Good Morning MX5 Owners,
Your Mission today should you choose to accept it, is
to advise and evaluate from your experience whether
it's worthwhile installing a ROLL-BAR, to a MX5.
The subject bar in question is in a polished stainless
steel finish. Bear in mind agents, this is 'one' bar,
UNLIKE the usual seperate roll bars fitted to driver
and passenger seat's; instead it crosses above both
cabin seats, bolting in just under when the seat belt
begins. This bar, when installed, still enables the
soft free range of motion.
Should I buy this, and is the requested price
reasonable? This message will not self-destruct in 5
seconds.
I certainly hope this is no 'Impossible Mission'.
Good Luck, and hope to hear your replies soon.
Andreas Lundh
MX5 Enthusiast
- The fastest, easiest way to open an online store.
ROLL-BARS - A Mission Impossible ???
-
Fletcher Blades
ROLL-BARS - A Mission Impossible ???
Well, you'll have to tell us the price, before we can evaluate if it
is reasonable...
Also, if you are looking for roll-over protection, as well as "the
look" it will need to have rearward bracing as well as the main hoop.
This stops it from collapsing if the car is sliding forwards or
backwards, whilst inverted...
Fletch.
is reasonable...
Also, if you are looking for roll-over protection, as well as "the
look" it will need to have rearward bracing as well as the main hoop.
This stops it from collapsing if the car is sliding forwards or
backwards, whilst inverted...
Fletch.
-
Gary Morrison
- Need, more, 5-ing, time....
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:24 pm
- Location: Wellington
ROLL-BARS - A Mission Impossible ???
Andreas,
It is not a true roll bar if it doesn't have rearward bracing as well. Watch
out for:
1/ Obstruction of seat travel if you need legroom
2/ Obstruction of seat belt operation
And as far as 2 goes, check with VTNZ or someone to see that your car will
still get a warrant with it fitted.
Roll bars may seem like a good idea for safety, but also consider whether
your head is likely to contact it in a collision - it may need foam padding
fitted.
Gary
It is not a true roll bar if it doesn't have rearward bracing as well. Watch
out for:
1/ Obstruction of seat travel if you need legroom
2/ Obstruction of seat belt operation
And as far as 2 goes, check with VTNZ or someone to see that your car will
still get a warrant with it fitted.
Roll bars may seem like a good idea for safety, but also consider whether
your head is likely to contact it in a collision - it may need foam padding
fitted.
Gary
-
Clive Granger
ROLL-BARS - A Mission Impossible ???
Andreas,
Due to a recent lapse of judgement at the driver training day in Taupo, I
decide to fit a roll bar to my MX-5. So having fitted the bar I will add my
2 cents worth to the discussion.
In summary, there are 'Roll bars' and 'Style bars'. Double hoop bars are
'Style bars'. If you want protection then get a single hoop roll bar. It
will involve some compromise in seat travel for overall protection. A real
serious roll bar probably would not fit under the soft top. Most of the bars
on cars imported into New Zealand do not meet NZ standards but that will not
necessarily stop them getting a Warrant of Fitness.
First up the only person I know who has been in a roll over is Ray Smith (as
a passenger). The car did not have a roll bar fitted and both the driver and
Ray survived. The A pillar bent progressively as the car skidded to a halt
but protected the occupants. Ray: It must have been interesting to watch the
road rushing by just inches from your head!
A lot of the 'roll bars' fitted to MX-5s are really 'style bars' and will
offer no protection in the case of a roll over. They may even cause injury
if they are forced forward into the passenger compartment. Most double hoop
designs fit into this category. All designs without rear bracing to the
chassis are 'style bars' and potentially dangerous.
As there is no rear passenger seat in an MX-5 and therefore the roll bar
does not intrude into the passenger compartment there should be no problem
with any bar fitted behind the driver. Of course, full roll cages are a
different matter. MotorSport New Zealand set the standards for roll
cage/roll bars. When I asked about WOF, the inspector at the Onehunga
Testing Station said a MotorSport NZ approved bar would not be refused a
warrant.
To race the car the bar must be approved by MotorSport NZ. To gain that
approval requires submitting the rollbar design to MotorSport NZ, who will
then issue a Homologation Recognition Number for the bar (if you go down
this road, note that the bar cannot be approved under Schedule K and T&C;
the MX-5 does not yet have the official 'Classic' car definition).
To obtain MotorSport NZ homologation the bar must have rear bracing. This
means at least a 4 point anchoring to the chassis is needed. The main hoop
must be diagonally braced and at least 2 inches above the occupant's head
(to be used in competition the bar must be 2 inches above the driver's
helmet). A seatbelt brace bar is required. The roll bar may be fixed
permanently to the car or bolted in. The diameter and wall thickness of the
steel is defined by MotorSport NZ. Mild or chromoly steel can be used.
While chromoly steel is lighter the difference in a roll bar is minimal.
Also chromoly hardens with age and becomes brittle. A life of two to three
years seems to be the accepted norm so this material is really only good for
the serious racer.
My requirements included MotorSport NZ homologation. The bar also had to fit
under a hard and soft top. There is less room under the hard top. To
maintain the height the bar had to be fitted right on the edge of the
chassis shelf behind the seats and inside of the seat belt pillars. This
has restricted full movement of the seats which I have modified slightly by
cutting some of the foam padding away. I am not a tall person so this does
not effect me (a tall person would have trouble; both in leg room and head
room). The main hoop is diagonally braced. Two rear brace bars are welded
to the chassis and a seat beat anchor bar is welded between them. To race
the car I would need an extension to the hoop to give the required 2 inch
clearance above a helmet. The bar would not then fit under the soft top
unless I fitted some seriously low racing seats.
The bar is painted matt black and fits into the overall black interior of
the car very well. I was warned off chroming the bar as the results are
often not good. The steel cover over the fuel tank had to be cut to
accommodate the bar. I have yet to get the carpet fitted properly around the
bar. This will be difficult because the bar is welded right on the edge of
the chassis shelf. The rear brace bars interfere with the soft top tonneau
cover and it will not fit without modification.
Andy Culpin of Race FX did the job and it cost around $700. He is a
MotorSport NZ scrutineer and offered invaluable advice on getting the bar
registered.
Clive.
Due to a recent lapse of judgement at the driver training day in Taupo, I
decide to fit a roll bar to my MX-5. So having fitted the bar I will add my
2 cents worth to the discussion.
In summary, there are 'Roll bars' and 'Style bars'. Double hoop bars are
'Style bars'. If you want protection then get a single hoop roll bar. It
will involve some compromise in seat travel for overall protection. A real
serious roll bar probably would not fit under the soft top. Most of the bars
on cars imported into New Zealand do not meet NZ standards but that will not
necessarily stop them getting a Warrant of Fitness.
First up the only person I know who has been in a roll over is Ray Smith (as
a passenger). The car did not have a roll bar fitted and both the driver and
Ray survived. The A pillar bent progressively as the car skidded to a halt
but protected the occupants. Ray: It must have been interesting to watch the
road rushing by just inches from your head!
A lot of the 'roll bars' fitted to MX-5s are really 'style bars' and will
offer no protection in the case of a roll over. They may even cause injury
if they are forced forward into the passenger compartment. Most double hoop
designs fit into this category. All designs without rear bracing to the
chassis are 'style bars' and potentially dangerous.
As there is no rear passenger seat in an MX-5 and therefore the roll bar
does not intrude into the passenger compartment there should be no problem
with any bar fitted behind the driver. Of course, full roll cages are a
different matter. MotorSport New Zealand set the standards for roll
cage/roll bars. When I asked about WOF, the inspector at the Onehunga
Testing Station said a MotorSport NZ approved bar would not be refused a
warrant.
To race the car the bar must be approved by MotorSport NZ. To gain that
approval requires submitting the rollbar design to MotorSport NZ, who will
then issue a Homologation Recognition Number for the bar (if you go down
this road, note that the bar cannot be approved under Schedule K and T&C;
the MX-5 does not yet have the official 'Classic' car definition).
To obtain MotorSport NZ homologation the bar must have rear bracing. This
means at least a 4 point anchoring to the chassis is needed. The main hoop
must be diagonally braced and at least 2 inches above the occupant's head
(to be used in competition the bar must be 2 inches above the driver's
helmet). A seatbelt brace bar is required. The roll bar may be fixed
permanently to the car or bolted in. The diameter and wall thickness of the
steel is defined by MotorSport NZ. Mild or chromoly steel can be used.
While chromoly steel is lighter the difference in a roll bar is minimal.
Also chromoly hardens with age and becomes brittle. A life of two to three
years seems to be the accepted norm so this material is really only good for
the serious racer.
My requirements included MotorSport NZ homologation. The bar also had to fit
under a hard and soft top. There is less room under the hard top. To
maintain the height the bar had to be fitted right on the edge of the
chassis shelf behind the seats and inside of the seat belt pillars. This
has restricted full movement of the seats which I have modified slightly by
cutting some of the foam padding away. I am not a tall person so this does
not effect me (a tall person would have trouble; both in leg room and head
room). The main hoop is diagonally braced. Two rear brace bars are welded
to the chassis and a seat beat anchor bar is welded between them. To race
the car I would need an extension to the hoop to give the required 2 inch
clearance above a helmet. The bar would not then fit under the soft top
unless I fitted some seriously low racing seats.
The bar is painted matt black and fits into the overall black interior of
the car very well. I was warned off chroming the bar as the results are
often not good. The steel cover over the fuel tank had to be cut to
accommodate the bar. I have yet to get the carpet fitted properly around the
bar. This will be difficult because the bar is welded right on the edge of
the chassis shelf. The rear brace bars interfere with the soft top tonneau
cover and it will not fit without modification.
Andy Culpin of Race FX did the job and it cost around $700. He is a
MotorSport NZ scrutineer and offered invaluable advice on getting the bar
registered.
Clive.
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