OMFG I want a rollbar but I don't want to die
#1
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OMFG I want a rollbar but I don't want to die
I want a rollbar, for safety and for track days and i don't want to die due to concussion/cracked skull whatever.
Alright instead of me aimlessly PMing people lets throw all this info into a thread that has been created in different fashions by tons of other people before on every forums that all of us browse.
Here is the dilemma, i'm 6'2 or 6'3 who cares i'm too tall for a small miata basically. Same issue Samnavy has as well as many other people. I have a momo start in my possession and plan to bolt it in soon. It will be this high relative to a HDHCDD when i'm done.
It will be using these sliders with this style brackets.
If that doesn't do it for me I will attempt to bolt it to the floor in some fashion, no big deal.
Now here are some more pictures of some weird people sitting in the same seat I have. The first one is in the car, a '94 with a HDHCHT showing how close their are to the rollbar.
Now imagine me in that same position but with my head in this high relative to the seat.
So I don't care about the 2" broomstick rule that is not going to work for me unless i get a different car or take out a couple vertebrae. I do care about having a rollbar that won't kill me in the event of a crash and the HDACE is not an option. The plan was to build a bar that was optimised for head clearance but that is apparently not going to happen at this point, maybe later when i'm not living in an apartment.
So OMFG WTF does a tall guy like me do. I know Y8s and Samnavy have bars and both have dealt with headroom issues and dealt with them in different fashions. Who else is dealing with or dealt with this.
I'd like to take advantage of the free shipping through ben(mazmart), that would be great.
Alright instead of me aimlessly PMing people lets throw all this info into a thread that has been created in different fashions by tons of other people before on every forums that all of us browse.
Here is the dilemma, i'm 6'2 or 6'3 who cares i'm too tall for a small miata basically. Same issue Samnavy has as well as many other people. I have a momo start in my possession and plan to bolt it in soon. It will be this high relative to a HDHCDD when i'm done.
It will be using these sliders with this style brackets.
If that doesn't do it for me I will attempt to bolt it to the floor in some fashion, no big deal.
Now here are some more pictures of some weird people sitting in the same seat I have. The first one is in the car, a '94 with a HDHCHT showing how close their are to the rollbar.
Now imagine me in that same position but with my head in this high relative to the seat.
So I don't care about the 2" broomstick rule that is not going to work for me unless i get a different car or take out a couple vertebrae. I do care about having a rollbar that won't kill me in the event of a crash and the HDACE is not an option. The plan was to build a bar that was optimised for head clearance but that is apparently not going to happen at this point, maybe later when i'm not living in an apartment.
So OMFG WTF does a tall guy like me do. I know Y8s and Samnavy have bars and both have dealt with headroom issues and dealt with them in different fashions. Who else is dealing with or dealt with this.
I'd like to take advantage of the free shipping through ben(mazmart), that would be great.
#3
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The issue is not the broomstick. Unless you are going to cut the stock seat mounts out of the car and bolt the seat *to the floor*, you aren't gaining anything more. In addition, the bottom of the Start is not flat so you can't even go that low.
Chad, you might want to look into an Autopower bar. The bar comes straight up the back of the headrest of the Momo and you'd be hard-pressed to whack your head on it in an accident. Without getting a different seat with a much larger headrest, you aren't really going to find much in the way of bars that sit behind the headrest.
Chad, you might want to look into an Autopower bar. The bar comes straight up the back of the headrest of the Momo and you'd be hard-pressed to whack your head on it in an accident. Without getting a different seat with a much larger headrest, you aren't really going to find much in the way of bars that sit behind the headrest.
#5
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Yeah chad, consider one of the Hard Dog Ace bars (which unfortunately look like they're made for a 3/4 size miata). They mount WAY back and you could probably just sit reclined to get your head down.
http://www.bethania-garage.com/ace.htm
also unfortunately it's much shorter than the other bars.
http://www.bethania-garage.com/ace.htm
also unfortunately it's much shorter than the other bars.
#6
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I'm 6'3" and dealing with the same problem. I did manage to sit in someone else's car with a HDHCDD and some Momo seats on sliders, and it seemed the HD bar would work for me albeit with a different seat solution. Probably will order the bar soon to get the free shipping from Mazmart. Ditch those sliders. Just eyeballing the pic it looks like you'd gain 1-1.5" of clearance. I'll almost certainly be going with an aluminum seat like Kirkey or Ultrasheild w/o rails, and judging from what I've sat in before that should get me pretty close to passing the broomstick. If not, you'll notice there are two humps in the floor under the seat. One (rear) or both of these can be removed by drilling out the welds and/or flattening them with a BFH.
#8
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I'm about 6'2", and I remember having a very similar conversation with someone a short while ago.
An idea was proposed which involved building a rollbar such that it is a two-piece unit with the upper half easily removed and installed on the car. For normal everyday driving the rollbar would be left out (allowing the top to close), but for trackdays you bolt it in and satisfy the 2" rule. It might be constructed in such a way that even with the top half removed, the lower half (set back enough to clear your head) might still provide some protection in the event of a rollover.
Apparently, the rules of some clubs permit such an arrangement. It would probably be frowned upon by a SoloII inspector, but it might be something to consider.
An idea was proposed which involved building a rollbar such that it is a two-piece unit with the upper half easily removed and installed on the car. For normal everyday driving the rollbar would be left out (allowing the top to close), but for trackdays you bolt it in and satisfy the 2" rule. It might be constructed in such a way that even with the top half removed, the lower half (set back enough to clear your head) might still provide some protection in the event of a rollover.
Apparently, the rules of some clubs permit such an arrangement. It would probably be frowned upon by a SoloII inspector, but it might be something to consider.
#13
6'2"also i have sparco sprints mounted to the floor. with an old school harddog bar(dont even know which one) and i built on it and have a full NASA legal cage I dont feel that i am close to it. and i have never hit touched it during a run or what not.....http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=11783461
Last edited by rappadan; 03-03-2008 at 07:01 PM.
#14
I will be watching this thread, as I am boosting my Miata, and the next mod will defiantly be rollbar/seat combo. I am 6'2" @ 175lbs, 34" waist. I've always wanted to get a rollbar, but I feel like I am way more likely to get rear ended (it is a Miata after all) than roll it.
Well, for what it's worth, i had a HDHCSD in my 96. I also had a Schroth 4-point harness that i has installed properly and wore EVERY TIME i got in the car. When i rolled the car, i never came close to hitting the rollbar. Mind you im 5'11" and that was with a stock seat.
Last edited by cjernigan; 03-03-2008 at 08:17 PM.
#15
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Thanks for all the input and photos some provided.
Right now I still have no clue which bar I should get though i'm slowly figuring it out. If anyone feels so inclined as so sit in their car and act like their smashing their head into the bar that would be sweet. I really really don't want the ace pretty sure it's the gayest rollbar one earth. Back to research, i'll post my findings if I scrounge up some more cool photos or w/e.
Right now I still have no clue which bar I should get though i'm slowly figuring it out. If anyone feels so inclined as so sit in their car and act like their smashing their head into the bar that would be sweet. I really really don't want the ace pretty sure it's the gayest rollbar one earth. Back to research, i'll post my findings if I scrounge up some more cool photos or w/e.
#20
Chad,
I know the pics are off an NA seat, but this is the Kirk Racing Bar in the brg. It sits far forward and as high as possible so won't work with a HT. BUT, the pic is with a seat that is NOT lowered at all so just something to consider as I believe it's one of the tallest bars avail.
I'm 5'10" and with a major seatfoam mod, the top of my helmet is just under the top of the bar. You're probably still to tall, but if you could get a pic of yourself in an NA seat to see how high your head is and then see if a lower aftermarket seat bolted to the bottom could get you to safety.
Tom
I know the pics are off an NA seat, but this is the Kirk Racing Bar in the brg. It sits far forward and as high as possible so won't work with a HT. BUT, the pic is with a seat that is NOT lowered at all so just something to consider as I believe it's one of the tallest bars avail.
I'm 5'10" and with a major seatfoam mod, the top of my helmet is just under the top of the bar. You're probably still to tall, but if you could get a pic of yourself in an NA seat to see how high your head is and then see if a lower aftermarket seat bolted to the bottom could get you to safety.
Tom