THSCC Forums

I just picked up some 3" half rounds of the high density roll bar padding at Auto Sport Gallery (shameless club sponsor plug), and I'm looking for advice/tips for installing it on my Miata. My bar is Chris Schimmel creation (another club sponsor plug), patterened after the Hard Dog Hard Core Hard Top Double Diagonal (hereafter referred to as HDHCHTDD)

The high density stuff really doesn't bend, but I've been told that you can cut a V-shaped notch in it to bend it around corners. Any other suggestions?

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Tom Freeman
'98 M3/4/5 | '93 Spec3 325i | '12 TSX sport wagon | '03 Tahoe
Team Silver Bullets '91 240SX

It'll stretch, but not compress - that's why it appears hard to bend. V notches work fine (inside radius only, obviously) to relieve the compression issue. I notched about .5-.75" deep and made a cut about every 1.5". Your notch pattern will vary depending on the radius you're bending.

Once notched, the padding bends pretty easily, but you'll have to secure with tie wraps (or whatever) at strategic points because it wants to straighten back out!.

Mine's been on about 6 months without issues.

Phil

As far as cutting this stuff (I'm talking about the FIA stuff, which is even harder and thicker than the SFI stuff) I've tried all kinds of things.

A hand hack saw will gets clogged up pretty quickly.

A hand wood saw is too long and bulky, since you're usually sitting in the car test fitting and cutting.

A hand sheet rock saw was the best hand held tool. Still lots of work.

AIR POWERED BODY SAW. Dude, it's totally sweet. You can carve it like butter.

I bet one of those electric turkey knives would work pretty well too.

And yeah, a bunch of zip ties. Don't rely on the sticky backing, it's mostly useful for placement and to keep it from spinning around, but I wouldn't trust it exclusively.

Anders

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Lina Racing: As Seen On Radio