Kirk Racing 4 Point Bar Install Tips
10-09-04, 06:51 PM
#1
Weird Cat Man
Thread Starter
Kirk Racing 4 Point Bar Install Tips
I wrote this for someone else, but figured, why not put it in a thread!?
Use at your own risk!
Tips:
1 - My bar didn't come with bolt holes drilled in the back side (underbody) plates. Before you start, drill holes in a pattern to precisely match the bolt holes on the roll bar attachment points. The plates I got were not painted and WILL RUST (mostly just surface rust). If you don't want that, spray them with some rustoleum paint or something before you install them.
2 - Remove both seats (duh). As for the rear, I just removed all the trim and left it out. I have seen other people cut holes in their trim. Whatever you decide is up to you. I wanted to preserve my nice trim in case any other owner someday wants to ditch the bar.
3 - You WILL hit the ends of the bar against your center console and/or the door panel. Cover the bottom ends of the bar with towels and put a heavy comforter over the center console and maybe something draped over the door to help protect the door panel.
4 - Put the bar in through the door, over the center tunnel. Now attach the rear braces but don't tighten them all the way yet.
5 - Carefully line it up. Make sure it's even left to right and front to back. Make sure it's perpendicular to the center line of the car. Make sure the landing points for the rear braces are lined up in a good spot. READ STEP 12 now! Make sure to take everything into consideration... fender well shape, interference with seat travel... etc.
6 - Cut your carpet so that you can bolt it directly to the metal. I guess technically you COULD put the bolts through the carpeting, but I wanted a nice solid metal to metal connection. What I did is cut only 3 sides of the sqare that defines the "foot" of the bar. This lets me pull back a flap of carpet to install the bar, but if someone at a later time wanted to get rid of the bar, the flap could be folded down and glued for an almost-back-to-stock appearance.
7 - Get your bar all lined up again. DOUBLE CHECK it all, front and rear, side to side... everything!
8 - Using a LONG drill bit (I think mine was about 12-14 inches), drill that first hole through the floor. *gasp* I think I needed such a long bit because otherwise the drill itself bumps on stuff.
9 - Put a bolt through the floor and the plate and snug it down but not super tight. Before you put the bolt in, it would be smart to put some paint or primer on the holes so that any exposed metal edges don't rust.
10 - Go back in the car and make sure everything is lined up still and drill one hole for the other side of the car. Put the bolt in and snug it down. (paint the hole too!)
11 - Now that you've got it all lined up right, use the drill to drill out the remaining 6 holes and put bolts through them. Do not tighten them all the way yet. (remember to paint them first!)
12 - In the back you might find that due to the curvature of your wheelwells, the plates aren't going to line up 100%. Jack up the rear end and remove the wheels. Take a ball peen hammer (NOT regular one!), and using the round end, beat on the inside of the wheelwell from the bottom until it gets close. You will see the sprayed on sound deadener stuff crack a bit, but the fender/unibody itself should just bend some. When they are very close to lining up flat, drill the holes in a similar fashion to what you did on the front, and put bolts in. Paint the holes!
13 - Starting at the front, go around and tighten down all the bolts.
14 - tighten the bolts that connect the main hoop of the bar to the rear braces.
Use at your own risk!
Tips:
1 - My bar didn't come with bolt holes drilled in the back side (underbody) plates. Before you start, drill holes in a pattern to precisely match the bolt holes on the roll bar attachment points. The plates I got were not painted and WILL RUST (mostly just surface rust). If you don't want that, spray them with some rustoleum paint or something before you install them.
2 - Remove both seats (duh). As for the rear, I just removed all the trim and left it out. I have seen other people cut holes in their trim. Whatever you decide is up to you. I wanted to preserve my nice trim in case any other owner someday wants to ditch the bar.
3 - You WILL hit the ends of the bar against your center console and/or the door panel. Cover the bottom ends of the bar with towels and put a heavy comforter over the center console and maybe something draped over the door to help protect the door panel.
4 - Put the bar in through the door, over the center tunnel. Now attach the rear braces but don't tighten them all the way yet.
5 - Carefully line it up. Make sure it's even left to right and front to back. Make sure it's perpendicular to the center line of the car. Make sure the landing points for the rear braces are lined up in a good spot. READ STEP 12 now! Make sure to take everything into consideration... fender well shape, interference with seat travel... etc.
6 - Cut your carpet so that you can bolt it directly to the metal. I guess technically you COULD put the bolts through the carpeting, but I wanted a nice solid metal to metal connection. What I did is cut only 3 sides of the sqare that defines the "foot" of the bar. This lets me pull back a flap of carpet to install the bar, but if someone at a later time wanted to get rid of the bar, the flap could be folded down and glued for an almost-back-to-stock appearance.
7 - Get your bar all lined up again. DOUBLE CHECK it all, front and rear, side to side... everything!
8 - Using a LONG drill bit (I think mine was about 12-14 inches), drill that first hole through the floor. *gasp* I think I needed such a long bit because otherwise the drill itself bumps on stuff.
9 - Put a bolt through the floor and the plate and snug it down but not super tight. Before you put the bolt in, it would be smart to put some paint or primer on the holes so that any exposed metal edges don't rust.
10 - Go back in the car and make sure everything is lined up still and drill one hole for the other side of the car. Put the bolt in and snug it down. (paint the hole too!)
11 - Now that you've got it all lined up right, use the drill to drill out the remaining 6 holes and put bolts through them. Do not tighten them all the way yet. (remember to paint them first!)
12 - In the back you might find that due to the curvature of your wheelwells, the plates aren't going to line up 100%. Jack up the rear end and remove the wheels. Take a ball peen hammer (NOT regular one!), and using the round end, beat on the inside of the wheelwell from the bottom until it gets close. You will see the sprayed on sound deadener stuff crack a bit, but the fender/unibody itself should just bend some. When they are very close to lining up flat, drill the holes in a similar fashion to what you did on the front, and put bolts in. Paint the holes!
13 - Starting at the front, go around and tighten down all the bolts.
14 - tighten the bolts that connect the main hoop of the bar to the rear braces.
10-09-04, 10:00 PM
#2
Old Rotary Dog
nice - i would add a step:
5a - once you have the bar sitting where you *think* it should go, close the rear hatch and make sure the rear braces dont interfer with the hatch support struts.
-bill
5a - once you have the bar sitting where you *think* it should go, close the rear hatch and make sure the rear braces dont interfer with the hatch support struts.
-bill
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