The Importance of 4×4 Front-End Protection: Grille Guards and Bull Bars

Mitsubishi is one of the most popular 4×4 vehicles in Australia, and for all the right reasons. It’s reliable, tough, and definitely one of the better looking 4x4s you can get your hands on. If you’re a Mitsubishi owner who frequently takes their vehicle off the beaten trail, then you know that everywhere you go, unforeseen dangers lurk. For that reason, it’s important to have optimum protection against frontal vehicle damage, as all vehicles are susceptible to most damage at the front.

There are various different accessories you can install onto your Mitsubishi to enhance its front-end protection properties, the two most popular types being Mitsubishi bull bars and full grille guards. While both types offer great front-end protection, there are some differences between them.

Bull Bars

Bull bars protect not only the front of the vehicle, but also the underside of the bumper. They feature a tubular construction that offers robust protection and is wide in diameter. Mitsubishi bull bars are considered heavy-duty protectors, and they offer optimum protection against frontal impact. You can typically bolt them to the front of the vehicle with minimum or no modifications required. Bull bars block crash energy from reaching your Mitsubishi’s front body panels by channeling it onto the structure of the vehicle instead. They combine design and function to create an aggressive look of strength while remaining subtle enough as they don’t extend upward as grille guards do. Most quality bull bars are made of aluminium or steel, and a lot of models feature mounting points that are meant for mounting other accessories.

Grille Guards

Grille guards, also known as brush guards, extend throughout the vehicle’s entire front fascia. Not only do they offer full central protection, but they also protect your headlights as they feature specially-shaped tubes which wrap around the outer perimeter of the headlamp assembly. For this reason, you should opt to buy vehicle specific grille guards to ensure the tubing fits the contours of the specific model and make of vehicle, so that the headlights and radiator flow aren’t blocked and compromised. When properly mounted, grille guards offer optimum bumper, headlight, body panel and front grille protection against parking lot accidents, large animals,
and when cruising through brushes off the road. Similarly to bull bars, grille guards have mounting points for extra accessories like winches, extra headlights, etc. They have the strength and bracing necessary to operate a winch to its full capacity.