I was in a local truck acc. store the other day checking out some bull bars and was asking them about some black ones. They told me that on numerous occasions customers come back with the black that are rusting out. That discouraged me because that was the one that I was leaning towards. They said taht the "poweder coating" that westin uses is more or less junk and will over time rust out.

Just didn't know your guys experiances with westin or ares etc.? Thats alot of money to spend for something just to have it rust on me. Now I've been leaning towars the ares.

 

I can't speak for the bull bars, but that pretty much sums up my experience with some step tubes I had on my old SUV. I got about 3 year out of a set of Westin steps before the rusting got to be too much to hide, and I pulled them off. Structurally, they were still solid, but they were flaking and looked like crap.

 

ive had a westin chrome bull bar on the front of my truck ever since 06 when i got it and recently sold it a few months ago. i still see it on the truck its on every now and then. there wasn't any rust on it after 4 years.

 

Stainless Steel with a brushed finish .... or black paint and use the money saved to invest in wire brushes and paint for maintenance.

 

I have SS with a brushed finish....great finish and no issues. I would assume the black would rust if it took rock chips etc that went thru the coating, then in turn would rust of not painted.

 

I have a black Aries brushguard and since I got it last year it's still in perfect condition. There might be a couple paint chips on the bottom bar but other than that it's worked very well.

It also seems to be pretty sturdy since I have used it to push a vehicle before and as an attachment point for tow straps to drag my F250 out of snow piles.

 

I have a stainless steel westin on my truck & it looks nice. Personally I would stay away from black, I don't think its unusual for them to rust pretty quick. I don't know if powder coating would help stop it?

 

If I got one it would be the black bar not the stainless one. I have no other chrome on my truck except the headlights which hopefully soon will be black.





I was kind of leaning towards the aries bar since I had talked to a few owners of these and really like them. Also nice that they have an attachment point for tow straps this is one reason I was kinda hessitant for giving up my tow hooks for a "just in case" situation. Do you know if they are powdercoated or just painted?

 

I've been running my black Westin for at about 3 years, maybe more, and I bought it used off eBay. Still looks as great as the day I installed it.

- NCSU

 

u could buy used go to a wire brush with it then have it line x sprayed if ur willing for the black and durable look and peace of mind, i would but id get it chrome

 

thought about it but I dont have anything chrome on my truck though. All trim pieces are black and soon the headlights too.

 

I got my Aries bull bar about 2 years ago... SS.. The only part that is rusting is the screw holes on the bottom side of the bar where the skid plate mounts up. Other than that, it is in prefect condition.