Roll Bar position

[Pembroke Pat]

I have dropped the main body on this weekend followed by resting the boot and the roll bar in place.  The manual says very little about positioning of the roll bar.  

I have a standard roll bar with just one bolt per side.

I don't want to find out that if I want to change to an RAC roll bar that I have positioned the original just a few mm out of position.

Any hints about the location or should I just centre in over the square plate on either side?

[Nick M]

*WARNING BELLS*  *KLAXON*  *"ALERT, ALERT"*

One bolt per side ?  Are you sure ?  My standard roll bar had 3 bolts each side and holes drilled in the roll bar matched the holes drilled in the flat plates on the chassis that it bolts to.

In effect, you're left with little or no choice about where the roll bar goes.

[Pembroke Pat]

I saw this and sometime ago phoned up Westfield to be told that they make two types of roll bar (why I don't know).

There is no flat plate and the roll bar has a single M12 bolt to fit down the middle

[Barry Ashcroft]

I was shocked when my roll bar turned up like yours pat dosen't seam very strong I just lined it up in line with rest of body.Don't know about race roll bar at later date but my self am thinking about one for safety.

[Pembroke Pat]

Thanks for the support.  I guess that if I ever put in an RAC roll bar then I would probably ditch the planter behind the seat.  My missus has her eye on it already to hang outside the kitchen window.

[Nick M]

Blimey !!  

Not wanting to put the willies up you (ooo-errr missus !! but if it were by car and my head I would have already have ordered / fitted the RAC bar....

[Pembroke Pat]

Someone at work here has pointed out that that Westfield ( sorry I meant Mark whatshisface) put in that roll bar in "A Race car is rebuilt and driven a bit"

[Mark Stanton]

One bolt per side ?  Are you sure ?  

Yep Nick dats de way de new standard roll bar is fixed          

I got a braced RAC type, thankfully      

[Gazza]

Those non-RAC type 'roll' bars are PURELY cosmetic!

Unfortunately people think that because its a factory-supplied roll bar its been designed and tested to protect your bonce - IT HAS NOT.

Fit a real roll-over bar - anything else is silly at best and gives a dangerous false sense-of-security at worst.

Rant over ...

[Blatman]

And just in case the point needs further re-inforcing.......

Fit the RAC bar now. Anything else is a false economy, both fiscal, and safety wise.

[Pembroke Pat]

Only problem is that I would like to be able to fit a roof considering I live in Pembrokeshire.

Ok the rain will probably have passed by the time that I put the roof on but still

[Gazza]

I live in Sussex and still need a roof ..and it fits perfectly with my 'RAC' roll bar.

Mine's an early car and I've got a short neck, but perhaps later RAC bars/hoods aren't compatible - I'd be surprised tho'

[Pembroke Pat]

Is that a Westfield supplied roll bar?

I suppose that I could always have a hood made specially.

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

I was down at Westfield last week with Paul H picking up his Megablade kit,

I noticed his Roll Bar had no flat plate at the fixing points, just the M12 threaded bush in the bottom of the bar, i queried this with Richard Smith he said they're all like that now, they reckon that welding the bush in then welding on the flat plate week'nd the area around the weld, so the new way was stronger, i suppose you've just got to take their word for it,

but in answer to your original question, the best place for your roll bar is ................pointing to the sky  

[Gazza]

Yup, my 'RAC' bar is factory supplied and in fact provides an intermediate support for the factory-supplied hood.

I just assumed that Westfield still sold an 'RAC bar and hood' combo.

Anyone confirm?