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ARB Bullbar Rust and Paint issues

PostPosted: Wed, 09 Aug 2017 10:40 +0000
by krayzie
Hi guys

im looking to get an ARB Deluxe bullbar but i have been reading some reviews that they have a tenancy to rust in a short span of time.

is anyone able to confirm this with any recently purchased bars?

ive read some of these review on here https://www.productreview.com.au/p/arb-deluxe-bull-bars.html?rating=1#reviews
and some of the reviews are pretty recent

but i have also read that ARB have been good at replacing them but still having rust issues

Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Thu, 10 Aug 2017 5:46 +0000
by rick Hornsey
Ive had 3 over 15 years and never had one rust other than where ive hit something and taken the paint right off to bare metal. We have 3 N80's here at work with ARB bars installed over the past 3 months and none are rusting.

in previous employment i used to supply ARB Kilsyth with their equipment for blasting the bars. they put a lot of time into the prep and i believe they are all powder coated - colour coding is just a painted top coat

Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Thu, 10 Aug 2017 8:23 +0000
by Phildo
My ARB bar is about 5 years old now, has been to Fraser in the salty water. It has only got minimal rust beginning to form on stone chips and scrapes. I always give my ute a good washing down after any trip. Maybe care is the issue with the rusting ones? Letting grit sit in the hard to get places and hold moisture? ARB can be expensive but you will never get rubbish gear from them. That is my opinion anyway.

Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Fri, 11 Aug 2017 1:30 +0000
by DanAnthem
I've had one since January and have done a few salt water crossings since then and haven't had any rust issues.

Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Fri, 11 Aug 2017 3:55 +0000
by banksy
My 2003 ard bar is in better condition than my 2012 hilux.[and its crap]
You are at the mercy of your local Arb dealer as they get the cheapest quote for painting from the local spray painter.

Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Sun, 03 Sep 2017 10:29 +0000
by Myralga
All ARB bars and most others TJM etc are powder coated black. When you see them any other colour that's a spray coat over the top of the powder.
Effectively 2 lines of defense.
I have seen a set of IPF lights literally melting off the front of an ARB bar with rust yet the bar underneath only had a few surface marks from prior damage.
I think a lot of the rust issues people talk about are totally negligible but we all want perfection.
Just remember most people will go out of there way to spread a bad review. Because they are angry. But won't do anything to praise something doing what it's supposed to do.
Just my two cents.


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Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Wed, 06 Sep 2017 1:48 +0000
by banksy
Myralga wrote:All ARB bars and most others TJM etc are powder coated black. When you see them any other colour that's a spray coat over the top of the powder.
Effectively 2 lines of defense.


That’s if the preparation is done correctly, you can paint a cat turd but it won’t stick to it for long.


Myralga wrote:I have seen a set of IPF lights literally melting off the front of an ARB bar with rust yet the bar underneath only had a few surface marks from prior damage.


Yeh they fixed the rust problem with the IPF spotties, now they crack and fall off after 4 years, like my ones.


Myralga wrote:I think a lot of the rust issues people talk about are totally negligible but we all want perfection.


AH When you purchase a premium priced product shouldn’t you expect a premium product?
I could have had a number of bars installed at half the price, thus i would have expected half the quality.

Myralga wrote:Just remember most people will go out of there way to spread a bad review. Because they are angry. But won't do anything to praise something doing what it's supposed to do.


My comment was my situation – exactly as it stands.
If I wanted to shit cart I would have added the fact the eyebrows on my bar were replace after a few months and told they would not replace them again if they warped a 2nd time.
Also didn’t comment on how the bar [installed by Arb] cracked the underside of my headlight from moving so much.
As for your comment “Because they are angry. But won't do anything to praise something doing what it's supposed to do.”

I give good reviews when required viewtopic.php?f=42&t=10241&start=40

What association do you have with Arb ?

Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Wed, 06 Sep 2017 5:23 +0000
by TOYZX
If you think ya headlight cracked from your bar moving it was either fitted too close or something is loose!

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Re: ARB Bullbars and rust

PostPosted: Fri, 22 Sep 2017 8:19 +0000
by Laverty
My 1995 hilux has an ARB bar which pretty much has no rust. I've only owned it for 6 months so don't know how old the bar is. My 2008 Hilux has an Ironman bar which has a fair bit of surface rust underneath. We just got an ARB bar fitted to our new Hilux, build quality looks great, hoping it lasts as long as the bar on my old luxy!

ARB Summit Bullbar Colour Coded Paint Peeling

PostPosted: Sun, 07 Jan 2018 11:04 +0000
by ronnyle
Hi I just got my bullbar fitted and it was colour coded to match my car. But just realised the paint is peeling and can be scratched off. Anyone have the same problem and how did you solve it?

Re: ARB Summit Bullbar Colour Coded Paint Peeling

PostPosted: Sun, 07 Jan 2018 11:12 +0000
by TOYZX
Who did the color coding? Obviously wasn't done correctly! We paint ours in house, the bar is given a good rub down to rough up the powdercoat, primed, colored and cleared.

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Re: ARB Summit Bullbar Colour Coded Paint Peeling

PostPosted: Sun, 07 Jan 2018 11:21 +0000
by ronnyle
ARB did it when I ordered it. It isn't anything major it under the bullbar. But should I go back anyways?

Re: ARB Bullbar Rust and Paint issues

PostPosted: Sun, 07 Jan 2018 12:03 +0000
by DeadlyBeast
Threads merged
Title edited for clarity

Re: ARB Bullbar Rust and Paint issues

PostPosted: Sun, 07 Jan 2018 12:44 +0000
by TOYZX
Id take it back. Is it peeling back to metal or just the color coming off.

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Re: ARB Bullbar Rust and Paint issues

PostPosted: Sun, 07 Jan 2018 6:07 +0000
by ronnyle
It peeled and you can see the powercoat. And if you touch it more paint comes up.

Re: ARB Bullbar Rust and Paint issues

PostPosted: Mon, 08 Jan 2018 1:07 +0000
by TOYZX
Take it back and tell them to re-paint the whole thing. Make sure they do the whole thing no just rub back the problem area!

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