Tech day soon for roll bar install??

I've ordered a HDHCM2HTDD(can I add any more letters here?) from Trackdog. While my clutch job gave me a little more confidence in my wrenching skills, being a daily driver, and considering all of the more permanent mods that need to be made, I think i'm going to need some experienced help on this job.

I could host it at my place, but my garage sucks (1 car garage) and we'd be working in the driveway. I have a full set of normal socket tools, a walmart AC powered drill, and a dremel, and can have the interior gutted before the day of.

Gary let me know that Hard Dog is running behind and will be about two weeks before shipping, so looks like ill be picking it up (hopefully)around the weekend of March 12th. The weekend of March 19th is good for me, the weekend before is also good as long as the bar gets here by then.

Let me know if anyone would be interested in helping out. Also let me know what you drink. I have some very tasty homebrew if any beer nerds show up.

I'd be down if I'm not looking at wedding places or whatever other plans the wifey made for me unknowningly.

I'll say you're more than welcome to do it in my garage (2 car, but it's a tiny 2 car, and has a good amount of crap in it), but then we'd all have to push my car back in...up my sloped driveway. Only real advantage is more room, full assortment of air tools, beyond just your basic wrenches and sockets, level concrete ground. But besides the sloped driveway issue, it's a hike (ask POS - he's been here). Still, offer's out there.


EDIT: This post is in NO way implying that my fiance makes plans for me without my prior knowledge.

You'll need a long 3/8" drill bit. Not sure if anyone on the board still has one or not. I'll help if I'm free that day.

^Sam i'm done with your seal puller BTW. Let me know if you want to meet again to pick it up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

^Sam i'm done with your seal puller BTW. Let me know if you want to meet again to pick it up.

---

Thanks, but no rush...let's see when your roll bar day happens.

Yea Im down also...never installed one but I might have mine done in the next few weeks..even if there is too many hands already I could just hang and meet some of u.....

I can probably help the weekend of March 19th or 20th.

i'm down to help, since i installed mine recently with help from a friend ... but i'll be out 19/20th.

a unibit helps too

I'm down to help/hang out also.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rob®

EDIT: This post is in NO way implying that my fiance makes plans for me without my prior knowledge.

---

Haha...riiiiight. Just admit it, this is what women do. Us guys just bitch about it and deal with it.

Thanks for all the offers, i'm sure with this bunch it should be no problem at all. Let me know if any of you have necessary tools (like the long drill bit, and dremel wheel, or angle grinder whatever is better), I'll go buy what is needed the weekend before install.

I'd love to help, but work has me unavailable from the 3/19 until 4/2. Sorry... :(

I installed bars in both of mine. I probably won't have my schedule for then til the week before so we'll see.

Speaking of tech day and your car, you ever get your coolant issues sorted? Was it what I said it was when I dropped off the funnel?

Yea I think so. I ran with the funnel in for at least 30minutes, with the heater on. It belted out a huge gurgling burrrp, and drank at least a half gallon of water. Heater seems to be running better, granted we haven't had any really cold days since, but I haven't heard any gurgling either.

The day that was fixed my damn gas smell gremlin returned...arrrgg. Anyone have an extra charcoal can to test?

I need to get the funnel back to you. I might give it another week to make sure, but I think i'm ok. If you can make it to the tech day i'll get it to you then.

Thanks BTW.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

Anyone have an extra charcoal can to test?

---

We may have one. Give me a call during the day to remind me and I'll check.

Glad to hear that that might have been your problem.

To add to the list of people with extra charcoal cans, I believe I still have mine as well. But it's from a '90...I never swapped cans before, just removed them, so no idea on the swappability (shouldn't be an issue though). Sounds like more local people definitely have one for you though.

Got a message saying that my rollbar shipped, should be here sometime next week. So we could do it on the 12th if that's a better date for everyone?? Let me know so I can start gathering all the tools.

I puled all the tin panels on the package shelf to get to the fuel venting system, I thought i'd leave it out untill the rollbar install. Man, bad idea...soooo freaking loud, and it lets the exhaust back in.

Edit. List of tools.
long 3/8" drill bit - how long, and will a walmart corded drill (black&decker I think) be powerful enough?

cutting tool. Dremel ok or should I see about finding an angle grinder? I have my dads pancake compressor at the moment so I could run a small pneumatic grinder if someone has one. If a basic dremel works should I get one of those 1.5" or 2" fiberglass cutting wheels for it?

truck bed liner, or rustoleum for protectant. is this necessary to coat the backing plates and cut panels for rust in Texas? Or is this another dumb pointy board theory?

Add anything else I need to get.

Let me know which weekend is better, 03/12, or 03/19. Either one works for me. Can a moderator add a poll for which weekend to the thread?

Mine shipped also should be here Monday....8-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

Edit. List of tools.
long 3/8" drill bit - how long, and will a walmart corded drill (black&decker I think) be powerful enough?

---

12" I think...cheapo drill will work fine. Miata sheet metal is thin.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

cutting tool. Dremel ok or should I see about finding an angle grinder? I have my dads pancake compressor at the moment so I could run a small pneumatic grinder if someone has one. If a basic dremel works should I get one of those 1.5" or 2" fiberglass cutting wheels for it?

---

Dremel will work...tin snips will work. Again, thin sheet metal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jiggerachi

truck bed liner, or rustoleum for protectant. is this necessary to coat the backing plates and cut panels for rust in Texas? Or is this another dumb pointy board theory?

---

Can't hurt. I've always used it.

I always blasted the backing plates and everything after the install was done with rubberized undercoating. Never had a problem in the nasty Northeast winters. Like sammm says, it can't hurt to use it here - I would personally recommend at least something (even nail polish on the edges of the holes that are drilled).

I always used an air compressor and cut off wheel or nibbler. Tin snips or dremel would work too, as sammm said, but takes longer. Dremel is the way to go for the interior panels, which always take me longer than the bar install itself.

Razor blade or good scissors to cut the carpet. I'd hope you have them already, but you never know.

I'm out on the 12th and 19/20th.

^ Thanks Sammmmm