Stuck in Namibia !

[landmannnn]

It’s totally unacceptable that a car supposedly built for purpose is missing components like this, the mind boggles
I hope over the next couple of years Ineos get their act together

I would put money on it that the bars were omitted as part of the pedestrian safety crash protection.

 

[ECrider]

I am checking with the Oxford dealer. There is a chance that if not specified to UK spec vehicles then could be a problem obtaining the parts in the UK. A bit like the ol' chequer plate. However I am hoping no safety regs ruled this mod out and it was something else.

 

[MattA]

I would put money on it that the bars were omitted as part of the pedestrian safety crash protection.

Can’t imagine how a radiator bracket would make a lot of difference when being hit by a 3 ton brick driving down the road but who knows

 

[Znarfgh]

Help from our Antipodean , Southern African and American friends may be required for this one. As U.K. and far as I’m aware European vehicles are not fitted with this part then maybe someone from these regions could go into their friendly dealership and get the part number .
Do the latest European vehicles have different mounting brackets or the additional support bars fitted to them

My MY23.5 has the bars fitted.

 

[parb]

I met with the @owl (Owl Outdoor) van guys at Overland Expo SoCal. They showed me a bracket for the radiator that they had upgraded to a much stronger bracket.
It looks to me like its the bracket that the stabilizing bar in the pics seems to connect to. If anyone has seen the owl bracket (not for sale yet) is this the same problem? They where describing it as thin and if you hit something with that bracket you lost the radiator and it was game over. They shared that they had this happen to their test vehicle and this is what lead them to develop a stronger bracket.

 

[Rok_Dr]

Help from our Antipodean , Southern African and American friends may be required for this one. As U.K. and far as I’m aware European vehicles are not fitted with this part then maybe someone from these regions could go into their friendly dealership and get the part number .
Do the latest European vehicles have different mounting brackets or the additional support bars fitted to them

I can confirm that Henry a May23 build has both support bars fitted.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Mike Morrison]

Looks like this is all tied into the EU spec bumper compared to the ROW

 

[Logsplitter]

I met with the @owl (Owl Outdoor) van guys at Overland Expo SoCal. They showed me a bracket for the radiator that they had upgraded to a much stronger bracket.
It looks to me like its the bracket that the stabilizing bar in the pics seems to connect to. If anyone has seen the owl bracket (not for sale yet) is this the same problem? They where describing it as thin and if you hit something with that bracket you lost the radiator and it was game over. They shared that they had this happen to their test vehicle and this is what lead them to develop a stronger bracket.

Maybe on a U.K. or EU spec vehicle that the only way to mount the support bars is to bolt it to the bumper directly below where the radiator bottom brackets are mounted. This is probably due to the different mounting brackets on early European models and maybe different steel bumper as European models have a plastic outer bumper. As per photos sent on an earlier post mine is definitely bolted to the bumper as the shape and size of the bottom radiator bracket would not allow for bolting to that.

 

[landmannnn]

For me, time to build a steel bumper. That plastic just is far too weak.

 

[ECrider]

I think it's a double trouble for us in UK/EU.

Can't have the steel bumper so cannot (easily) have the struts. Or perhaps could not get them signed off at all.

So not having the steel bumper I presume makes the lower rads more susceptible to breaking and not having the struts on a plastic bumper where the steel ones do makes them weaker still!!

Obviously a known issue that Ineos did not find a work around before delivery - great!

Hope I'm wrong but needs some attention tout de suite.

 

[CRH]

I think it's a double trouble for us in UK/EU.

Can't have the steel bumper so cannot (easily) have the struts. Or perhaps could not get them signed off at all.

So not having the steel bumper I presume makes the lower rads more susceptible to breaking and not having the struts on a plastic bumper where the steel ones do makes them weaker still!!

Obviously a known issue that Ineos did not find a work around before delivery - great!

Hope I'm wrong but needs some attention tout de suite.

Can we fit an aftermarket metal bumper over here or not?

 

[Tom D]

Bull bars

www.gov.uk

Not illegal but not recommended…. Whatever that means.

 

[ECrider]

Can we fit an aftermarket metal bumper over here or not?

doubt it's legal due to eu regs otherwise IA would just design the one bumper.

like bullbars - can fit a winch bumper in UK but again grey area imo.

 

[landmannnn]

Can we fit an aftermarket metal bumper over here or not?

The simple answer is yes.

The more complicated answer...

MOT/VOSA. The bumper must not present any sharp edges or have any dangerous projections. No issues then.

Insurance. Any modifications should be informed. This would also include lamp guards, spotlights, decals, rocksliders.....

Warranty. Might IA décline a warranty if they deemed the bumper affected something? Unlikely.

Type approval. IA would have had to present the vehicle for type approval. As discussed elsewhere this would have included a weak front end that reduced the impact injury to pedestrians at low speed. As owners we are not required to resubmit for type approval in the UK (As they are in Germany)

 

[landmannnn]

Can’t imagine how a radiator bracket would make a lot of difference when being hit by a 3 ton brick driving down the road but who knows

True enough.

The principle of pedestrian safety is to reduce injury at urban speeds. An example...

Hit my arm, leg etc with a good swing from a baseball bat and you will probably break a bone or cause internal injury.

Now wrap the baseball bat in a pillow and hit me with the same force. I probably wouldn't even get a bruise even though the forces are the same.

If you have a look under the bonnet of recent cars there is a huge void between the plastic and any metal for that reason. Also of course why car front ends are very similar across most marques.

 

[AWo]

In the EU you can't exchange a plastic bumper for a steel bumper anymore....except it is declared as a "necessary mounting device", for a winch for examle.

AWo

 

[CRH]

Bull bars

www.gov.uk

Not illegal but not recommended…. Whatever that means.

I didn't think we were allowed bull bars anymore, unless they were made of sponge, ie useless and just for posing.
The metal bumper seems a very grey area.

In the EU you can't exchange a plastic bumper for a steel bumper anymore....except it is declared as a "necessary mounting device", for a winch for examle.

AWo

Does this mean if we fitted one in UK we wouldn't be allowed to drive the vehicle in EU, or is it allowed as a visitor?

 

[Tinerfeño]

My strong opinion is that all locally accepted solutions or devices are legal in all EU.

 

[Logsplitter]

My understanding on my vehicle is that the support bars are attached to the metal bumper which is surrounded by the existing plastic bumper so the pedestrian safety aspect has not changed
.without these additional bumper support bars the radiators will fall out on corrugated roads as myself Annie and others have found. Ineos ought to own the problem and modify the early European spec vehicles but if they don’t then sort yourself a fix before going on a a long and remote expedition

 

[landmannnn]

I didn't think we were allowed bull bars anymore, unless they were made of sponge, ie useless and just for posing.
The metal bumper seems a very grey area.

Does this mean if we fitted one in UK we wouldn't be allowed to drive the vehicle in EU, or is it allowed as a visitor?

Different rules for visitors. For example a cybertruck will never be type approved in the EU, but you can drive one if you are American driving on American plates with an American driving licence.

There are some local rules, you cannot flat tow a car behind a camper in Spain, whereas most EU countries will allow it as long as you have a UK vehicle and UK licence.