Drift Armor Drift Bar

[elBarto]

Am I the only one who saw this?

It is made for off-road/racing applications only.

It's made to create more room for a FMIC or oilcooler or whatever you put there and only intended to use on the track.

[ML]

From ehow:

Function
Crash bars, also knows as front guard bars, nudge bar and bull bars, are used to protect the front end of the vehicle from damage in case of a crash. Although they may not protect your vehicle from damage in a high impact collision, they will offer some measure of protection in a low-impact accident to both the front body and engine area.

Availability
Depending on the type of vehicle and the stylistic needs of the consumer, crash bars can be added to the vehicle in varying sizes. Although some new vehicles are equipped with factory supplied crash bars, after-market crash bars are available for purchase from various retailers.

Considerations
Consider whether or not a crash bar is a necessity for your vehicle before purchasing. Although drivers who like to off-road may benefit from the crash bar due to run-ins with wildlife, they are not a necessity for urban drivers. Additionally, crash bars are increasingly being viewed as a safety hazard to pedestrians and may cause serious harm in the event of an accident.


I think I could fab something like this in like an hour or two so I could run autox without my bumper on so I wouldn't have to worry about cones messing up the plastic while saving some weight. OFF ROAD USE ONLY!


Edit: also would open up front end for more air if you wanted to leave the bumper on.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Safety hazard to pedestrians? Maybe they shouldn't cross in front of the car on a busy street like they own the place.

[dabocx]

That does actually open up the front alot, pretty handy for those trying to shove a intake/ intercooler in the front.

No clue if its really safe.

[SubieNate]

The biggest hazard of this is going to be to other drivers/cyclists/motorcyclists/pedestrians. A huge part of the design on the OEM crash bar is to absorb and distribute impact force over a wide area so that your car doesn't act like a giant knife blade to whatever you run into. That tubing looks to be about 1.5" in diameter. Let me tell you from experience, having your leg hit hard by something of that size with the weight of a vehicle behind it is no fun.

Also, I've seen a few people that have switched to the lightweight bumper beams in GC Impreza's regret it when something that would have been a simple bumper cover replacement for the US spec beam totally fubars their radiator with the JDM beam.

Nathan

[Batman]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

Safety hazard to pedestrians? Maybe they shouldn't cross in front of the car on a busy street like they own the place.

I think i'll just fab one up that has spikes, broken glass, sawblade, and used needles on it. That'll keep people away from my car haha

But seriously, if y'all don't want a crash bar, don't get one. I for one believe that if I crash my car, I have different worries than if the bumper smashed in differently.

They make police cars with 6x as many spot welds, bull bars welded on tight, no foam, stronger parts, etc; basically a hauling-ass-death-dealing-machine. I'd rather have a car built to destroy and last forever, than a crumply tin can. Also, look at an accident between any 70s solid steel car and a new little plastic one. I'll tell you which one wins, and gets fixed with a hammer and some paint.

Don't mean to offend any with this.. just a rant for the sake of rant! :happy0180:

[EarlQHan]

Well that's the point of the USDM bumper beam, it limits the monetary damage caused by low speed collisions.

Heavy does not always mean safer. Look at crash tests of SUV's from the 90's. Then look at a crash test of any Subaru in the last ten years. It's about how your crash structure is engineered and built, not about how much mass is between you and the object.

[cmspooner]

Originally Posted by Batman

I think i'll just fab one up that has spikes, broken glass, sawblade, and used needles on it. That'll keep people away from my car haha

But seriously, if y'all don't want a crash bar, don't get one. I for one believe that if I crash my car, I have different worries than if the bumper smashed in differently.

They make police cars with 6x as many spot welds, bull bars welded on tight, no foam, stronger parts, etc; basically a hauling-ass-death-dealing-machine. I'd rather have a car built to destroy and last forever, than a crumply tin can. Also, look at an accident between any 70s solid steel car and a new little plastic one. I'll tell you which one wins, and gets fixed with a hammer and some paint.

Don't mean to offend any with this.. just a rant for the sake of rant! :happy0180:

Yes cars from the 70's survived accidents much better than modern cars, I'm sure that was a great consolation to the families of the drivers after the accident. At least they could buff out the damage to the paint and sell the car to offset funeral expenses.

Cars crumple to suck energy out of collisions and channel it around the occupants. Fixing or replacing a car is far cheaper than medical expenses.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g"]Crash Test 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air VS. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu (Frontal Offset) IIHS 50th Anniversary - YouTube[/ame]

[ranisron]

Malibu's A pillar seemed to remain in tack in the video above whereas the Bel Air - not so much.

Car is fixable or replaceable. Human lives, not so much.

[was385]

Originally Posted by Batman

I think i'll just fab one up that has spikes, broken glass, sawblade, and used needles on it. That'll keep people away from my car haha

But seriously, if y'all don't want a crash bar, don't get one. I for one believe that if I crash my car, I have different worries than if the bumper smashed in differently.

They make police cars with 6x as many spot welds, bull bars welded on tight, no foam, stronger parts, etc; basically a hauling-ass-death-dealing-machine. I'd rather have a car built to destroy and last forever, than a crumply tin can. Also, look at an accident between any 70s solid steel car and a new little plastic one. I'll tell you which one wins, and gets fixed with a hammer and some paint.

Don't mean to offend any with this.. just a rant for the sake of rant! :happy0180:

You just lost all credibility with that statement. The safety standards of 70s steel cars are so far below that of any US production car. Those crumple zones? Those are so you don't die in a crash. You may be able to fix a dent easier on an older car, but anything more than a fender bender and both the modern car and the occupant are going to be in much better shape. And by the way, Police cars have strengthened front ends so they can perform pit maneuvers, not so they'll fare better in a traffic accident.

[ML]

from drift armor website:

"This bar was used to the fullest at a recent Drift event. After spinning, this S13 t-boned an S14 sliding at it full speed. It worked as designed saving the all aluminum Chevrolet LS1, radiator, and frame. Although there is damage, the bar absorbed the very hard hit and the car was able to continue drifting the event."

[Batman]

Originally Posted by was385

You just lost all credibility with that statement. The safety standards of 70s steel cars are so far below that of any US production car. Those crumple zones? Those are so you don't die in a crash. You may be able to fix a dent easier on an older car, but anything more than a fender bender and both the modern car and the occupant are going to be in much better shape. And by the way, Police cars have strengthened front ends so they can perform pit maneuvers, not so they'll fare better in a traffic accident.

Fair, and I completely understand both sides of the argument. However, these cars DO have crumple zones, airbags, safety restraints, the works. The point I'm trying to make is that changing out this ONE piece to allow more room for an intercooler on a racetrack (or even daily driving) isn't going to somehow slaughter every living being. Yes it might slice through bodywork or a tree, maybe a living organism, but what is a person doing running across a road where said drift car is driving fast enough to slice them up? I'm not going to create a solid steel hunk on wheels, just a different crash pad up front, a little cleaner. I don't feel the need for all the listed police car stuff, just saying its there for reason. Not everyone is using this car as soley a personal DD, many are using it as a track dedicated car, or a weekend warrior of sorts.

Before I lose all credibility, everyone should know its just my personal preference to have a combination of 70s car sturdiness and modern day safety. Your opinions and preferences are yours to share, or keep.

So anyway, to get the thread back on track, I want one. /end

[SubieNate]

I don't really see an issue for drift events. But as has been stated, the entire bumper and front crash structure is designed to protect both pedestrians and those inside the car. It's not speed that kills you, it's the sudden stop. And years of research have gone into car crumple zones etc. to make that stop less sudden for those inside the car. Lower g forces = higher chance of survival. It doesn't matter if your car is intact if your brain has been slammed into the front of your skull at 100g's.

[Batman]

Originally Posted by SubieNate

I don't really see an issue for drift events. But as has been stated, the entire bumper and front crash structure is designed to protect both pedestrians and those inside the car. It's not speed that kills you, it's the sudden stop. And years of research have gone into car crumple zones etc. to make that stop less sudden for those inside the car. Lower g forces = higher chance of survival. It doesn't matter if your car is intact if your brain has been slammed into the front of your skull at 100g's.

I can agree with you there completely. And my whole mind around this bar is to protect the car at fender benders and at race events. For a daily driver, the OEM crash bar might be the better choice. but until someone is willing to front end crash test their new drift armor, the world will never know how much difference there will be.. also keeping intact all the other multiple crash crumple zones, it isn't too much of a change.