Roll Bars???

How many of you have had roll bars installed???

I always have thought it strange that they weren't/aren't required.
mine is a 2000 Miata MX-5.

I have always told my Wife that if we get into a roll over wreck, try
to get your head down as low as possible :-).

In article .com>,
Jazz_Azz > wrote:

> How many of you have had roll bars installed???

I considered it, so I could take my car to track days that require them.
But my wife feels a rollbar would ruin the feeling of freedom for which
we bought the car, and she's right. My brother's Miata has a rollbar,
and I hate riding in it. Driving it is uncomfortable at best.

Miata rollovers are quite rare, and always seem to follow running off
the pavement into a ditch. You're a lot more likely to get rearended, in
which case the rollbar could kill you. Even the best rollbar padding is
designed to work in conjunction with a helmet and a 5-point harness.
Bareheaded, you're risking a skull fracture.

If you don't think the rollbar will smack your head, you haven't watched
enough crash dummy videos.

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:36:37 GMT, Lanny Chambers > wrote:

>In article .com>,
> Jazz_Azz > wrote:
>
>> How many of you have had roll bars installed???

It's the first thing I did when I bought the car -- Hard Dog Hard Core, that
fits under the top and the hardtop.

>But my wife feels a rollbar would ruin the feeling of freedom for which
>we bought the car, and she's right.

How does that happen? When we're in the car, we never see the roll bar, and it
has no noticeable effect on air flow,so how does it decrease your "feeling of
freedom"? Now the effete masses with wind screens and the side windows up,,
that's another matter entirely... and let's not discuss "style bars" or hoops.

>My brother's Miata has a rollbar, and I hate riding in it. Driving it is uncomfortable at best.

How does the rollbar make driving the Miata uncomfortable? When I'm driving
mine, I don't even notice that it's there.

>.... You're a lot more likely to get rearended, in
>which case the rollbar could kill you. Even the best rollbar padding is
>designed to work in conjunction with a helmet and a 5-point harness.
>Bareheaded, you're risking a skull fracture.

I'm 6'3", and I'll gladly take my chances with rollbar padding in a rear-ender.
The Miata headrest isn't high enough to prevent my neck snapping anyway.

-- Larry ('95 R...)

Jazz_Azz wrote:
> How many of you have had roll bars installed???
>
> I always have thought it strange that they weren't/aren't required.
> mine is a 2000 Miata MX-5.
>
> I have always told my Wife that if we get into a roll over wreck,
> try
> to get your head down as low as possible :-).

I had one in my 1990 and just installed one in the '04 last weekend.
I went with the Hard Dog M1 Sport for the '90 and the M2 Sport for the
'04. It definitely adds some stiffness to the body, which was
particulary noticeable in the '90. Photos of the installation on the
'04 can be seen he http://tinyurl.com/yq8ovx

Our club did lose a member to a rollover but it was a freak accident -
he dropped a wheel off the shoulder and hit a rock which flipped his
car. The top was down and he had no rollbar.

Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata

"Iva" > wrote:

>Jazz_Azz wrote:
>> How many of you have had roll bars installed???
>>
>> I always have thought it strange that they weren't/aren't required.
>> mine is a 2000 Miata MX-5.
>>
>> I have always told my Wife that if we get into a roll over wreck,
>> try
>> to get your head down as low as possible :-).
>
>I had one in my 1990 and just installed one in the '04 last weekend.
>I went with the Hard Dog M1 Sport for the '90 and the M2 Sport for the
>'04. It definitely adds some stiffness to the body, which was
>particulary noticeable in the '90. Photos of the installation on the
>'04 can be seen he http://tinyurl.com/yq8ovx
>
>Our club did lose a member to a rollover but it was a freak accident -
>he dropped a wheel off the shoulder and hit a rock which flipped his
>car. The top was down and he had no rollbar.

I would think the fact that the top was down did not make much of a
difference. Those long frame bars don't look to me like they would
support a load anywhere comparable to the Miata's weight. AFAIK, the
windshield header does, but being able to support the Miata's weight
might not be enough if you roll.

Anyway, it seems to me that even with a roll bar, you can easily get
killed in a non-track situation by some rock or object poking past
the roll bar into the cabin.

Of course, if you are a smart size, that is less of a concern.
And I would hope around a track they would remove them.

Leon

>Iva & Vixen
>2004 Classic Red
>No more winkin' Miata
>
--
Leon van Dommelen Bess, the Miata Bozo, the Miata
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
The only thing better than a white Miata is two white Miatas

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:57:15 -0400, Iva wrote:

> I had one in my 1990 and just installed one in the '04 last weekend. I
> went with the Hard Dog M1 Sport for the '90 and the M2 Sport for the
> '04. It definitely adds some stiffness to the body, which was
> particulary noticeable in the '90. Photos of the installation on the
> '04 can be seen he http://tinyurl.com/yq8ovx

Informative, thank you. It looks daunting enough that if I were to get one
I might pay someone to install it. The Deuce looks pretty cool, but I
don't know how much it would contribute to safety or stiffness.

> Our club did lose a member to a rollover but it was a freak accident -
> he dropped a wheel off the shoulder and hit a rock which flipped his
> car. The top was down and he had no rollbar.
>
> Iva & Vixen
> 2004 Classic Red
> No more winkin' Miata

Vixen is it? I like it.

OH Iva, I love your work method !!! If you get in the way enough, they
will make you stop and get out of the way. THEN, you don't need to do
anything at all. :-) Good move !

The Car and Roll Bar look good !

Bruce Bing '03 LS

On Jul 15, 6:49 pm, Carbon > wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:57:15 -0400, Iva wrote:
> > I had one in my 1990 and just installed one in the '04 last weekend. I
> > went with the Hard Dog M1 Sport for the '90 and the M2 Sport for the
> > '04. It definitely adds some stiffness to the body, which was
> > particulary noticeable in the '90. Photos of the installation on the
> > '04 can be seen hehttp://tinyurl.com/yq8ovx
>
> Informative, thank you. It looks daunting enough that if I were to get one
> I might pay someone to install it. The Deuce looks pretty cool, but I
> don't know how much it would contribute to safety or stiffness.
>
> > Our club did lose a member to a rollover but it was a freak accident -
> > he dropped a wheel off the shoulder and hit a rock which flipped his
> > car. The top was down and he had no rollbar.
>
> > Iva & Vixen
> > 2004 Classic Red
> > No more winkin' Miata
>
> Vixen is it? I like it.

My 2000 is also a red one looking just like yours, black interior/top.
And this does not interfere with the top or anything else??

I have a Hard Dog Duce in my '03.
It has 6 mounting points and I noticed the additional stiffness immediately!

"Carbon" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:57:15 -0400, Iva wrote:
>
>> I had one in my 1990 and just installed one in the '04 last weekend. I
>> went with the Hard Dog M1 Sport for the '90 and the M2 Sport for the
>> '04. It definitely adds some stiffness to the body, which was
>> particulary noticeable in the '90. Photos of the installation on the
>> '04 can be seen he http://tinyurl.com/yq8ovx
>
> Informative, thank you. It looks daunting enough that if I were to get one
> I might pay someone to install it. The Deuce looks pretty cool, but I
> don't know how much it would contribute to safety or stiffness.
>
>> Our club did lose a member to a rollover but it was a freak accident -
>> he dropped a wheel off the shoulder and hit a rock which flipped his
>> car. The top was down and he had no rollbar.
>>
>> Iva & Vixen
>> 2004 Classic Red
>> No more winkin' Miata
>
> Vixen is it? I like it.

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 03:02:42 +0000, Clark Friedrichs wrote:
> "Carbon" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Informative, thank you. It looks daunting enough that if I were to get
>> one I might pay someone to install it. The Deuce looks pretty cool, but
>> I don't know how much it would contribute to safety or stiffness.
>
> I have a Hard Dog Duce in my '03. It has 6 mounting points and I noticed
> the additional stiffness immediately!

Hmmm. I'll have to add that to my wishlist. Install it yourself?