Non-sensor nudge bar

SS2115 · Aug 19, 2023

So I've read here and there that its not possible to fit a Bull Bar, Roo Bar or even simple Nudge Bar to the outlander without interfering and mostly nulifying the front parking sensors.

I also ready they can interfere with the Lidar Cruise Control and associated features, but that seems unlikely to me given its all at the top of the windscreen. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

My question is has anyone ever come across a nudge bar or bull bar design from anyone anywhere in the world that does not effect the parking sensors?
Is it a complete impossibility, or is it that there just hasn't been the demand as yet?

AndyInOz · Aug 20, 2023

I've not seen a nudge bar that dodges the sensors, probably you would need to move them into or in front of the bar to keep using them.

Please note that you will see a decrease in the electric range of the vehicle if you add more weight to it.

I would expect that your wind resistance would also increase, but that one seems to be a bit of a toss of the dice.
(Wind resistance is weird and sometimes counter-intuitive).

SS2115 · Aug 20, 2023

AndyInOz said:
I've not seen a nudge bar that dodges the sensors, probably you would need to move them into or in front of the bar to keep using them.

Please note that you will see a decrease in the electric range of the vehicle if you add more weight to it.

I would expect that your wind resistance would also increase, but that one seems to be a bit of a toss of the dice.
(Wind resistance is weird and sometimes counter-intuitive).

Thanks AndyinOz. I fully expected there would be a comment (or more) on weight and range and rightly so too. Its a fact it will.
But I didn't buy my PHEV to be an environmentalist. I purchased it because my travelling has decreased and I'm retiring shortly and was not prepared to keep paying the high expensive petrol costs of my BMW over short distances where it hardly got warm and was giving me 18litres/100k, a jet black tailpipe, and $180 to fill the 85l touring tank.

My PHEV fuel consumption has been discussed earlier in this forum and I came under criticism for my claims to the point where I also thought I 'must be doing it wrong". But having owned the car now since January and lived with it daily, I back my claims that around Sydney doing mostly 3klms trips I am getting 3.7 - 3.9l/100k and on the three freeway trips to Barrington Tops NSW and down to Bowral NSW for weekends away at freeway driving I am getting around 6.3 to 6.5 l/100k.
Very pleasing.

I have filled up the 45 litre fuel tank 6 times since January (I have a Shell petrol acc to prove it), and I charge the battery about every 5 - 7 days on average.
I have usually always run without the AC and used the heated seat when cold. I expect I will use the AC more come summer and I expect to see the range drop - it seems to drop between 2 and 4 kilometres between on or off.
Yes - I do have a technique i use and I'm not going to get into it because
a) thats not what this thread is about and
b) I don't want to get into huge philosophical arguments over what I do, what I should do, and why I'm all wrong or BS'ing.

I already have made a spare tyre carrier and installed it and that also is documented elsewhere, so there's extra weight anyway - a nudge bar isn't going to concern me. But what does concern me is un-affecting the features of the vehicle such as the front parking sensors.

littlescrote · Aug 21, 2023

Who needs sensors if you have a nudge bar?

I don't see why you couldn't just move the ultrasonic sensors to the bar if they do interfere.

SS2115 · Aug 21, 2023

littlescrote said:
Who needs sensors if you have a nudge bar?

I don't see why you couldn't just move the ultrasonic sensors to the bar if they do interfere.

The difference is being able to find a ready made bar that bolts into place and works, versus having to have one made and including pads or boxes to enclose the relocated sensors - a much more expensive proposition.

Hence my post asking if anyone may have found a bar of any description already commercially available that is known to work.