Ron Moon's TroopCarrier gets ARB bull bar, Carbon Tank winch + more

When the ARB bull bar finally arrived for our TroopCarrier – it had been on order for several months – we took the Troopie to Outback 4WD in Bayswater and had it fitted as soon as possible, along with a set of ARB side rails and side steps.

This bull bar is unique to the 70 Series in that it is large tube version of ARB’s Deluxe Bar, so it has 60mm tubing for the outer frame and 47mm tubes for the lower cross bar sections, resulting in a gutsy bar that’s up to the rigours of off-road work that 70 Series Cruisers are called upon to do.

Large driving light tabs allow for the fitment of a wide range of lights, while three tabs on the upper bar allow for up to three antennas to be fitted. Of course, this all-steel bar isn’t light, tipping the scales at around 80kg (without a winch), but the Troopy will soon be given a GVM upgrade, so the added weight of the bull bar won’t be problematic.

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Fitting a bull bar is not as straightforward as it once was. As well as having to consider winch fitment, airbag compatibility and inbuilt LED lighting, even the 70 Series now comes with forward-facing radar as standard, adding to the complexity of bull bar fitment. As a result, the list of extra parts required has also lengthened, and includes a wiring extension harness for the radar unit and a wiring extension kit for the winch, to name just two.

We opted to fit a Carbon Tank 12,000lb electric winch for a number of reasons. Firstly, it weighs less than most other 12,000lb winches, and secondly, my son Trent has been using one for the past 12 months while leading expeditions for Moon Tours and he swears by it. We’ll bring you a full report once we have put this unit through its paces in the back blocks of Australia.

As well as the bar itself, we fitted a set of ARB side rails and side steps, and these are about the only things that don’t require an electrical wiring harness or an additional ECU to be added. I’ve run ARB side steps on all of my vehicles since 1988 (at least) and I wouldn’t drive my vehicles off-road without the protection they add.

Down the rear end of the Troopy we fitted for a Kaymar rear-step towbar. Over the years I’ve run three Kaymar rear bars, one on an earlier Troopy and a couple on my GU Patrols. The Kaymar rear bar is impressive and I can't fault it for strength and reliability. The machining processes have improved over the years and while not so obvious with the 70 Series bars, Kaymar’s bars for 200 and 300 Series Cruisers are more appealing to the eye than they once were, and they blend harmoniously with the vehicles to which they’re fitted.

We’ve added a couple of swing-away spare-wheel carriers and a high-mounted work light to the rear bar, the latter for those evenings in the bush when we’ll need some extra lighting to carry out repairs or just to cook an evening meal. While I opted for the twin spare-wheel carriers, you can also choose to fit a double jerry can holder instead of the left-side wheel carrier for those times you are travelling long distances between fuel stops, or when you want to carry a bit more water.

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Kaymar bars are now available with auxiliary reversing sensors, which locate four sensors in the bar with a warning buzzer under the dash. We went with this option and although we wondered if it would be more of an annoyance than anything else, it has proven to be beneficial, especially when reversing into a tight parking space. It also makes it safer to reverse when people, especially kids, are around.

The power for the sensors is picked up off the vehicle’s reversing light wire, and while the control box can be located basically anywhere it will fit thanks to long leads, the warning buzzer needs to be positioned under or close to the dash. In addition to the wiring for the reversing sensors, the LED lights in the bar need a resistor box so they will work correctly.

When wiring in the trailer plug for our camper, we added a Redarc Tow-Pro Elite brake controller, which I reckon is the bees knees of brake controllers for any 4x4 vehicle. And, we’ve also added an Anderson plug outlet for when the camper is on the back of the Troopy, to help keep its batteries charged and the fridge cold.

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Fitting the bulbar, winch, rear-step bar and tyre carriers demands a lot more equipment, time and expertise than what most people have at home, and I never fail to be surprised at how much electrical work is required these days for fitting just about anything. Luckily the crew at Outback 4WD know what they are doing and have plenty of experience in fitting equipment like this.

While I’ve been taking my vehicles to Outback 4WD for years, wherever you are, make sure you have a good 4x4 workshop as your backstop for all accessory fitting, repairs and servicing.

Pricing

• ARB bull bar: $2285
• ARB side rails and steps: $1662
• Carbon Tank 12,000lb winch: $1499
• Kaymar rear step towbar: $2507
• Kaymar wheel carriers: $997 each
• Kaymar rear sensors: $225
• Kaymar work light: $344
• Redarc brake controller kit: $593

More info

• Kaymar: kaymar.com.au
• Redarc: redarcelectronics.com
• Outback 4WD: outback4wd.com.au
• ARB: arb.com.au
• Carbon Offroad: carbonoffroad.com.au