For those that have cut out crash bars...

[StezenW]

Remove the crash bars, spend the remaining years of your life in a wheelchair or worse.

You can just as easily end up in a wheelchair with your crash bars intact so great argument sailor.

Sponsored

 

[Rowdy Ranger]

You can just as easily end up in a wheelchair with your crash bars intact so great argument sailor.

Are you going to argue with me that it lessens the odds? I'm listening.

 

[VAMike]

A lot of bro science going on here on both sides of the argument so let me add to the noise,

IF the crash bars are so crucial then WHY did Ford make them removeable?

They're clearly not expected to be removed--you have to take the truck apart to do it. The question is really, why did they attach them with screws instead of welds or glue or tape and bubble gum? Answer: who knows, we have no insight into the development and test process. Possible answers could include things like "it's cheaper for the same result", "welding makes it perform worse", "this is the first method tried, it worked, and there was no reason to change it", or maybe even "so it's easier to remove"--but there's no evidence that any one of those answers the right one.

I also don't get what "argument" you think there is. The bars are there to prevent tire intrusion into the passenger compartment in the event of a crash. If you take the bars off, you're making it more likely that a tire will intrude into the passenger compartment in the event of a crash. I don't see how there's any disagreement about that. Some people are saying that they don't care about tire intrusion into the passenger compartment, but that's just a value judgment.

 

[VAMike]

I have wondered if the new much stronger front bumper compensates for the lack of crash bars.

I didn't know that after 40 years of progress on making cars safer by making them collapse in accidents there were still people arguing that good ol' american steel is just as good as all that new-fangled crash modeling and survivability engineering. There are reasons so many people died in old cars built as steel strongboxes, and why trucks have long been much less safe than passenger cars. (Though trucks are getting safer...assuming people don't rip out the safety improvements.)

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

A lot of bro science going on here on both sides of the argument so let me add to the noise,

IF the crash bars are so crucial then WHY did Ford make them removeable?

I was surprised to see lifted heavily modified (new aftermarket suspension, large tires, crash bars removed, etc) new Rangers on the showroom floor at dealers.

 

[Rowdy Ranger]

For those of you who remove them, fine by me. It's your truck you can do to it as you see fit underneath that shade tree in the backyard with that cooler full of Miller beer, Saying screw those Ford engineers them guys don't know sheeet. Lol!!!!!!

 

[Langwilliams]

Racaro?

Adient...they bought Johnson Controls. Guess they make about a third of the car seats used.

 

[TBR17]

Adient...they bought Johnson Controls. Guess they make about a third of the car seats used.

Interesting. Thought the two of them parted ways a few years back. Guessing they took over what used to be some of JCI plants?

 

[Leftcoast]

A lot of bro science going on here on both sides of the argument so let me add to the noise,

IF the crash bars are so crucial then WHY did Ford make them removeable?

The airbags and seatbelts are removable also champ.

 

[TBR17]

Could they be an afterthought on a truck that was not originally designed to meet NHTSA crash test standards?

 

[VAMike]

Adient...they bought Johnson Controls. Guess they make about a third of the car seats used.

It may be immature, but I still chuckle every time I see "Johnson Controls"

 

[VAMike]

Could they be an afterthought on a truck that was not originally designed to meet NHTSA crash test standards?

Maybe, but only the tacoma and ridgeline do as well in IIHS testing for the category--the colorado and the frontier are both worse. No small pickups do great. The f150 and the ram perform well in the full size category and, Interestingly, the tundra is terrible.

 

[StezenW]

They're clearly not expected to be removed--you have to take the truck apart to do it. The question is really, why did they attach them with screws instead of welds or glue or tape and bubble gum? Answer: who knows, we have no insight into the development and test process. Possible answers could include things like "it's cheaper for the same result", "welding makes it perform worse", "this is the first method tried, it worked, and there was no reason to change it", or maybe even "so it's easier to remove"--but there's no evidence that any one of those answers the right one.

I also don't get what "argument" you think there is. The bars are there to prevent tire intrusion into the passenger compartment in the event of a crash. If you take the bars off, you're making it more likely that a tire will intrude into the passenger compartment in the event of a crash. I don't see how there's any disagreement about that. Some people are saying that they don't care about tire intrusion into the passenger compartment, but that's just a value judgment.

Wake up Mike!! That's what Ford wants you to think!

 

[StezenW]

The airbags and seatbelts are removable also champ.

So is every single piece of the truck cowboy...

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hi Folks,

One word..... JMO.

Foolish

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Sponsored