muibubbles

iTrader: (36)

I've been mocking up my Kirk roll bar and it seems like i got one off the "bad jig" after tons of searching and reviewing peoples pictures i have a few questions..

mine looks to be slightly twisted. if i align the main hoop dead center the pass side brace hits the strut and the rear arms look off centered.

If i align the rear arms "close" to center the main hoop is shifted more towards the drivers side and the dr side is 1/4-1/2" further back then the pass side. this clears the trunk struts.

so those who have the roll bar off the bad jig what did you end up doing? im thinking maybe to bolt the main hoop close to center but favoring the driver side then try pulling the pass side arm and bolt it (which will have load)

another thing, i saw some people say you have to remove the jack because thats a mounting point, but no matter what i do it wont reach that far...

also does your bar touch the headliner?

Install q's
What grade bolts did you use? and what length?

Did you bolt the roll bar directly to the car chassis or did you sandwhich plates between the car chassis? if so what gauge thickness did you use?

Thanks!

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

I removed the passenger side rear hatch shock. I don't really use my trunk so it's not a real problem (it was blown anyway).

Are you trying to mount it on top of the carpet?

Yes

Did you not get any mounting hardware? You have have gotten plates and bolts/nuts...

muibubbles

iTrader: (36)

i was hoping you would respond.. lol

i thought about that but i use my hatch enough not to do that...

negative

ive managed to have about 1/4" clearance of my headliner (no sunroof tho)


i got mine used for cheap and it didnt come with bolts or plates. im using the CHEAP home depot 3/8" x 2.5" bolts for mock up purposes but will need to get real bolts when i do the final install... what grade should i get?

besides the plates that are welded to the roll bar itself, i dont have plates. but i feel like ive seen it somewhere where people sandwich plates as well for strength... did u do that?

thanks!

ps i ended up pulling the pass arm bar inwards so there is some tension on it.. but everything seems lined up okay. not i just have to bang the fender wells a little.

pss kirk roll bar for biggest pita award. although i still love it! ahah

oo7arkman

iTrader: (2)

I feel your pain. I just installed this thing a few months ago. The whole damn install is just frustrating. Another member asked some of these questions and I posted a few pics in his thread. They may help you out some as well.

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/kirk-racing-roll-bar-pics-rear-mounts-953491/

Do your rear plates hover over the place they are supposed to bolt to? Does it contact the plastic just to the rear of the shock towers? I had to take some plastic off so that the rear mounting plates would lay flat.

On the bolts, since you have to buy them all anyways you could always just go stainless from Home Depot or Lowes. They would be really solid and never rust. If not I would use grade 8 if you plan on mounting harnesses to it.

The hoop on mine also rubs the roof just a little but I also have a sunroof car. If that wasn't there I could definitely see the 1/4" clearance you have.

muibubbles

iTrader: (36)

wow i dont know how i missed that thread..

my rear plates
driver side hovers slightly. nothing too concerning.
pass side, 2 are flush, one hovers slightly, and the last hovers crazy due to the arc in the fender well. i read somewhere bang it with a ball pein hammer.... so i did and ended up stretching the metal so much that when i tightened the bolt the nut broke through the metal.. i definitely need to go buy some steel plates to sandwich on the bottom..

WHIPSrx7

The steel plates it came with are 3/16" thick. I had to "jimmy" it around quite a bit and the left rear mount was floating quite a bit so I milled a 5/16" thick plate out of Al to see if it would help the bar to fit in there better and sure enough, it did. I'll be getting a steel plate for it at some point, but for the primary install, I'm using the Aluminum since it's softer and easier to cut/test fit.

Sorry for the blurry pics, but it was with my phone in the dark. Hopefully they help a little bit. I can pull those rear mounts outward a bit and fit them better than you see in the picture, especially when I scoot the passenger side (behind the seat) mount forward a bit more (it helps the rear passenger side mount to sit more flush to the wheel well and not "float" as much). You can see tight clearance between the bar and the strut tower bar and I didn't show it, but I have 1/4-1/2" of clearance between the hoop and the roof (non-sunroof car). My bar is the 1.75" I think and had a removable harness bar that enables me to keep the rear bins.

Best of luck to you and give me a call if you have any other questions (I'm guessing you were the missed call I had this evening).

muibubbles

iTrader: (36)

thanks, the pics helped! and that was me but we seem to keep missing each others calls lol..

for the pass side, i had mine mounted, which looks to be exactly where yours is mounted, but it wouldnt clear the strut. did u have this issue?

i already made all the holes, im in the middle of spraying the bars now so all i need is to make the 4 plates and i should be good to go. i did choose to have tension on the pass side bar but it looks pretty damn straight and not hitting the strut!

WHIPSrx7

No. Mine isn't hitting the strut. It's very close, but maybe 1/4" clearance or so...maybe a little less. Agreed though, major PITA to install, but the price is right and other than the fitment, the build quality seems OK.

oo7arkman

iTrader: (2)

^^I totally agree with that statement. It really could be MUCH easier to install and fit with just a few minor angle changes.

I have one hole on each side that hovers as well, but I am not too worried about it as i was able to mount it all up with the short bolts that came with the bar and it is really secure. I initially thought I would need longer ones, went and purchased some and ended up only using them to help during the install and then exchanged them for the smaller bolts.

The clearance between the rear hatch dampers is REALLY minimal. That is the biggest PITA to get worked out.

Julian

iTrader: (14)

While I am posting 6 months late, I feel it is very important to comment.

DO NOT use SS bolts they are about 1/5th the strength of Grade 8 hardware. Use Cadmium plated bolts and do not purchase from HD or Lowes, get the real thing. When your car rolls over only the bolts hold the bars from shearing to the side, shearing the bolts and then on the next roll with loose feet, they may puncture through the bottom of the car, removing all clearance above your head.

oo7arkman

iTrader: (2)

^^Thanks for the tip. Definitely a necessary point. I ended up being able to install my bar with the Grade 8's it came with.

Apologies for my ignorance to anyone who took my advice.