WTB: Roll Bar

Putting out a feeler, i'll be in the market for a roll bar probably within the next two weeks. The new car seat puts the kid above the belt line of the car, so that's unacceptable for me for the rare occasion i'd have to pick him up. So I'm going to need a bar pretty quickly.

Problem is i'm tall and haven't found one I can completely fit under yet...however i've fit the sport the best, with a little seat tweaking and some SFI padding i'm sure I can make it work.

Double Diagonal M2 only, I have a robbins glass window. Will also intertain Boss frog clearview and the hoop bars.

I'm a cheap bastard so used is always better. If I have to i'll look for a new one, because pretty much have to have one (and the wife's agreed to it;)).

I've been looking for 2 months now. No used ones on the market anywhere in Texas.

I was told to check with FM - apparently they used to offer free shipping all through January for HD bars. I don't know if that's true or not, just passing on the infos. You've got a few hours left :)

And if you haven't yet, defoam the bottom of the seat - you won't get much more clearance from it, but you will never miss it.

entertain > intertain

Also don't forget to call Track Dog Racing they can help you and they are local! ::Banana::

http://www.trackdogracing.com/website/rollbars.htm

http://www.trackdogracing.com/websit...eds_hallet.jpg

+1 for TDR. That is where I bought my barely used HDHCHTDD rollbar.

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Originally Posted by mr brg

entertain > intertain

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Thanks:thumrigh:

Yea I think i'm going to call TDR sometime today. I don't mind paying for a new one, just looking out for new ones.

Already did the foamectomy on driver side. Thinking about bolting the seat to the floor, but I don't think i'll gain that much clearance with the stock seat to make it worth the hassle...

So i'm debating now between an M2 sport and an M2 HC non HT. I've sat in a bunch of Miatas with roll bars and don't remember which one was better, just that I would smack my head on all of them. The only one I've seemed ot fit under is TrickyRix's sport bar, but he has the 95 M seats which he said might be lower than the 93 seats I have.

Thinking back I don't think i've sat in a car with a non HT hardcore bar, most have been HT versions. In planning for the future I understand the HC bars come with harness tabs welded in. The sport doesn't have these right? So i'm leaning towards the HC and some SFI padding, since it's the tallest bar it would be safer, then i'll just have to find a seat that will work.

Any thoughts, comments?? I'm searching the pointy board but you know how those threads go all over the place with random safety theories.

I would come out to a wednesday meet and probably get all my questions answered, but we have a data push wednesdays at work that requires me to sit at a laptop all night.

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Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

So i'm leaning towards the HC and some SFI padding, since it's the tallest bar it would be safer, then i'll just have to find a seat that will work.

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The non-hardtop HC version is taller but sits more upright. The hardtop version is shorter but is angled back a little more behind the seats. I'm not really sure that one is further away from your head vs. the other distance-wise but I guess the non-HT version would come closer to passing the "broomstick" test.

I bought my HD HC hardtop double diagonal from Track Dog this past fall. I probably won't ever put a HT on the car but at least I or the next owner will always have the option without having to remove the bar. Definitely give them a call and they can answer any of your questions.

You can look here and view the 'schematics' for any of the HD bars.

http://www.bethania-garage.com/guide.htm

The taller it is, the more upright (closer to your head) it is.

So looking at those specs, Sammm, looks like the HDHTs are the same dimension wise as the sport bars, just beefier tubing??

I still think I might have more luck with the non HT, but need to sit in one ot be sure. Anyone have an NA with stock foamectomied seat and this rollbar, that I can test fit in the next couple days?

When I foamectomied my seat I just cut the piece that goes into the ass pan. I wonder, just how much more foam can be cut out of the driver seat? I can't remember well, but maybe another 3/4 inch? Maybe find some more dense foam to keep some level of comfort? I might pull it out this weekend to experiment.

Right, the Hard Core bars are made with bigger diameter tubing (1.75" vs 1.5")

You might try foam-ectomizing the seat upright too. I usually shave some foam off the inside of the bolsters and the lower back padding. That will drop you back and down a little bit more in the seat.

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Originally Posted by sammm

You might try foam-ectomizing the seat upright too. I usually shave some foam off the inside of the bolsters and the lower back padding. That will drop you back and down a little bit more in the seat.

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If you do this, be careful. I removed the back pad completely and it does give you more legroom and holds you in the seat tighter but it is horribly uncomfortable. I've ridden in the backseat of a Z32 and older Porsches for about 7 straight hours with very little complaint, but I can't go 10 minutes in my seat without that backpad in there. I rolled up a towel and adjust it as needed, but my back still waves a white flag after about an hour.

I'm pretty sure I *just* threw out the pad I removed, otherwise I would have offered it should you decide to cut yours instead of just removing it.

^ I pulled the back pad already and replaced it with some low density foam, works great. I'm more concerned with the ass pad. Wondering how much I could get rid of there since if I remember it was a fairly thick piece and I was conservative with how much I cut.

I sit fairly low as it is in my seat. I wonder just how radically foam ectomied the cars I've sat in were (if at all) it's been too long since I test sat in somebody elses Miata.

Almost makes me want to just pick a bar (because of the limited choices available), then start hacking up my seat till I fit comfortably. Good news is I can sit it a few clicks forward after the foamectomy, if I had to I could just do the gangsta lean for awhile, heh.

http://forum.miata.net/vb/attachment...9&d=1250819105
Looking at this photo from Miata.net, the HC non HT sits almost flush above the seat back. The headrest in my car comes up to just above the base of my skull, so my head would be on either bar in a rear end collision. This one might be safer since my head would rest on the bar (with appropriate padding) nrmally, however the HT version I would have an acceleration area to smack the bar (again with appropriate padding). Basically looks like I would contact the bar either way, but the non HT version would keep my neck from swinging back.

I don't know this might be a retarded theory. Thinking of what would happen in a rear ender wouldn't be pretty in these seats even without a bar. I need to sit lower in the seat period.

You might ask Black Roadster about the foamectomy. The seat he had in Widow was cut well IMO.

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Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

I'm more concerned with the ass pad. Wondering how much I could get rid of there since if I remember it was a fairly thick piece and I was conservative with how much I cut.

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On my current Miata, I cut the bottom (near the floor pan) piece of foam. The seat pan convex's out on the bottom and the foam matches. I lopped that whole chunk off. No complaints and the top of the seat cover doesn't look all caved in either.

^ That's what i've done pretty much, I cut it 'square' and threw out wedge bowl piece that fills the pan. I just wonder if I could go back in there and chop off 3/4in more or so and get away with it. Right now my head is almost completely above the seat back, I'd like to fix that if possible, then work on lowering the seat, maybe bolting to the floor later.

My seat is uber comfortable now, so I'd imagine I have at least a little room to cut, for safety's sake. My theory is if I can get my head mostly under the head rest (need at least another inch or more) I should be ok for the bar pictured above.

Edit, like this guy did here...
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread...ght=foamectomy

Late to the game, but...

In my experience, the '95 M seat buckets do put you a bit lower than the typical, unmodded OE seats.
If you want to sit in my '90 with the non-HT HDHC bar after the ice dissipates, you're welcome to come on over. Since my seats still have all of their foam, we can see about dropping your seat into the car if you like.

You might check with farphle, too. He has a HCHT bar with a serious foamectomy courtesy of sammm. Super comfy, super grippy seat.

^ Is the 90 the white car with red stripes? I've sat in it but I don't remember how well I fit. I think I remember the bar brushing my head, but that was with a non-foamectomied seats though... I might be able to pull it off. I am definitely more interested in the taller bar, just figuring out how I can make myself fit it...

Yea i'll hit you up after we thaw out and take you up on your offer! Thanks Jux.

used ones pop-up once in a while. i got mine from houston :D hdhchtdd ... just keep checking local forums & ready to buy ;)

If you're concerned with head clearance, give the Ace a look - I went with the ACE AC2D-H (doesn't work with glass rear window with the -H option, but provides better geometry for shoulder harnesses) and added door bars. From a stiffness perspective I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference. The Ace model moves the down legs of the front tubes and ties in to the b-pillar with a tab and everything else clamps to the tub in the tunnels next to the fuel tank. The forward most part of the whole assembly is several inches behind the back of the seats, and it doesn't extend as far as the door jamb so there's nothing for a flailing head to make contact with. The Ace bar carries the same certs for NASA and SCCA provided it has the diagonals.

The pic on the bottom right is the one I have in my 90. http://www.bethania-garage.com/ace.htm

Chris

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Originally Posted by luis

used ones pop-up once in a while. i got mine from houston :D hdhchtdd ... just keep checking local forums & ready to buy ;)

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I saw this ad on CL and the guy told me someone had reserved the bar two minutes before I emailed him. :P Oh well. My bar from TDR came in yesterday. Made the trip out there to get it even with all the ice on the ground. Too bad they called me in for work today. :(

off-topic: i just snagged a 55mm koyo rad from the same guy :D

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Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

^ Is the 90 the white car with red stripes? I've sat in it but I don't remember how well I fit. I think I remember the bar brushing my head, but that was with a non-foamectomied seats though... I might be able to pull it off. I am definitely more interested in the taller bar, just figuring out how I can make myself fit it...

Yea i'll hit you up after we thaw out and take you up on your offer! Thanks Jux.

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Yup, white w/ stripes. I've got a 14mm socket we can use to swap your seat in, no problemo.
The '90 mostly lives in the garage for the time being, so I'd love a little advance notice if you want to do this at work or something. Just shoot a PM my way a couple of days beforehand.

...and I still haven't freshened up the seatbelt buttons like we discussed last time. :(

Ok so very much thanks to Steve, we switched my seat in his car and I actually fit under the bar...with about .5 inch to spare, yikes. I really think I can get some better clearance out of my seat though.

Still it's a $500 gamble either way...do I smack the bar above my head on a highway bump, or smack the bar behind my head in a rear ender. Either way is going to suck so i'm going to invest in some decent padding, but looks like those are my choices.

Does anyone have an HD bar that isn't busy this weekend? I'll be at my house doing a brake job in the Element tomorrow, then ripping foam out of the seat Sunday, so if someone's in the area, it wouldn't take 10 minutes to swap my seat in your car to test it.

I already talked to Gary@TDR and I'm planning on ordering this weekend or monday, so I'd be much ablidged and have a beer with you or something...

Are you testing with and without your helmet on?

No helmet, just bare noggin. I sold my autocross helmet last year. Obviously i'm going to need a sparco bolted to the floor if I have any hope of passing the broomstick test.

I have one.

So last night I made the mother of all foamectomies. Keep in mind I had already done a decent foamectomy on this seat, this is extra foam.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...213_132423.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...213_132400.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...213_132501.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...213_231035.jpg

At some places the foam is less than 1/2in. There is no way to get anymore clearance out of this seat. Good news is the back of my head now has some seat behind it, and I can see the gauges now :cheers: I think I might be alright for the HDHT bar, still need to make sure though.

Sitting, you definately feel the ass pan, but I sat in it for 2 hours watching a movie and it was comfortable as ever. Trimmed most from the underside so I still didn't leave it wrinkly. I pulled the cover a little tighter to account for the trimmed bolsters.