Style Bars - More installation tips

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:21 am

Well, you can get the Ebay copies/seconds/knockoffs/whatever for 30% of that price. There are heaps of pics on this thread and the one in the "used cars, parts" section.

Amanda · Postby **Amanda** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:26 am

JBT wrote:Well, you can get the Ebay copies/seconds/knockoffs/whatever for 30% of that price. There are heaps of pics on this thread and the one in the "used cars, parts" section.

I know I showed them to my brother (he's a mechanic) and also pics of the RB2 bars - he reckons I buy the real ones for the extra $ in the long term they'll be better and they look better. I have seen all the pics posted and the photos still dont fully show the quality of them, I am particulary interested to see how they look with the high back seats.

Could also be that my bro thinks I am made of money :?:

which I am not.... :mrgreen:

maxwolfie · Postby **maxwolfie** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:33 am

We had a bit of a prob at bigdog's DRBD with the BD bars as well..

ma64rk · Postby **ma64rk** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:39 pm

Dude,
Bought a racing beat style bar off driftar32; it's a chinese knock off, but very well made...lack of instructions made installation painful(on web though), but it's on now & i'm 100%happy. It fits with my hard & soft top, and with a simple mod I kept the original factory windblocker. The only things I didnt enjoy were cutting into my trim(

) and having to grind a little to get the height right- that is because no 2 mexifives are axactly alike...they look gr8 and best of all is how much it stiffened up the car...I was amazed at how much it made a difference. Took me 6 hours, but it was well worth it.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 6:07 pm

JBT wrote:
adfox wrote:Interested to see how this thing stiffens up the chassis.

No effect IMHO although theoretically it should. My car had the "cockpit brace bar" which I don't think really braces anything and is only there to improve side intrusion protection.

Have to eat my own words :oops:

. I took the car out today over some old familiar rough bits and I must say it does feel tighter.

ma64rk · Postby **ma64rk** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:36 pm

You are going to have different reactions to the style bars depending on the model mx5 you have...I have an 01 that is already well braced, but there is still a huge improvement in stiffness...(the chassis, not the driver! :evil:

) It is very much like the improvement i get when I put my hard top on. And even though you cant legally call them 'roll bars', I would still prefer to take my chances in a rollover with style bars.
Enjoy those twisty roads!

Amanda · Postby **Amanda** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:51 pm

OK, I changed my mind and am about to be part of the ebay style bar crew! Won an auction tonight, paid more than you guys but still under half the cost of the RB2s

- had a big week on call (show me the money babeee) and working this weekend, so spoilt myself I did...

ma64rk - did you cut the seatbeltclip thingees or did you go down the extended bolt route?

ma64rk · Postby **ma64rk** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:19 pm

Amanda;
Just spent today re-doing the whole style bar job; it sat a little too high for my liking, so I dropped a spacer and dropped it down 1 cm.
Now; congrats on winning the auction; if it was the one drifta bars, that's the one I have. Very well made! But, yes, I did cut the seat belt thingies beacuse I didn't want to use a different bolt for such a critical item as the seat belt.
Just FYI, if you don't have instructions, go to http://www.racingbeat.com/PDF/57222.pdf
and download a PDF version of some excellent instructions, including a template of altyerations to the windblocker to make it fit.
I hated cutting into my baby, but the end result just looked great.
PS: If you get stuck, either post a reply or email me (mtmicallef@optusnet.com.au) and I'm happy to give advice...
Good luck and tell us all how it went!

Amanda · Postby **Amanda** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:11 am

ma64rk wrote:Amanda;
Just FYI, if you don't have instructions, go to http://www.racingbeat.com/PDF/57222.pdf
and download a PDF version PS: If you get stuck, either post a reply or email me (mtmicallef@optusnet.com.au) and I'm happy to give advice...
Good luck and tell us all how it went!

Thanks ma64rk, I am going to ask my brother Chris to do the install (with me watching over his shoulder inquisitively

) I have the pdf ready to go. So maybe next weekend they'll be on the car (once I recieve them which shouldnt be an issue). If Chris isnt game to cut my trim up then I will pay someone to do it for me...after seeing the info on this thread there is no way on earth I feel confident to do it myself.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:09 pm

Words of warning. Make sure you cut the seat belt tower plastic to slightly smaller dimensions (3-5mm?) than the RB instructions or you will have a big gap to the rear of the bar mounting plate. However, you won't see that with the top boot on. Measure the bar mounting plate fore/aft to confirm the size cut out required. It may take two or more trial and error goes to get the cutout size right. You do have to cut fairly close to the rectangular seat belt slot in the tower though. Pics from my install (NA):

Driver side. Note gap to rear of bar.

Pax side. Note no gap - learned from first effort

Driver side with top boot on.

Amanda · Postby **Amanda** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 5:34 pm

Thanks JBT! The pics help alot

Cheers

adfox · Postby **adfox** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:29 pm

Well we installed our ebay bar today. Whilst it worked out well in the end, ours was a pain to install due to poor construction. Firstly the tabs that drop down for the rear bolts were poorly aligned and needed a heap of bending, we ended up cracking some of the weld in doing so. Also, the two spacers were different heights, by 2-3mm, so we had to make up alloy shims. Finally once installed we found one of the hoops was actually higher than the other! Most people probably won't notice it though. We are reasonably happy with it however for the minimal cost, the bar feels pretty solid and it really does stiffen up the car.

ma64rk · Postby **ma64rk** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:30 pm

You are dead right JBT, and the way to go is to cut small amounts...you can always cut a little more, but never put it back if you cut too much.
ma64rk

JBT wrote:Words of warning. Make sure you cut the seat belt tower plastic to slightly smaller dimensions (3-5mm?) than the RB instructions or you will have a big gap to the rear of the bar mounting plate. However, you won't see that with the top boot on. Measure the bar mounting plate fore/aft to confirm the size cut out required. It may take two or more trial and error goes to get the cutout size right. You do have to cut fairly close to the rectangular seat belt slot in the tower though. Pics from my install (NA):

Driver side. Note gap to rear of bar.

Pax side. Note no gap - learned from first effort

Driver side with top boot on.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 11:38 pm

adfox wrote:Finally once installed we found one of the hoops was actually higher than the other!

You too

Well at least I feel better now. They must be RB seconds or knockoffs but for the price.............

. I don't notice it anymore. However, the one we installed in Richee's car had symetric hoops. Anyway, it looks the goods on your car, so WTF.

adfox · Postby **adfox** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:28 am

I think mine was both - a second grade knockoff ! The alignment of the tabs was just appalling, I think someone else must have been using the welding jig ... :roll:

Ah well it worked out in the end....