Rollbar

DiscoWeb Message Board: Series Rovers - Tech and General: Rollbar
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Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 08:35 pm: Edit

Lisa (swmbo) is pestering me to get a rollbar for my IIA soft top. With traffic as it is in LA, I guess I can't totally blame her.

I think the bar I am looking for is a "military rollbar" that has a single hoop that replaces the forward set of sticks (right behind the front seats) and has a single bar that runs towards the rear of the truck for support.

Anyone know or have any ideas on locating one? I'm sure it's not as easy stateside as it would be in the UK...

Jeff

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Saturday, November 03, 2001 - 05:14 pm: Edit

Most rollbars that are easily found are ones that mount onto the cappings of the rear tub... you can't use a hard-top with 'em, and it's not as strong as a frame-mounted one, but it's better than the regular soft-top hoops. And, with a hard-top on there, the roll-bar isn't as necessary.

Some bars, such as the ones that Safety Devices or Bettaweld make, are frame mounted, and if specified, can fit under the hard-top, too.

All of the ones that I have seen, if they have extra support bars, they're either a single diagonal bar within the plane of the hoop; or, there is a pair of bars running to the floor for extra support, not just one. The Bettaweld down-bars are fixed, which limits the rear capacity of the tub... the Safety Device bars are removable, so that you can have just a hoop most of the time, and then add in the extra down-bars if you're going to be in a rally or some such...

David G. at the Thatched Roof usually has some of the capping-mounted rollbars on hand. If he doesn't have one at the moment, he can have one come in on the next shipment. If you'd rather have a Bettaweld or a Safety Devices (more $$$), I'd ask David about 'em, too... never know just what he might be able to come up with....

Good luck!

-L

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Saturday, November 03, 2001 - 06:25 pm: Edit

Thanks. I'll post a message to David. He has been good about getting back to me on inquiries.

I think I want the cap mounted bar.

We'll see what he says.

Jeff

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 02:32 pm: Edit

Just spoke with David. The bars he has (and I guess you were there other night Leslie) seem to be what I am looking for, but I didn't realize they were one piece. Shipping might be more the bar!

I don't know anyone on the West Coast who might have one. David is going to send me a pic. It's not the military bar I've seen, but it's very similar. I know it's not as strong as a frame mounted bar, but it will be at least as strong as having a hard top on it.

Jeff

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 02:41 pm: Edit

Yeah, I was there.... we were celebrating Guy Fawkes Day.... :)


David had an idea that he could take the down-bars off, so that it'd box up smaller, for cheaper shipping... just a thought...


Hmmm.......


But, you are right...
I used to not like the capping-mounted ones, I kept thinking that it 'had' to be to the frame to be worth doing, and also, the capping ones can't be used with the hard-top...
But a Series Rover isn't (shouldn't!) be going THAT fast, the bar is most useful for low-speed rollovers... it acts as a substitute for the security of the hard-top. Once I started thinking about them that way, AND that they're much easier to fit, AND much more affordable than a frame-mounted bar, then I started coming around.... :)


-L

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 03:06 pm: Edit

That's my thinking. Unless I move, I can't see ever getting a hard top. Even when I was in the mountains and it got into the 20's, the Kodiak heater had the cabin heated up pretty well. Just dress in layers to ward off the drafts and the leaks.

A cap mounted bar would allow me to keep my rag top on full time with the roll over security of a hard top. Knock on wood that it never gets tested. David also mentioned that he has successfully mounted 3-point seat belts to these bars which would be nice.

My only concern with the cutting would be that I'd need to have someone help me put it back together. We probably could at the tank museum I volunteer at. They are always welding up new armor, etc.

He's going to post me pics. Once he gets the next shipment in December, I'll ask him to get me freight estimates and then make a decision on what I'd like to do.

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of pageLink to this message   By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 03:08 pm: Edit

Sounds like a well-thought plan!

:)


Good luck,

-L


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