to use 2 hydraulic jacks to open the bar up a bit and then press it on using four jacks (and a very large hammer )

[Joe]

Looking good mate. Wish I had grabbed one of these

[NowForThe5th]

Yeah, thanks. I just wish I'd fitted it before someone dented my tailgate (visible in the first photo below the 3 diamond symbol).