TR Lane Roll Bar Fitting

[Corpulent Tosser]

The search function isn't working, so there may be other threads on this subject, if so - Sorry!

Anyway, I have bought a GP bar with diagonal for my Mk2.5 it looks good but came with no intructions and the instructions on the TR Lane site has no pictures and is not as clear as I would have liked.

Has anyone fitted one and taken pics of the process ?

Particularly this bit
THE TWO ANGLE BRACKETS WHICH THE REAR PARCEL SHELF MOUNTS TO, YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE 4" OF THIS EACH SIDE, ENABLING YOUR ROLLBAR TO SIT NEATLY BETWEEN SEAT BELT TOWERS.

If I remove 4" from the front of the bracket that I think it refers to, that will remove two captive nuts to which the parcel shelf bolts on each side, but I cannot see what else it could be meaning.

Thanks
Murray

[youngsyr]

The parcel shelf is bolted to a runner each side that is an upside down L shape, i.e. it's runs horizontally from the back of the parcel shelf to the seat belt tower then runs vertically for about 6 inches down towards the floor.

You need to cut all of the vertical bit away from each side and about 1 inch of the horizontal bit from the front as those runners are too narrow for the front legs of the roll bar to fit between. This will mean that you lose some of the fixing points for the parcel shelf, but there are plenty left to hold it in place.

If you put the seats forward and try to fit the roll bar from the front towards the back of where it will sit, you should see what needs to be cut away.

Edited by youngsyr on Friday 1st October 18:44

[Corpulent Tosser]

Cheers.

That is what I thought, but it was the removal of the parcel shelf mounts that confused me, didn't seem right to do that.

Ah well, I will get the angle grinder working tomorrow.

Many Thanks

Murray

[youngsyr]

Corpulent Tosser said:

Cheers.

That is what I thought, but it was the removal of the parcel shelf mounts that confused me, didn't seem right to do that.

Ah well, I will get the angle grinder working tomorrow.

Many Thanks

Murray

I wouldn't worry too much about the parcel shelf mounts, you'll probably find that you'll end up removing the part of the parcel shelf that would mount there in any case.

[breagh]

Matey:

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3...

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5...

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4...

[S Works]

Rollbar is on my list of must-do's over winter before the trackday season starts next Spring (hopefully new suspension too).

Having looked at these the construction of the bar looks sound enough, but I'm not convinced by the mounting solution. In the event of an *over* at a fair lick, those mounting points don't look like they'd stand up to much. Looks a bit too easy to rip out on all mounting points tbh. Am I mad in thinking that it's bolted into what appears to be fairly flimsy metal, with teeny little bolts and a couple-inch spreader plate.

How are they tested?

[MX-5 Lazza]

They are bolted to the chassis with strengthening plates behind the mounts. They are as strong as any behind the seats roll bars.

ETA. I've never heard of any aftermarket roll bars being tested other than photos of cars that have rolled.

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Friday 1st October 23:17

[Corpulent Tosser]

breagh said:

Matey:

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3...

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5...

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4...

Cheers.
I wish I had those pics yesterday.

I was just too cautious, what needs done is just what how I read the instructions but wasn't confident about removing the parcel shelf mountings.

Thanks to all who responded.

Murray

[S Works]

MX-5 Lazza said:

They are bolted to the chassis with strengthening plates behind the mounts. They are as strong as any behind the seats roll bars.

ETA. I've never heard of any aftermarket roll bars being tested other than photos of cars that have rolled.

I'd like to be more sure that the plates shown are large enough, and the bolts strong enough to prevent the material tearing or the bolts pulling through in the event of a large impact. Let's face it, if you're putting something like this in, then you want to be sure it'll work should you ever need it.

[MX-5 Lazza]

They are strong enough - there is no way a bolt can pull through, each mount sandwiches a section of chassis with at least 4 bolts, 6 on some mount points. I've fitted one to a Mk1 and it's easily as strong as a Hard-dog.

[(steven)]

Here is a fitting guide I did a while back here in the readers cars section.

Main points to note is that unless you are short or have modified the seat, your head will poke out above the roll bar, secondly the spreader plates do appear to be a bit small so if you have time add a few more.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Looking at your thread I can see why you added the extra spreader plates but the one I fitted wasn't like that, the spreader plates were much bigger and covered all the bolts on all bolting points. TR-Lane are developing & improving these bars all the time. The earliest ones sat on the parcel shelf for example whereas the newest ones have proper 6-point chassis mounts. Maybe this is one of the things they have improved?

[Corpulent Tosser]

Well the bar is fitted, a bugger of a job as there just isn't room to get a drill in to some of the mounts.
Of the six mounts only two have spreader plates, that is something I will revisit later, and yes our helmets do stick above it. Better than no roll protection though.

[kevham]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Looking at your thread I can see why you added the extra spreader plates but the one I fitted wasn't like that, the spreader plates were much bigger and covered all the bolts on all bolting points. TR-Lane are developing & improving these bars all the time. The earliest ones sat on the parcel shelf for example whereas the newest ones have proper 6-point chassis mounts. Maybe this is one of the things they have improved?

Sorry Laz, from what I've seen these bars are not as well engineered as the Hard Dog bars. The back stays are not at the best angle and the lack of spreader plates is a major ommission in my view. Also, MSA requirements (and best engineering practice) are to have at least three bolts on each mounting plate.

However, as Murray says, it's much better than nothing.

[MX-5 Lazza]

On the one we fitted to the PlanetMX5 Motorsports car I'm pretty sure it did have at least 3 bolts at each mounting point and all had spreader plates on the back. I'm going to have to take a look at it again to make sure I'm not remembering it wrong but as it was me who had to do the drilling...

[youngsyr]

I picked up a GP-V roll bar over the summer and it had two vertical bolts in each of the four feet and two horizontal bolts on each of the two front feet.

From memory there were spreader plates on all four of the feet.

[breagh]

You're right youngsyr. There are also spreader plates below both the front and rear feet.

I agree that the Hard Dog is better as the rear stay is at a much more favourable angle. However, the cost is so much greater and this is much better than nowt.