There was some discussion awhile back about roll bars...has anyone installed one? I'm interested in getting one, but not if I have to rip out the rear seat side panels. I have no problem cutting them, I just don't want them removed entirely.
I found one from autopower, but I'd like to hear some first hand experiences.
I've got a red 1993 240SX convertible with 133,000 miles.
Roll Bar Update?
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Hijacker
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- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2003 4:57 am
- Car: '92 240sx Convertible
'94 F-150 - Location: Fredericksburg, VA
Ok, i've been mulling over rollbar ideas for a while, and I seem to have misplaced my notes on lengths of each section of bar.
Anyways, here's a few rough sketches i popped up in photochop to give you an idea of what the bar should look like.
In this view, you can see that the feet are near the side of the floorpan and the rear seat brace. This way you can create a bracket that utilizes the unibody and structural support structures to root the bar in place instead of just the floorpan.
In this angle, you can see that the main hoop needs to be angled backwards to clear the seat and put the feet brackets close to the unibody structure. Because the main hoop is angled backwards, the rear two feet have to be there to triangulate the main hoop. otherwise the roll bar would be useless and probably fall over.
I prefer to keep rollbar designs simple. Triangulation, but at a minimum. The rear feet shoudl be triangulated to the main hoop by two connecting bars (you can sort of see them in the 3/4 shot). Also with this design, you can squeeze the rear two feet between the rear seat and the side interior panel. Once I get access to a bar bender, I'll be retaking measurements and fabbing up the bar here in the near future.
Anyways, here's a few rough sketches i popped up in photochop to give you an idea of what the bar should look like.
In this view, you can see that the feet are near the side of the floorpan and the rear seat brace. This way you can create a bracket that utilizes the unibody and structural support structures to root the bar in place instead of just the floorpan.
In this angle, you can see that the main hoop needs to be angled backwards to clear the seat and put the feet brackets close to the unibody structure. Because the main hoop is angled backwards, the rear two feet have to be there to triangulate the main hoop. otherwise the roll bar would be useless and probably fall over.
I prefer to keep rollbar designs simple. Triangulation, but at a minimum. The rear feet shoudl be triangulated to the main hoop by two connecting bars (you can sort of see them in the 3/4 shot). Also with this design, you can squeeze the rear two feet between the rear seat and the side interior panel. Once I get access to a bar bender, I'll be retaking measurements and fabbing up the bar here in the near future.
Re: Roll Bar Update? (demichael)
I would buy one of these babies. I wanna retain use of the rear seats as much as possible but don't mind cutting into panels, etc. I have stock seats but they are nasty so I may upgrade to a racing seat and harness someday. would this rollbar allow me to do that? should I find the optimal seating position, including new seat, before I install a bar? I don't know anything about rollbars.
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Hijacker
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- Car: '92 240sx Convertible
'94 F-150 - Location: Fredericksburg, VA
custom bars can be built to any specifications. You just have to look at your car and figure out how to work the bar around everything.
the autopower bar isn't a favorite of mine because of the way the rear 2 feet work. supposedly, they interfere with the top function. According to an old member that nobody on these boards remembers (heck, i don't even remember his old username), he had to cut the rear two feet off just so he could get the top up. The rear feet would go through the back of the top if you tried to close it all up.
the autopower bar isn't a favorite of mine because of the way the rear 2 feet work. supposedly, they interfere with the top function. According to an old member that nobody on these boards remembers (heck, i don't even remember his old username), he had to cut the rear two feet off just so he could get the top up. The rear feet would go through the back of the top if you tried to close it all up.
Re: (tenkawa_akito)
I'd like for the roll bar and harness attachment to be the proper distance behind my head. I've never installed a racing seat in any car before so I was wondering if adding one would change those factors if the seatback was somehow different or if that's irrelevant because the bar's feet have to be mounted in a certain position...
please post the specs when you get them measured out. maybe you could get whoever is building it to make a few more for a "group buy" price? I'd think many here would be interested in buying one.
please post the specs when you get them measured out. maybe you could get whoever is building it to make a few more for a "group buy" price? I'd think many here would be interested in buying one.
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Hijacker
- Posts: 14373
- Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2003 4:57 am
- Car: '92 240sx Convertible
'94 F-150 - Location: Fredericksburg, VA
I would wait till you get your racing bucket installed before you start deciding on rollbars. I'm designing this around my car's setup, so whatever I come up with won't be right for someone else, you know? And also, what ever I measure out will 90% likely not be what ends up in the car. The guy that will be welding the bar up for me will probably change my initial design a bit.
Re: (nab911)
Nick which shop are you talking about?If you dont want to post up then send me an e-mail.nab911 wrote:Well im talking to a shop down here in ATL about getting a roll bar. I need to get some top measurements in the entire up and down phase to see what the least clearence is because i really really want one.