TJM T3 Explorer Bar

Thought I'd post a pic or two with the TJM T3 bar finally finished. As it happens I ended up doing the work myself, although seeing as the whole thing comes off in 3 weeks (the original installer put some bolts in the wrong way. Not a huge issue, but for the fact it's ADR complied with them the other way, it's against manufacturer spec, and TJM won't warranty it as it is should something go wrong) I thought I'd give it a crack and any imperfections can be fixed then.

If it came back from the original installer like this, I'd be stoked. But there's another thing with this bar - there's a tech service bulletin out for it that clearly indicates that there are two brackets on the Y62 that, unless pushed back, you will get the creaking/ groaning etc that I was complaining about before (I've added the photo here). So after another 3 hours of my life (including most knuckles, two busted elbows, a new socket kit and a decently long pole of solid iron) I pushed them back in situ. That stopped the creaking/ groaning. They're going to put paint on them when it gets taken off. The padding (the 6 year olds giraffe blanket) lost an eye and there was metal-on-metal in the bending of the brackets.

So would I get it again? Yep, absolutely. I think it looks great, and the lights that I wanted I don't think would look quite right on a Rhino bar. But I would make sure the installers had all the information on them in the first place, and tell them to install it by the book (why I would need to tell this to anyone defeats me).

Anyway - pic's if you like them. Finally got to take it up to the Brindabella's today with the kids. They loved it too.

Come up good. You should powder coat the hoop black.

The tjm bar was 1 of 3 that made the short list of ours. We are still leaning towards the rhino though. I have even contemplated maybe putting a different style hoop on the rhino myself.

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Originally Posted by nissannewby

Come up good. You should powder coat the hoop black.

The tjm bar was 1 of 3 that made the short list of ours. We are still leaning towards the rhino though. I have even contemplated maybe putting a different style hoop on the rhino myself.

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Cheers, yeah pretty happy. And I've heard you can vinyl wrap the hoop too - which has me thinking of all the out-there kind of wraps I could put on it. In the end, I'll probably stick to it being silver. Front on, it looks like it blends in with the 'chrome' on the grill.

I'd have gone Rhino, but for the fact I wanted round spotlights that had distance/ penetration down the road due to the amount of night driving I do in regional area's. If I thought a light bar would be good to go, I'd have got a Rhino for sure. I also enquired about them fabricating up a taller and more upright hoop, but they said no.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nissannewby

Come up good. You should powder coat the hoop black.

The tjm bar was 1 of 3 that made the short list of ours. We are still leaning towards the rhino though. I have even contemplated maybe putting a different style hoop on the rhino myself.

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Have you seen any photos of the Predator Bar , it will be available soon from David Dash and I think On Track
I had a look at one at the Show in Melbourne on Friday , very neat looking bar and only supposed to be only 45kg .
I would of possibly got one if I didn't want a Winch , it's Winch compatible but access to the Winch is not good .

The small hoop on the Rhino Bar does interfere with the front camera view , if you were to fit a Light Bar you would have to relocate the camera , Rhino are working on a camera bracket .

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Originally Posted by Jackofjr

Have you seen any photos of the Predator Bar , it will be available soon from David Dash and I think On Track
I had a look at one at the Show in Melbourne on Friday , very neat looking bar and only supposed to be only 45kg .
I would of possibly got one if I didn't want a Winch , it's Winch compatible but access to the Winch is not good .

The small hoop on the Rhino Bar does interfere with the front camera view , if you were to fit a Light Bar you would have to relocate the camera , Rhino are working on a camera bracket .

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I can't see too much difference from a Rhino Bar to be honest. Does the Predator come with recovery points? That's the main reason I was looking at Rhino. If it doesn't then add another $600 plus fitting to the price of the Pred, plus the Rhino comes with a reasonable amount of bash plating back to the suspension - not sure if the Predator does. But I wanted that hoop - I've got the bar for protection against roo's, and the Pred/ Rhino at my guess leave's the radiator just that little more exposed. Lights etc - I can drive without them. But the radiator's a full stop.

As for the camera - I am sure anyone could re-fit it that knew about these things. Mines just in that small square below the number plate on the bar (second pic).

Looks really good. Who's recovery points are they? Need to get some for mine with the TJM bar.

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Originally Posted by fits5

Looks really good. Who's recovery points are they? Need to get some for mine with the TJM bar.

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I'd probably wait for the Roadside ones to come out (TJM stock them) if I had my time again - only because then you'd have a TJM product with a TJM product fitted by TJM (Facebook pages suggest a $330 price from memory for a pair - these are $600/ pair + fitting). But they're from OnTrack in Vic.

Thought I might add - this has now done some light stuff in the Brindabella's, a 4WD course (2 actually) and been up around Newnes/ Blue Mountains. I have no 'bump-stop' issue that some people have suggested could occur to date. Loving it more and more (particularly after TJM Fyshwick in Canberra re-installed it after the bolts were installed incorrectly and finished the job of putting the hoop/ bumper things on - kudos to them). Next week it goes to Flinders for some more, but with the 4WD course having it taking a beating, I'm pretty sure the bump-stop issue isn't an issue on this bar/ car combination. That was a concern I had - so perhaps this may allay some fears others might have.