question about installing bolt-in rollbar
 

Considering putting in a rollbar for DEs. I have a full interior in my car so when mounting the baseplates of the bar how do i deal with the carpet? it is best to simply cutaway the carpet completely where the baseplate sits, or is it possible to just slit it, mount the bar and then pull the carpet over the baseplate to conceal it? im basically looking for the cleanest installation, and/or the least amount of destruction of the carpet. thanks in advance.

Get it custom its your best bet and track legal.

bolt over/ through the carpet

autopower bolt in rollbar install:
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=134105
very helpful.
i cut a circle the size of the pipe out of the carpet, and a slit from the side to the missing cirlcle. i also removed the sound deadening/padding from under the carpet there, so it sits flat. a little velcro or glue, and it looks like the bar grows out of the floor. easy. (you also may put the bolts through the top, less clearance problem in the cabin, but then your nuts might rust or seize on the underside.)

Scorke, I've done about 5 of these. I'd say over the carpet with holes through it, then paint the backing plates with POR15 in advance so they don't rust since they're exposed to the elements in both the fender well and under the body.

Alex

When mounting mine I just cut an X in the carpet where the two spots of bar mounts. The carpet lays back down over the mount giving a nice clean install look...that is if you care. Here's a photo of mine, but I really don't care about the carpet that much. If I ever decide to pull the bar out the carpet can be glued back down and you would never notice cuts without looking close.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...RollBar003.jpg

Check with your sanctioning body. Almost all will require a "metal-to-metal" mount. Mounting through the carpet generally doesn't qualify as metal-to-metal.

If you're just doing DE's then they might let you get away with it. Personally, I would feel most comfortable lifting up the carpet, welding a small plate to the floor and boxing it to the lateral frame rail, then bolting the bar to that. It's stiffer, stronger, and (most importantly) won't punch through the floor if you roll the car.

Whatever you do, you can always cut the carpet around the base of the main hoop. No one will notice.

Emre

Even better would be to cut a circle in the carpet, then make a slit out to the lateral edge.

Emre

It wouldn't matter if the carpet was left in between the roll-bar flange and floor. The carpet will compress and act like a gasket. Is it ideal? No. But from a strength standpoint, it won't matter.

I also agree that welding gussets for the main hoop to bolt to is stronger. That's what I have on my car. :D

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/alb...l_DSC07110.JPG

A plate w/ studs was also welded to my fenderwell for the down bars to bolt to.
http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/alb...l_DSC07114.JPG

http://www.norcalevo.net/gallery/alb...l_DSC07104.JPG

I'm not saying it matters or it doesn't matter. All I'm saying is that it's NOT metal-to-metal. This is not up for debate...it's not. And many (most?) sanctioning bodies specify that the cage and fire extinguisher must be mounted metal-to-metal.

Check with your sanctioning body before you assume it's OK.

Emre

It's a shame your builder didn't box-in that mount. A simple gusset tying the base plate to the lateral frame rail would have picked you up a bit of chassis stiffness. And it helps keep the main hoop from punching through the floor in a roll-over.

Emre

I'm not sure what you mean by "box-in", but this gusset my builder made is a box shape. The fore-aft and side-to-side directions are gusseted. I guess the angle of that picture doesn't show it.

Yeah, that's what I meant. Welding not just the bottom to the floor, but the sides to the frame rails. In the pic, it looks like there's just a plate welded to the floor.

Emre

Good info here. I've seen the old post by VTLUU and the links to the pics are long dead. :( ... I'm also planning to install a rollbar in my car in the near future and need some advice. Are there any roll bars that would still allow the use of the rear seats? I need something that will allow me to safely carry others in the back seat .... or does installing a roll bar mean saying good bye to the rear seats?

about the best you could do is dis install a bolt in roll bar. with a bar in the back the rear seat becomes pretty dangerous.