| GoodFinder | 07-17-2002 02:21 PM |
Autopower 4-Point Race Roll Bar in WRX
Just wondering if anybody else has put the new Autopower 4-Point Race Roll Bar in their WRX yet?
Or am I the first one to tackle it?
If you have this in your WRX and have any comments, observations, pics to share, your information would be greatly appreciated.
We're putting it in my WRX this week and I'm a bit curious still as to how some aspects of it will really fit once it's all said and done.
GoodFinder :)
Or am I the first one to tackle it?
If you have this in your WRX and have any comments, observations, pics to share, your information would be greatly appreciated.
We're putting it in my WRX this week and I'm a bit curious still as to how some aspects of it will really fit once it's all said and done.
GoodFinder :)
| GoodFinder | 07-18-2002 06:02 PM |
Just drove the WRX back to the office from the shop that did the installation (J&L Performance in North Richland Hills, TX). They normally do just custom cage work, they hardly ever install any of the "pre-built kits" especially because of variable quality they've seen in some of them in the past. Josh Lindsey (propietor at J&L) and his team were very impressed with the precise fit of the setup in the WRX. The removable shoulder harness bar and removable cross-brace bar work very well in this setup, too. Of course, the Shroth 6-point harnesses are very nice, too. Now, to get my brake ducts with forced fans all figured out and installed, so I can get back on the track in the WRX!
Regards,
GoodFinder :)
Regards,
GoodFinder :)
| Narcisse91 | 07-18-2002 06:26 PM |
So does that mean it's in, or were they just looking it over? I'm hoping to get one of these myself sometime soon, so please keep us updated.
| GoodFinder | 07-18-2002 07:00 PM |
it's in and i love it
just need to figure out what i want to do on some "dress up" detailing elements (the paint on the bars, well, that does leave something to be desired) at some point in the future
GoodFinder :)
just need to figure out what i want to do on some "dress up" detailing elements (the paint on the bars, well, that does leave something to be desired) at some point in the future
GoodFinder :)
| jamz | 07-18-2002 08:27 PM |
Whee, mine arrived in the mail (well, in a truck) today. :D I will probably have to wait until next week to install it though.
That thing is HEAVY! I have the same setup- race roll bar with removable harness and cross bars, and it weights around 60-70 lbs, I bet. I'll take pics when I install it. :)
That thing is HEAVY! I have the same setup- race roll bar with removable harness and cross bars, and it weights around 60-70 lbs, I bet. I'll take pics when I install it. :)
| Narcisse91 | 07-19-2002 07:32 AM |
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by GoodFinder [/i]
[B]it's in and i love it
just need to figure out what i want to do on some "dress up" detailing elements (the paint on the bars, well, that does leave something to be desired) at some point in the future
GoodFinder :) [/B][/QUOTE]
Any noticable increase in stiffness of the car?
I know you posted this once before, but I couldn't find the thread. What specifically did you get? The race roll bar, plus the two optional bars? Bolt in or weld in? Once it's in, does it interfere with anything? If you take the harness bar and cross bar out, are all the seats usable?
And if you don't mind me asking, what was the final price for the cage, bars, and install?
[B]it's in and i love it
just need to figure out what i want to do on some "dress up" detailing elements (the paint on the bars, well, that does leave something to be desired) at some point in the future
GoodFinder :) [/B][/QUOTE]
Any noticable increase in stiffness of the car?
I know you posted this once before, but I couldn't find the thread. What specifically did you get? The race roll bar, plus the two optional bars? Bolt in or weld in? Once it's in, does it interfere with anything? If you take the harness bar and cross bar out, are all the seats usable?
And if you don't mind me asking, what was the final price for the cage, bars, and install?
| GoodFinder | 07-19-2002 09:10 AM |
Both the driver and passenger seats are able to slide much farther back than I need to, and I'm 6.2" in height, so that works well. When the harness bar and cross brace are removed, then I can pretty easily transport two adult sized people in the rear seats just fine (even more so once I finish some optional padding and such in the back area there). So, yes, all the seats are usable. But, most of the time it's just me in the car, some of the time my wife is in the car with me, and when we go somewhere and it involves more than 2 people we usually take the Suburban.
Here are the dollars and hours involved to get it all done properly:
$269.95 race roll bar (4-point)
$54.95 removable shoulder harness bar
$54.95 removable cross brace
$75.00 truck shipping charges
$85.50 roll bar padding
5.5 hours of labor to install all Autopower product
2 hours of labor to install the 6-point Shroth harnesses
.75 hour of labor to install the padding
Regarding the increased stiffness, I've only driven it from the shop to the office so far, and that was only 15 miles, so I really can't say yet for sure. Surely it is stiffer, of course. The question will be, how much does that translate into improved performance on the track, and does that justify the added weight. But, there are other benefits to putting this all in, too. Safety in the event of a crash. Plus, with the shoulder harness bar, I can finally cinch in to the seat real solid, which will help me feel what's going on with the car so much better, and I can actually use the steering wheel to just steer, rather than also using it to keep me planted in the seat. When I upgraded to the Sparco Milano sport seats a while back, that made a positive difference in track enjoyment, so I can only imagine how much more fun it will be next time I'm at the track.
If you'd like a one-page profile on my WRX, send an email to me at [B][[email protected]]Steve Harvey[/EMAIL][/B] and I'd be happy to scoot a PDF attachment to you. This is the same sheet I'll use (enlarged to poster size of course) for my display board at the upcoming Hot Import Nights here in Dallas. Yes, there are some of us who take the car [B]both[/B] on the track [B]and[/B] to the shows.
Just having fun!
GoodFinder :)
Here are the dollars and hours involved to get it all done properly:
$269.95 race roll bar (4-point)
$54.95 removable shoulder harness bar
$54.95 removable cross brace
$75.00 truck shipping charges
$85.50 roll bar padding
5.5 hours of labor to install all Autopower product
2 hours of labor to install the 6-point Shroth harnesses
.75 hour of labor to install the padding
Regarding the increased stiffness, I've only driven it from the shop to the office so far, and that was only 15 miles, so I really can't say yet for sure. Surely it is stiffer, of course. The question will be, how much does that translate into improved performance on the track, and does that justify the added weight. But, there are other benefits to putting this all in, too. Safety in the event of a crash. Plus, with the shoulder harness bar, I can finally cinch in to the seat real solid, which will help me feel what's going on with the car so much better, and I can actually use the steering wheel to just steer, rather than also using it to keep me planted in the seat. When I upgraded to the Sparco Milano sport seats a while back, that made a positive difference in track enjoyment, so I can only imagine how much more fun it will be next time I'm at the track.
If you'd like a one-page profile on my WRX, send an email to me at [B][[email protected]]Steve Harvey[/EMAIL][/B] and I'd be happy to scoot a PDF attachment to you. This is the same sheet I'll use (enlarged to poster size of course) for my display board at the upcoming Hot Import Nights here in Dallas. Yes, there are some of us who take the car [B]both[/B] on the track [B]and[/B] to the shows.
Just having fun!
GoodFinder :)
| GoodFinder | 07-19-2002 02:06 PM |
Props to Ken Myers at IOPortRacing for informing me about the availability of the Autopower product specific to the WRX, and for selling it to me and making sure it arrived in a timely manner and as ordered! Ken was very knowledgeable and helpful in discussing the particulars with me. His contact information is listed below. And, of course, IOPortRacing sells plenty of other things besides cages and roll bars. Note, I have no affiliation with them, just passing along the kudos.
Cheers, GoodFinder :)
Ken Myers
[email][email protected][/email]
[url]www.IOPortRacing.com[/url]
1 (800) 949-5712
---*---
Cheers, GoodFinder :)
Ken Myers
[email][email protected][/email]
[url]www.IOPortRacing.com[/url]
1 (800) 949-5712
---*---
| jamz | 07-19-2002 10:01 PM |
Yup, one more thumbs-up to Ken, who made sure my bar got here in record-time. There is a four to six week lag time, and I got my bar in a little over three weeks, in plenty of time for my track day. :)
| jamz | 07-28-2002 08:38 PM |
I installed the bar, and threw a write-up and install guide over to scoobymods.
[url]http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=590[/url]
Impressions: The car feels a slight bit more solid. I can feel road imperfections a bit more. It adds (taking a guess here) maybe 80 top heavy pounds to the car, but that can't really be helped.
With the cross brace and harnessbar removed, the back seats are still very useable- although it is a bit of a squeeze to get in there now- I would not try to make grandma sit back there. :p
With all the padding in place, I can no longer recline my seat all the way back in case I need to sleep in the car, but I might be able to move it a bit to achieve this again.
It is EXTREMELY solid, which is nice- I was not sure what to expect from a bolt in bar. Hooking a shoulder harness to it it a little wierd- the outside harness goes right on the bend, and then it wants to creep outward till it hits the edge- not good. I ended up placing the harness where I wanted it, then wrapping the whole thing in foam padding, and zip tying the whole thing into place. At least it keeps the harness from wandering.
The car seat for my two and a half year old fits in it still, at the side, although you have to get it in and out through the front door now. I padded the heck out of the bars, and I may just put him in the center from now on anyway- don't want him to crash into the bars in a collision.
On that note, I highly recommend padding the bars in any place where you might violently encounter it in a crash. A steel bar right around your head would probably do more harm than good when the car starts rolling (and you don't have a helmet on). My local speed shop had normal foam padding, (OK for minimal contact) which was an inch thick on one side and a half inch on the other, and they also had hard plastic padding which would permanently deform with hard contact, much like the stock plastic around the stock pillars in the car. These are good for full cages where your head is REALLY near the bars.
The autopower bar places the bar fairly far back- I think the headrest would have to bend/break in order for your head to hit the bar.
Overall, I am happy with it. Next time I'm at the track, we'll see how it affects the car at speed. :)
[url]http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=590[/url]
Impressions: The car feels a slight bit more solid. I can feel road imperfections a bit more. It adds (taking a guess here) maybe 80 top heavy pounds to the car, but that can't really be helped.
With the cross brace and harnessbar removed, the back seats are still very useable- although it is a bit of a squeeze to get in there now- I would not try to make grandma sit back there. :p
With all the padding in place, I can no longer recline my seat all the way back in case I need to sleep in the car, but I might be able to move it a bit to achieve this again.
It is EXTREMELY solid, which is nice- I was not sure what to expect from a bolt in bar. Hooking a shoulder harness to it it a little wierd- the outside harness goes right on the bend, and then it wants to creep outward till it hits the edge- not good. I ended up placing the harness where I wanted it, then wrapping the whole thing in foam padding, and zip tying the whole thing into place. At least it keeps the harness from wandering.
The car seat for my two and a half year old fits in it still, at the side, although you have to get it in and out through the front door now. I padded the heck out of the bars, and I may just put him in the center from now on anyway- don't want him to crash into the bars in a collision.
On that note, I highly recommend padding the bars in any place where you might violently encounter it in a crash. A steel bar right around your head would probably do more harm than good when the car starts rolling (and you don't have a helmet on). My local speed shop had normal foam padding, (OK for minimal contact) which was an inch thick on one side and a half inch on the other, and they also had hard plastic padding which would permanently deform with hard contact, much like the stock plastic around the stock pillars in the car. These are good for full cages where your head is REALLY near the bars.
The autopower bar places the bar fairly far back- I think the headrest would have to bend/break in order for your head to hit the bar.
Overall, I am happy with it. Next time I'm at the track, we'll see how it affects the car at speed. :)
| Narcisse91 | 07-28-2002 09:06 PM |
Nice write-up. I have two questions:
1) Once you're ready to drill the holes, is it very obvious whether or not the cage is in the right place? I assume it can't go too far and still fit, correct?
2) It looks like it's set up so every place it mounts you can drill straight through without worrying about hitting anything, and there is space for the mounting plate on the back? Was all the hardware, bolts, plate, etc included?
1) Once you're ready to drill the holes, is it very obvious whether or not the cage is in the right place? I assume it can't go too far and still fit, correct?
2) It looks like it's set up so every place it mounts you can drill straight through without worrying about hitting anything, and there is space for the mounting plate on the back? Was all the hardware, bolts, plate, etc included?
| jamz | 07-28-2002 09:17 PM |
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Narcisse91 [/i]
[B]Nice write-up. I have two questions:
1) Once you're ready to drill the holes, is it very obvious whether or not the cage is in the right place? I assume it can't go too far and still fit, correct?
2) It looks like it's set up so every place it mounts you can drill straight through without worrying about hitting anything, and there is space for the mounting plate on the back? Was all the hardware, bolts, plate, etc included? [/B][/QUOTE]
1. Yup, it's pretty obvious. When you tuck the feet of the main bar back far enough, the rear arm plates just plonk into place on the wheelwell. You'll know it when you see it. If the rear arm plates are not parallell with the flat part of the wheelwell, keep pushin tha bar back.
2. Yeah, there was no fouling of anything- they built it so all the plates are positioned over a single layer of sheet metal in all four mounting points. As long as you put the bolts facing in, you should be all set with plenty of clearance. All the bolts and backing plates were included. You have to provide your own rustproofing anf locktite. :)
[B]Nice write-up. I have two questions:
1) Once you're ready to drill the holes, is it very obvious whether or not the cage is in the right place? I assume it can't go too far and still fit, correct?
2) It looks like it's set up so every place it mounts you can drill straight through without worrying about hitting anything, and there is space for the mounting plate on the back? Was all the hardware, bolts, plate, etc included? [/B][/QUOTE]
1. Yup, it's pretty obvious. When you tuck the feet of the main bar back far enough, the rear arm plates just plonk into place on the wheelwell. You'll know it when you see it. If the rear arm plates are not parallell with the flat part of the wheelwell, keep pushin tha bar back.
2. Yeah, there was no fouling of anything- they built it so all the plates are positioned over a single layer of sheet metal in all four mounting points. As long as you put the bolts facing in, you should be all set with plenty of clearance. All the bolts and backing plates were included. You have to provide your own rustproofing anf locktite. :)
| trhoppe | 07-28-2002 09:32 PM |
Nice writeup and nice roll bar..but 1 thing...
holy crap you have a child seat BEHIND that thing?
Please take that out before you kill your kid!
If I misunderstood, sorry, but if you have a child seat in the back seat, that is a VERY bad idea.
-Tom
holy crap you have a child seat BEHIND that thing?
Please take that out before you kill your kid!
If I misunderstood, sorry, but if you have a child seat in the back seat, that is a VERY bad idea.
-Tom
| jamz | 07-28-2002 09:52 PM |
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by trhoppe [/i]
[B]Nice writeup and nice roll bar..but 1 thing...
holy crap you have a child seat BEHIND that thing?
Please take that out before you kill your kid!
If I misunderstood, sorry, but if you have a child seat in the back seat, that is a VERY bad idea.
-Tom [/B][/QUOTE]
No worries, misunderstandings happen. :) My son (nor any backseat passenger, for that matter) will never ride in that car with the crosspieces and harnessbar installed. That's why I got them with the "removable" option, and not "Welded in"! :)
With all the non-removable hardware installed, the car seat would have to come completely free of the seatbelts for there to be any contact. If the crash is severe enough to break the seat belts, I suppose survival is not likely regardless of an installed roll bar.
Anyway, it's pretty infrequent that I have anyone in the backseat- the Forester is our "Family" car. :)
[B]Nice writeup and nice roll bar..but 1 thing...
holy crap you have a child seat BEHIND that thing?
Please take that out before you kill your kid!
If I misunderstood, sorry, but if you have a child seat in the back seat, that is a VERY bad idea.
-Tom [/B][/QUOTE]
No worries, misunderstandings happen. :) My son (nor any backseat passenger, for that matter) will never ride in that car with the crosspieces and harnessbar installed. That's why I got them with the "removable" option, and not "Welded in"! :)
With all the non-removable hardware installed, the car seat would have to come completely free of the seatbelts for there to be any contact. If the crash is severe enough to break the seat belts, I suppose survival is not likely regardless of an installed roll bar.
Anyway, it's pretty infrequent that I have anyone in the backseat- the Forester is our "Family" car. :)
| trhoppe | 07-28-2002 11:09 PM |
[QUOTE]With the cross brace and harnessbar removed, the back seats are still very useable[/QUOTE] doh! missed that part completely. Sorry!!
| 2QUICK4U | 07-29-2002 01:41 PM |
got any pics of the install?
| GoodFinder | 07-29-2002 01:47 PM |
2QUICK4U,
Click on the URL that jamz posted a few postings back in this thread.
jamz did a [B]great[/B] write-up of the installation, with pics, too!
GoodFinder :)
Click on the URL that jamz posted a few postings back in this thread.
jamz did a [B]great[/B] write-up of the installation, with pics, too!
GoodFinder :)
| rstaph | 08-15-2002 11:06 PM |
I need to get me one of these!! Hopefully I can talk someone local into painting it WR Blue to match the car and give it a WRC style look.
That was one heck of a good write-up and it took all the doubts from my mind about installing one for myself. I think I'll be cruising around with one in my WRX by the end of September :)
That was one heck of a good write-up and it took all the doubts from my mind about installing one for myself. I think I'll be cruising around with one in my WRX by the end of September :)
| whiterabbit | 02-11-2003 10:49 PM |
did any of you get the cage welded in?
| whiterabbit | 02-14-2003 12:06 PM |
bump
| GarySheehan | 02-14-2003 12:36 PM |
Jamz,
Regarding your harness bar, you should weld a ring around the harness bar or buy a circular clamp to pur around the harness bar just before the bend to prevent the belt from slipping around. I wouldn't trust zip ties and padding to retain the belt in position.
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
Regarding your harness bar, you should weld a ring around the harness bar or buy a circular clamp to pur around the harness bar just before the bend to prevent the belt from slipping around. I wouldn't trust zip ties and padding to retain the belt in position.
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
| whiterabbit | 02-21-2003 02:37 AM |
bump for more info :)
| HoRo1 | 02-21-2003 11:45 AM |
My Autopower is in my daily driver, so it is NOT welded in. I plan on taking it out when I get rid of the car.
It is easy to install, cheap to buy and provides great peace of mind. What's not to like?
It is easy to install, cheap to buy and provides great peace of mind. What's not to like?
| whiterabbit | 02-21-2003 12:41 PM |
did you install it yourself?
any pictures?
Did you get the optional harness bar and cross bar or any other things?
thanks
any pictures?
Did you get the optional harness bar and cross bar or any other things?
thanks
| HoRo1 | 02-21-2003 12:53 PM |
I used JAMZ instructions mentioned earlier in the thread. It takes two people about 3 hours to put it in - there's a lot of jiggling stuff around, it's a very tight fit. I have the optional harness bar and cross brace. JAMZ has full instructions and photos on the link at scoobymods.com.
| GarySheehan | 02-21-2003 01:22 PM |
I wouldn't think a bolt-in Autopower cage would do much for chassis stiffness. Heck, even our welded in racing cage didn't do much for that. That's why it's being cut out and a new cage is being installed.
Really, the only way to significantly increase rigidity is tieing the cage into more than just the floor. Gussetting into the A and B pillars and tieing into the front strut towers would make a huge difference.
I hope. I'm picking the car up on Tuesday...
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
Really, the only way to significantly increase rigidity is tieing the cage into more than just the floor. Gussetting into the A and B pillars and tieing into the front strut towers would make a huge difference.
I hope. I'm picking the car up on Tuesday...
Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
[url]www.teamSMR.com[/url]
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