Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

[Marrer Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Marrer]

Hi all, I have trawled this site constantly looking for a picture of a Sahara bar but still cannot find one. Having just completed our first ever outback adventure, I am very aware of the need for a bullbar ( and to ditch my wife's hairdryer next time we go). I am stuck between the sahara and the deluxe ARB bar. I have only ever seen a Sahara bar on a landcruiser. So two questions:'
1.Does anyone out there have a picture of a sahara bar, preferably silver, and how would you rate the protection versus the Deluxe bar
2. Whichever bar I go with, do I need to do some sort of suspension upgrade. Cash is at a premium right now. Don't know if I need to do anything, or upgrade springs, or do shock absorbers. This whole area is new to me.

Any help would be very valuable. Thanks guys.

Cheers

Marrer

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

Hi there, you do a search on my name for "4x4 show" and "leisurefest" and you'll find a lot of angles on the lc150 sahara bar.

Cheers

[Marrer Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Marrer]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

Hi there, you do a search on my name for "4x4 show" and "leisurefest" and you'll find a lot of angles on the lc150 sahara bar.

Cheers

Found it - thanks William. By the way, where on earth do you get a pradopoint sticker from. I have no idea!

Marrer

[Marrer Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Marrer]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

Hi there, you do a search on my name for "4x4 show" and "leisurefest" and you'll find a lot of angles on the lc150 sahara bar.

Cheers

By the way - I forgot to ask. With the weight of the bar, do I need to be thinking about doing anything to the suspension?? Just wondered what you did with yours?

Cheers

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

Found it - thanks William. By the way, where on earth do you get a pradopoint sticker from. I have no idea!

Marrer

I believe there's a thread on that too and I think "team piggy" sells them.

By the way - I forgot to ask. With the weight of the bar, do I need to be thinking about doing anything to the suspension?? Just wondered what you did with yours?

Cheers

Having enquired bout the bar already, I asked the ARB sales rep the same question. Basically the conversation went like this:

ARB: Do you plan on carrying a lot of weight in the car?
Me: We usually pack a lot of camping gear in the back and we plan to tow a box trailer later on.
ARB: Will you be installing a winch or a dual battery?
Me: No, I don't plan to install a winch or battery, but we want to keep it as an option later on.
ARB: Then it seems you wont need to upgrade your suspension.
Brother: You should get it anyway, the ride is better on the tracks, plus you'll have a 50mm lift...
Me: (in the spirit of the 4x4 show) Alright! Put me down for a lift kit too.
ARB: Alright, so given what you've told me, I'd recommend you go with the "medium" old man emu kit
Me: Excelllent... so what kinda price can you give me for rear airlockers too?
.........

TIP: Don't order stuff at the show, although you get a good price you'll walk away with a big hole in your pocket.

Cheers

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

The new vehicles have traction control, nut sure lockers would be that more benefical unless u r really hard core and in that case maybe you have the wrong vehicle?? food for thought.

[Rogerthatv2 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Rogerthatv2]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

The new vehicles have traction control, nut sure lockers would be that more benefical unless u r really hard core and in that case maybe you have the wrong vehicle?? food for thought.

I have to agree with that, plus I would also upgrade the suspension for a steel bar, I installed the TJM T13 Steel on mine and noticed the difference straight away, it dropped a little (about 10mm) in the front and you could notice the difference under brakes. You could install a set of King Springs standard height heavy duty in the front to help the car handle the extra weight. You would not need to change the front struts for that setup as those Kings are setup for the standard OE struts.

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

The new vehicles have traction control, nut sure lockers would be that more benefical unless u r really hard core and in that case maybe you have the wrong vehicle?? food for thought.

The new vehicles have traction control, nut sure lockers would be that more benefical unless u r really hard core and in that case maybe you have the wrong vehicle?? food for thought.

I have to agree with that

So basically you're suggesting Prado owners with diff locks are hardcore people with the wrong vehicle? That's some harsh and baseless generalization you're making there. I'm not sure if you fellas realize but electronic traction control and differential locks are completely different mechanically and in operation. A purely mechanical system will always outperform that of an electronic system (which merely mimics, to some extent, what diff locks do). You don't have to be 'really hard core' to have them nor do you need anything other than a Prado to do it (why would ARB develop/promote/sell them for the Prado?). I bought an air locker purely for getting from point A to point B (camp sites) while being able to tackle any unforeseen obstacles (such as humped/rutted tracks, muddy terrain etc) in the safest possible way with the least amount of strain on the car and minimizing track damage. Does that make me hardcore? Should I need a different car? Food for thought.

[Rogerthatv2 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Rogerthatv2]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

As you like to suggest to many people I think you should use the search function and search for posts on arb air lockers and the tests that arb have done themselves compared to the prados traction control, I think you will be quite surprised. I was simply agreeing with another prado owners response about the need for an air locker based on the Toyota TC system, maybe you should not be so quick to jump on the defensive, food for thought?

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

I wouldn't fit lockers to my Prado, the TC is enough for me. Maybe I'm getting old or maybe I have been there done that but I don't go looking for bogholes to drive through these days.

Getting back on topic. I would fit a deluxe bar (flame suit on) sahara bars are for toorak tractors. A deluxe bar offers better protection in a frontal impact, skippy, stray cow etc. As for upgrading suspension, I would do that also as it will provide a better ride and increase safety. Fit a bar and winch on factory suspension and jam your foot on the brakes, you'll feel like the nose hits the ground.

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

Edit: unnecessary post.

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

I wouldn't fit lockers to my Prado, the TC is enough for me. Maybe I'm getting old or maybe I have been there done that but I don't go looking for bogholes to drive through these days.

Getting back on topic. I would fit a deluxe bar (flame suit on) sahara bars are for toorak tractors. A deluxe bar offers better protection in a frontal impact, skippy, stray cow etc. As for upgrading suspension, I would do that also as it will provide a better ride and increase safety. Fit a bar and winch on factory suspension and jam your foot on the brakes, you'll feel like the nose hits the ground.

Air lockers aren't for the sole purpose for bog holes (and no, I'm not one to find bog holes either). I agree with your opinion, lockers are required to suit personal circumstances and it seems you don't need them.

I guess I own a torak tractor haha. It is a 70percent on-road car after all. It just has above average off road capability too! Anyway, let's not forget shadowing on the deluxe bar!

Cheers

[Rogerthatv2 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Rogerthatv2]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

I simply disagreed with another prado owners response as it was a baseless insult to prado owners with diff locks. I also found it rather hypocritical of Hutch as he has a locker on his wish list on his buildup thread. I am merely stating facts as I see them, there's no need to insult me. How about being productive instead?

Thanks for the link again, I did find it quite informative and yes I had watched it before. I still stand by my opinion that the Traction Control in my 150 VX Prado is more then enough for what I plan on driving it through. If in a couple of years I decide that it is not handling the task at hand then I will look at lockers but not just because I can get them, they will be installed because I need them. Just because a 4WD company makes a product it does not mean you car will be crap without it, ARB are in the business of making and selling Air Lockers. Of course they are going to tell us that our Prado's must have them, that is what they do to sell product and keep share holders like me happy :mrgreen: That said, they are a fantastic product and something an Australian Company should be proud of.

I am still trying to find the point where I insulted you, if you have taken insult to my comments then I apologise however I think you might need to have another read of how the comments where delivered. They were simply given for you to look at other options and let other people express their thoughts and to try and be proactive in this forum. Also maybe the reason Hutch has that comment there about wanting a diff locker is because his model Prado does not come standard with Traction Control, correct me if I am wrong Hutch?

Sorry to the OP for going off topic, this is the last I will comment on the above.

Cheers Daniel

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

Actually it was 4x4 action with arb in that video telling us to buy them, so it's not entirely biased anyway I'm happy that you are happy with what you have and I'm happy with what I have (will be getting) too. We both obviously do different things with our prados so let's agree to disagree

[William Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close William]

Re: Sahara versus Deluxe ARB bar and suspension upgrade needed??

I am still trying to find the point where I insulted you, if you have taken insult to my comments then I apologise however I think you might need to have another read of how the comments where delivered. They were simply given for you to look at other options and let other people express their thoughts and to try and be proactive in this forum. Also maybe the reason Hutch has that comment there about wanting a diff locker is because his model Prado does not come standard with Traction Control, correct me if I am wrong Hutch?

Sorry to the OP for going off topic, this is the last I will comment on the above.

Cheers Daniel

My apologies, I may have over reacted, removed my comment before you posted... Anyway yes I don't believe his car has traction control hence the reason for lockers.

Cheers