Legalities of a roll bar (and general question)

[bensale]

I'm thinking about buying a BD roll bar and was wondering whether or not it is technically legal, at least as far as insurance is concered.
Ie: if I get in an accident will the car be deemed un-road worth therefore uninsured. Or does the car have to be engineered or something like that?

Also I've heard confilcting things regarding the clearance of hardtops. Could someone shed some light on this? Some people's clear, not others. Is it down to the way you install it?

Thanks guys,

Ben

[bensale]

I've answered my question to an extent, now all that remains is to actually decide if I need a roll bar or not.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonl ... /VSI28.pdf

It may interest you to know that a roll bar such as the BD does not require an engineering certificate! Basically as long as you don't modify the structure of the car or modify components such as seatbelts or seats.

[Fatty]

ben, i've never heard \"conflicting\" reports on the hardtop clearance issues. the BD ones clear the hardtop just fine. i have mentioned a couple of times that mine doesn't clear the hardtop, but mine is not a BD. maybe that is what you are thinking of?

[bensale]

Cool, thanks for that. I'm still un-sure whether to spend the money. I can afford it, but am currently not working to concentrate on my studies so don't want to spend too much of what I have...Hmm, decisions, decisions

[StanTheMan]

go & get Alfadog's roll bar thats a $150 saving. its only very new.
Its in Melbourne & pick up only. A few Sydney boyz have been salivating ove5r that bar

[TieNN89]

a roll bar can save your life

i think Alfadog's rollbar is sold last time i checked

[Fatty]

Cool, thanks for that. I'm still un-sure whether to spend the money. I can easily afford it, but am currently not working to concentrate on my studies so don't want to spend too much of what I have...Hmm, decisions, decisions

if you are unsure, i guess you need to clarify if / why you think you need a rollbar. is it a safety thing? is it a looks / bling thing?

re azntiens comment "a rollbar can save your life"... it will help in a rollover for sure, BUT if you are rear ended it can actually be far more dangerous to have a rollbar fitted. you can crack your head open on the rollbar if someone gives you a shunt from behind.

for a track car i'd get one for sure. for a road car, i'm not so sure. it might actually be safer NOT to get a rollbar???

the other benefit of the rollbar is for chassis stiffness and side impact protection. but you can just get a seat belt tower brace for that.

[StanTheMan]

i think Alfadog's rollbar is sold last time i checked

check again Sam.....

Rollbar now back up for sale ......

go on Bensale that roll bar has your name on it. Also upgrade to some NB8B seats. NA seat have some serious issues there as Fatty pointed out. Or just get some proper roll bar padding as its black anyway.
NA seats


NB8B seats


Not as safe as propper padding.....but heaps safer than the NA seats

[Fatty]

yep those photos give a good example of exactly what i'm talking about. thanks STM!

i can't figure out how to post this pic here but this link shows you why i became concerned about this issue:

http://mx5vic.smugmug.com/gallery/43183 ... MCw4g-A-LB

see where my head is. see where the seat is, and see where the rollbar is. imagine if i wasn't wearing a helmet, and got rear ended by some idiot on the road . hmmm not good eh

this shot was 2 weeks ago at calder. so my na6 seats will soon be replaced by something that lowers the seating position, and has a higher back.

[bensale]

if you are unsure, i guess you need to clarify if / why you think you need a rollbar. is it a safety thing? is it a looks / bling thing?

re azntiens comment "a rollbar can save your life"... it will help in a rollover for sure, BUT if you are rear ended it can actually be far more dangerous to have a rollbar fitted. you can crack your head open on the rollbar if someone gives you a shunt from behind.

for a track car i'd get one for sure. for a road car, i'm not so sure. it might actually be safer NOT to get a rollbar???

the other benefit of the rollbar is for chassis stiffness and side impact protection. but you can just get a seat belt tower brace for that.

Thats pretty much what i'm running through my head. Is it safer to have one or not have one? The rear impact worries me but it would have to be a fairly nasty accident wouldn't it?

I guess if i'm honest with myself its 60% astetics 40% safety. Although some pictures of rolled mx5's i've found are a bit frightening. To what extent would the roll bar effect side impact protection?

-Alfadog and I have exchanged a few PM's-

Thanks for the roll bar pics stan, i was worried about that. Excpet I dont really want to spend more money again on new seats... But from the looks of it i should, or look at some padding.

[StanTheMan]

[Fatty]

thanks STM. see my head will just flip back over the seat there. i'm just under 6 foot tall so maybe it's not so much of an issue f you're short but still i reckon the na6 seats aren't ideal if you want a rollbar.

[bensale]

I'm about 6'1 so I'll have exactly the same probelem. Its a bit of a worry. What kind of $$ are you looking at for replacement seats, or nb8b seats.

[AB7]

I like the idea of BD rollbar, but I wish we got more option (stylewise) here.
Boss Frog & Hard Dog make great looking rollbar.
I love these double hoop design, btw this is a proper rollbar NOT stylebar.

[wun911]

For the tall people, instead of buying new seats with a tall back or padding the roll bar which makes it look ugly, why not take stufffing out and sit lower?

I saw the pics I dont quite get it do they come in singles?
Can you have just one hoop to protect ONLY the driver?