PDA

View Full Version : AUTO POWER INDUSTRIES ROLL BAR - INFO, FAQs, ETC



EP_EJAY
01-07-2011, 04:15 AM
Alright ephatch, I have gotten so many PMs and questions about my Autopower roll bar and the process of installing it. Im going keep this thread simple and straight to the point. As some of you know, I am putting my EP back to stock, since I just removed the 4 pt. street roll bar out of my car, I figured I would make a thread to help clarify and answer questions. (Aren;t I a dazzling young fellow?! :thumbu:)

Also, the homie Ryan did a VERY CLEAN JOB as compared to my amateurness and used RTV sealer which is not a bad idea, his pictures can be found here: http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?55140-Autopower-roll-bar-roll-cage-install-pics/page3

From what I know, I was the second ep owner to put this roll bar in my car (second to my cousin who ran the Street/Sport version roll bar in his EP. His EP is the one on the right). Learned from his install.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/IMG_9165.jpg

THIS THREAD IS FOR INFO and to ANSWER COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ONLY, MY INTENTIONS ARE NOT TO START A WAR ABOUT 'FUNCTION OVER FORM' or 'SCCA REGULATIONS' or 'SHOW VS RACE'... ETC ETC. If you want to chime in on that shit, please feel free to start your own thread. :mangel::mwink:

TOOLS U WILL NEED (SORRY NOT SPECIFIC BUT U GET THE IDEA)
-another set of hands
-drill
-tool set (sockets, wrench, ratchet, screw drivers, yunno that crap)
-box cutter
-blue tape
-dremmel
-jack
-jack stands

First off lets start off simple. Start here please!!! : www.autopowerindustries.com
Many common questions can be answered right here, who would of ever thought?!

-There are different versions: street, race, 6 pt, etc etc. This thread will be discussing the 4 Pt. Street version. You have the option of either bolting these on or welding them on. These bars were made to technically be bolted on considering the materials provided. I personally stayed away from welding and grounded with bolting on the roll bar because if I were to ever get rid of the car, the roll bar would be easy to take off as compared to paying a welder to unweld it off.

-These bars are certified MIG welded and made of mild steel. In other words, its some pretty STRONG SHIT.

Picture from website:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/DSC_2849.jpg
Picture of actual product:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/bd2361f6.jpg

They come sprayed with an industrial grade gloss black coat for rust protection. I don't know if there's an option to come uncoated (I'm sure there is).

Because this company is located in San Diego, it will be shipped from the manufacturer (at least that how mine was processed back then). Expect for some minor paint damage when arriving to your place. This mean scratches because of shipping.

The bar will come with all necessary hardware: 3 bolts and nuts for each point/arm and 4 plates (2 curved plates for the rear arms and 2 flat ones for the front arms). Additional items I would heavily consider are WASHER LOCKS for each bolt (so you will need 12). Reason being is I have had a few times where the nuts became loose even after torqueing the nuts down pretty good. I would be driving, notice a rattling noise only to find some were loose or already missing.

The Street version roll bar consist of 3 pieces.. the main bar which are the 2 front points, and 2 arm bars which are the 2 rear points. They connect with a bolt and nut like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/4c9ec156.jpg

You will have to remove your front seats. TRUST ME, I've tried every way in attempt to put in/take out the bar with the two front seats still in the vehicle (YES that includes the front seats being folded and moved all the way forward). When removing your front seats, be sure to disconnect your negative terminal off your battery to avoid having your SRS light come on on your cluster. Disconnect the plugs from under your seats and safely remove the seats from your EP.

You will then need to remove your rear plastic panels in order for the rear arms to be planted correctly. You will need to remove the panels by screws located in various locations of the plastic panel including your speakers and disconnecting them. You also will need to loosen the mounting point of the front seat bolts located at the bottom of the beginning of the rear plastic panels. Once you have removed the plastic panels, test fit the roll bar (TEST FIT AS IN making sure they are even on all sides, not one side is more out/in than the opposing arm. I would have to say the bar itself is excellent as far as fitment, and requires little major test fitting).

Now with the front arms (main bar) use the box cutter and cut around it through your carpet so that the arms plant right onto the frame of the car. Remove the cut out of your carpet and if need be remove some of the excess crap that was under there. From there you can now use your drill and drill into the frame. Like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/9a73fc77.jpg
Again I would have another set of hands to hold the roll bar steady so that it does not move when you are drilling through your frame. Drill through the frame and make the hole nice, clean, and thorough. If need be you can clean up any excess metal from the frame from the bottom of the car that might be hanging/sticking out as if u were drilling through any type of metal.

Do the same for the other side of the front arm.

Now for the rears, for SAFETY and PRECAUTIONARY and COMMON SENSE, please remove the rear wheels (assuming your car is also on jackstands too). This may sound silly but would you risk drilling through the rear wheel panels while your rear wheels are still on. I would find it so hilarious if someone were to try try drilling first, piercing through the frame with the drill, and going through your rear tires! Some people just blow my mind with the way they approach a install. Do the same with the opposing rear arm, drill through it thoroughly. Here's how it'll look from under the wheel panel (picture is with bolts going through frame):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/d29ba1b1.jpg
from the top:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/ba98739c.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/eaa5b8d8.jpg
(I'm sure you get the idea)

Now the other set of hands will be useful also when tightening the bolts down to the plates to the washers to the nuts. Common sense as well, I would tighten in a cross pattern as if you are tightening your lug nuts. So start off with one front arm, then a rear arm, then the last front arm, then last rear arm.
It will look something like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/e9c7f379.jpg
(Of course the plates will be on the bottom of the frame)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/e0746c06.jpg
Again I ADVISE TO USE WASHER LOCKS!

and just like that WALAH!!!! Your roll bar is now in. But what about the rear plastic pieces you ask? Well it depends on your CLEVERNESS!. You can perhaps your your geometrical skills and cut a hole using a dremmel so that the straight arms would go right through it for a VERY CLEAN LOOK (if only I was that clever at the time). Or you can be a very non clever and "rookie" like myself at the time and do what I did, GUESSTIMATE and cut til the panel effin fits! If you plan on doing some very clean work, take your time, use blue tape and a sharpie blueprint where you will be cutting with your steady hands and a dremmel.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/1aff448b.jpg
LOL. AMATEUR yea i know, mind you this was back in 2004-05 when I was a young gun with no CLEVERNESS at the time :thumbu:

So can the rear seats fit with the roll bar? YESSSSSS! Why would you put your rear seats on with a roll bar in your car? BEATS ME, that's your preference. I didn't for the most part until I was forced to daily drive my car to school with my turbo kit and wanted to attract less attention to cops so I put back the rear seats so that I am not "GUTTED."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/8e0b7376.jpg

Fitment wise, it may touch your seat belts a tad bit, but nothing to hinder from using it. One thing you may have to do is when putting on your stock seat belt, is put around the front arm (towards the middle) just so the seat belt pulls with ease like the roll bar was never there.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT MY FELLOW EPHACTHERS. AGAIN OWNING THIS ROLL BAR IS PREFERENCE. I FOR ONE CHOSE TO GET THIS ROLL BAR BECAUSE I COULD NOT REFUSE THE PRICE AT THE TIME AND BECAUSE I HAD FUTURE PLANS OF TRACKING THE CAR. NONETHELESS, I FELT MY EP WAS MORE "STIFF" and DROVE LIKE A "TANK." I ALSO HAD GREAT PLEASURE KNOWING I HAD EXTRA PROTECTION.

If you plan on running short seat belt harnesses, I would suggest running a different version roll bar such as the "race" version so that the "eye bolts" can attach to the horizontal portion of the bar.

More pictures:
My EP with jegs padding:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/IMG_7045_Custom.jpg
Honda Tuning shoot:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/oodiskidshake/EJayEP166htcopy.jpg

HAPPY INSTALLING FOR THOSE WITH ROLL BARS!

-EJAY

Siborg
01-07-2011, 09:52 AM
Good stuff ! My cage should be here today, I cant wait!!

EP_EJAY
01-07-2011, 05:34 PM
^^ nice which one you end going with?

88crx
01-07-2011, 05:49 PM
Wish this thread was around last summer! Nice.

Remember to paint the plates that get mounted on the underside of car.

Sucka
01-07-2011, 08:55 PM
is that Miles old cage?

EP_EJAY
01-08-2011, 07:40 PM
^^ nope he had the horizontal bar version Street/Sport version.

EP_EJAY
01-09-2011, 03:22 AM
Wish this thread was around last summer! Nice.

Remember to paint the plates that get mounted on the underside of car.

good point, to prevent from rust build up.

civictype_r04
01-09-2011, 10:59 AM
Nice dude but shouldn't this be in the DIY/How To section??

D'sEp3
03-04-2011, 08:10 AM
looks nice good write up

EP_EJAY
03-05-2011, 04:02 PM
who needs a roll bar anyway sh*tttttttttt.. LOL