hard dog rollbar installation

General chat that fellow COM'ers may be interested in.
Post Reply
n1gzd
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 483
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Acton, MA

hard dog rollbar installation

Post by n1gzd » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:57 pm

Hi,

I started installing my hard dog M1 Hard Core Hard Top roll with seatbelt bar today. I did not succeed before it started getting a little too dark and cold. After about 4 hours I began to realize that I must be missing some instructions. I see now after checking out the Bethania Garage website that I was missing the figures that show that for this model roll bar you need to cut the package shelf. I was also struggling with some parts of the wiring harness that were in the way as well (problem was pretty well relieved on the drivers side). I think that I know what I need to do now but I won't have a chance to try until saturday (or friday if I can take the day off).

I will tell you, it was a little hard removing my hard top and placing the roll bar on the car all by myself but I did it. I probably should have waited until could find someone to help but I was anixous to get it done. Tomorrow I will probably have some strange sore muscles.

If anyone has nothing better to do next saturday and is familar with this insallation and wants to stop by my hangar (North Andover) to give me a few tips I would appreciate the second set of eyes (lunch on me). I think that I will be ok on my own but it would be nice if someone who already did it checked out what I am doing.

I will be glad to get this done because rollbar and hard top off the car take up too much space.

Rebecca

User avatar
breakaway500
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:47 am
Location: In my shop,usually.

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by breakaway500 » Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:41 am

No heat and no lights? :shock: How..barbaric! :lol:

You should consider buying a pair of work lights like these:

They are inexpensive and don't take up much room either..
Image

They throw off a lot of light and heat! :D (available most anywhere for around $35)



PM'd... :sunny:
It's not what you drive, it's how you drive. "Lap times matter"

User avatar
Stynger
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 464
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:56 pm
Location: Medway, MA

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by Stynger » Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:52 pm

Kudos for getting the hard top off single handed 8)
Les.

COM Instructor

NA Miata D-TYPE
#77

Drive it like you stole it!

nateh
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 555
Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:19 pm
Location: Vermont
Contact:

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by nateh » Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:19 am

And for easy one-person rollbar installation, get one of these as well.
Attachments
images.jpg
images.jpg (8.24 KiB) Viewed 2892 times
Nate Hine
1985 driversupply Frankenspec
1995 Spec Miata #47(1) white-blue

WillM
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1453
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 10:14 pm

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by WillM » Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:03 pm

While it can be done solo, this is really a 2-person job, especially if you are working without air-powered tools. Life will be so much easier having a set of hands under the car and a set above the car. Installing the bolts/backing plates can be a chore, even with a helper.

Tips:
1. Completely remove the seats & rear carpet. There should be two large pieces of carpet - the package shelf area and the rear bulkhead (behind the seats).
2. Completely remove the package shelf. After the bar is in place, trim the packing shelf with tin snips. Leave a little extra clearance room, but don't be too generous. You still want to seal off the trunk from the cockpit. Upon final installation of the package tray, use aluminum tape to seal the gaps.
3. Use a bit of RTV to seal the backing plates / bolt holes. This should keep out water / moisture and reduce the possibility of rust.
4. Keep the car level at all times. Taking the rear wheels off will give you a lot more room to work under the car, so if you jack the rear, jack the front too. Maybe I'm too particular about this, but I would want the chassis to be perfectly level while attaching the rollbar. Uneven jacking of the corners = unwanted chassis flex.

Good luck!

- Will
96 Miata #72 SC
PRA 4 :sunny:

n1gzd
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 483
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Acton, MA

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by n1gzd » Tue Nov 29, 2011 8:36 pm

Thanks for the excellent suggestions!
Rebecca

User avatar
MiataSteve
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 367
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 6:39 pm

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by MiataSteve » Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:10 pm

Is the install in progress?
T30 #32 Miata: The Red and Yellow Machine!

n1gzd
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 483
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Acton, MA

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by n1gzd » Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:34 pm

It is in progress. I hope to finish tomorrow.
Rebecca

n1gzd
Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Posts: 483
Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Acton, MA

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by n1gzd » Sun Dec 04, 2011 9:46 pm

I did not make any progress afterall (got side tracked by looking for a used truck). I will try again next weekend (but I need to get my aircraft annual inspection done before it gets too cold - no heat - usually 20-40 hours of work).

Rebecca

Tim Mahoney
Rookie Driver
Rookie Driver
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:45 am

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by Tim Mahoney » Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:30 am

Want a set of Hard Dog Door Bars to help out that chassis? They integrate nicley with the HD roll bar and help stiffen the floorpan quite a bit.

I just finished removing my Hard Dog roll bar, door bars, soft top, etc. to prep for a cage. They'll all be up on the classified section soon. Shoot me a PM if interested.
#6-SPB

WillM
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1453
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 10:14 pm

Re: hard dog rollbar installation

Post by WillM » Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:28 am

Tim Mahoney wrote:Want a set of Hard Dog Door Bars to help out that chassis? They integrate nicley with the HD roll bar and help stiffen the floorpan quite a bit.

I just finished removing my Hard Dog roll bar, door bars, soft top, etc. to prep for a cage. They'll all be up on the classified section soon. Shoot me a PM if interested.
Those stiffen the chassis nicely - I had them in my first track car before I went full cage. If you are going to do it, now is the time, as they share the front mounting points with the rollbar!
96 Miata #72 SC
PRA 4 :sunny:

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 1 guest