Installing Autopower roll-bar. Options

[mihai914]

I know it's pretty straight forward as to where to put the thing. What I want to ask about is the mounting.

I'll have the longs open, so should I weld some fabricated mounting plates in there when I have the chance. If I go this route, fine or coarse thread?

I also heard about installing these with aluminium threaded rivets, but it sounds like it's going to rip out when you need it the most.

I want to keep this thing a bolt-on application to use the thing only when needed for some DEs for example.

Does it even make sence installing this thing while un-sagging the car?

Thanks for the help.

[xsboost90]

personally, i would make some mounting plates w/ studs, and weld the plates onto the floor, or an engman support kit. Then bolt them in. If not, weld them in! I dont like drilling holes. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

[KenH]

Support the middle of the car when you weld the mounting plates in place.

Ken

[Jeroen]

Yes, you need to weld in re-enforcing mounting plates
The rules here say it has to be at least 4 x 5 inches and 3mm thick

Best would be to make the plate L-shaped, so it welds onto the top of the long and on the side of the long

Drill holes in the mounting plates for the bolts and weld the nuts to the back of the plate

Drill holes in the long where the nuts are so the plate will fit flush on top of the long

Test fit everything a milion times

Weld in the plates

Does this bar mount on top of the longs or on the floor?
(mounting on the floor makes the bar pretty much useless)

Here's some pics (of Brant's car) to give you an idea...
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-2-1100568498.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-2-1099418798.jpg)

[mihai914]

I didn't test fit yet, but I think it mounts on the top of the longs. My idea was to install the mounting plates inside the longs since they will be open. Making kind of a sandwich with the long. The only thing in the way, in the long, is a heater tube bracket which would either have to be removed or the plates split in two. Am I seing things wrong?

[URY914]

My Autopower bar mounted to the floor not the top of the longs.

Weld in a "L" shaped base plate to the floor and up the side of the long. about 3".

Install the bar, drill holes through and use another plate on the bottom and weld the nuts to the bottom plate.

Stock autox classes say you can't weld in a roll bar. But you can weld in the mounting plate and bolt it the bar to it.

Paul

[Jeroen]

It's just my gut feeling, but I think putting the plates on top of the long would be stronger then putting them underneath
(a leaf spring comes to mind)
Then again, I'm no engineer, so I may be wrong

It would be easier to fab too

Personally, I'd make 'em wider than in the pics above too

[URY914]

QUOTE (Jeroen @ Jun 21 2005, 05:29 AM)

It's just my gut feeling, but I think putting the plates on top of the long would be stronger then putting them underneath (a leaf spring comes to mind) Then again, I'm no engineer, so I may be wrong It would be easier to fab too Personally, I'd make 'em wider than in the pics above too

Let me clearify.

I put a "L" shaped plate on the inside and another smaller plate under the car. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

The roll bar fits inside the long and bolts to the floor.

Paul

[Jeroen]

Paul, I got you the first time (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)
I was referring to Mihai's comments

[KenH]

Call Autupower, they make weld in mounting plates to bolt the rollbar too.

Ken

[mihai914]

I test fitted a bit, sorry I didn't take any pictures. I don't know if they make more than one model but this one fits on the longs.

The way the PO drilled the mounting tabs that go to the seat belt pillar attachement places the roll-bar about an inch in front of the targa-bar pad and back pad.

Concerning placement, this is my impression: the more I go towards the rear with the bar, the more stress I'll put on a allready weak point of the car (more force near the jack plate area). As opposed to the closer to the front of the vehicle pressure will spread out accordingly. Except I'll be loosing seating space.

Still haven't decided how to mount it on the longs. Jeroen has a good point! But I would still like a stealth install, i.e. when not needed, I can take it out and put the carpets back without any evidence.

[mihai914]

Well today I fabricated my brackets to mount inside the longs. Started with some angle iron that I cut.

[mihai914]

more.

[mihai914]

Made a template for the holes from the roll-bar itself. Just sprayed some primer.

[mihai914]

Drilled the holes, and even chamfered (sp?) them for a smoother finish. I'm lucky I have these drill bits from an old body man that sold me his tool box, they're hard and bite like hell.

[mihai914]

I mounted everything on the roll-bar and tightened the bolts.

[mihai914]

And then just went away with the welder, my second time ever, so some welds look shitty!

[mihai914]

Once welding was done I retightened the bolts again and let things cool down. I wanted to close these brackets with small pieces of flat iron to make a triangle but I was too tired after the 4 hours of work and it probably won't improve much on such a small bracket.

PS: this was my first time actually fabricating something, a welder rocks!

[URY914]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif) Nice work!

I love the sound of sizzling welding wire in the morning.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

Paul