Ford Ranger PXII Goes Alloy

24th May, 2016

The latest vehicle application to hit the shelves for ARB’s Alloy bull bar range is the Ford Ranger PXII. To achieve the weight saving characteristics expected of an alloy bar, ARB’s engineers have concentrated on strength through design whilst complementing the Ford Ranger’s styling.

The Alloy bar includes unmistakable ARB heritage that is instantly recognisable on and off the road. Through contemporary styling, the Alloy bar has been developed to achieve a fully integrated appearance with the use of clean design cues and a wide centre grille section. 4mm aluminium alloy is used for the outer wings and centre pan for maximum strength, while 60mm alloy outer tubing provides a fresh characteristic that evokes a purposeful yet commanding presence on the Ranger.

Chassis mounts, initially developed for the PX Ranger Summit Bar have been utilised to ensure that the alloy bar is securely mounted to the chassis and the crush rate characteristics of the air bag system are retained. The bar mounts have had extensive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) testing and destructive crush testing to ensure that they do not deviate from the manufacturers chassis impact characteristics.

ARB’s renowned steel mounting system secures the Alloy bull bar to the Ranger using a series of high tensile bolts. Steel mounts ensure the bar is capable of dealing with demanding winch loads without affecting air bag deployment.

Press forming is used extensively throughout the manufacturing process, contributing to the overall strength of the Alloy bull bar, as well as its ultra-premium style.

A winch cover panel neatly finishes the bar for when a winch is not fitted, and the all-new winch clutch opening, concealed in the grille section, removes the need for clutch cut outs in the top pan.

Three grades of aluminium alloy are utilised in the construction of the ARB Alloy bull bar, each specifically selected for maximum corrosion resistance and high fatigue strength.

The visually stunning polished aluminium appearance is further enhanced through the use of the CMT (cold metal transfer) and TIG welding processes.

Winch load evaluation has also been performed with winch loads of up to 10,000lbs being placed upon the Alloy bull bar.