Used roll bar: would you do it?

"Cash Rewards" (cashrewards) 11/28/2018 at 18:04 • Filed to: None

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I got a lead on a roll bar on CL that would save me a couple hundred bucks. Yay! But, used roll bar. History unconfirmable. But, exact one I want, localish, and about 200-250 saved ($300 spent). So, would you?

Decay buys too many beaters > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:14

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A used roll bar should be fine as long as it hasn’t been “used”

Or were you talking about anti-roll bars?

/ Currently running a used Harddog on my miata

Cash Rewards > Decay buys too many beaters 11/28/2018 at 18:17

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Roll bar. But guy bought it from someone else, but never used it himself. Said the guy he got it from was not parting out a wreck.

Allegedly

Decay buys too many beaters > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:19

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Even if it was a wreck, roll bar damage is pretty obvious and unlikely to happen unless it takes a direct hit. 

HammerheadFistpunch > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:19

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a previously mounted roll bar isn’t a used roll bar. 

Urambo Tauro > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:22

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Are the mounting points on the car accessible enough that you could drive the car to go pick it up, and confirm fitment real quick before paying?

Cash Rewards > HammerheadFistpunch 11/28/2018 at 18:25

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You hope

Cash Rewards > Urambo Tauro 11/28/2018 at 18:26

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No, but it for a Miata. Fits a dozen years worth.

Cash Rewards > Decay buys too many beaters 11/28/2018 at 18:27

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That's what I figured, but that's also what y'all are for. Answering my dumb questions

HammerheadFistpunch > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:28

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it should be obvious ... visually though ? right

Cash Rewards > Decay buys too many beaters 11/28/2018 at 18:29

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Which one? This is an ace, single diagonal with harness bar, $300

daender > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:29

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I recommending c onfirming if it’s a H ard D og, Boss Frog, or Blackbird Fab Worx item.  If it hasn’t been rolled or had parts modified and/or cut off, then the juice could be worth the squeeze.

Decay buys too many beaters > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:31

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Ace double diagonal with harness bar. Mine was $80, but I had to make my own baseplates and source hardware. 

vicali > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:31

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‘ Used’ roll bar screams tire fire bigger than that pic.. ‘ previously owned’ would be preferred.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 18:42

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The roll bar in my Miata was a used part from another Miata. There is no reason to suggest avoiding a used bar unless it is a weld in part or if it has obviously been deformed in some sort of accident. Of course structural deformation might not always be visible but as long as it bolts in fine and isnt scuffed to hell on the top, it should probably be fine. Those things are meant to survive rolling the car which is a lot of force. Make sure to check for obvious signs of some sort of repair to the thing and ideally dont buy from someone super shady I suppose. It is a great way to avoid excessive shipping costs of a new one and you also get to test fit ideally to see how it would sit in your vehicle.

Nice part for me was that it was already installed in the other miata I bought it from so I was able to just plop my seat in and put on my helmet to make sure I would pass a fit test. Then I also was able to inspect to make sure it wasnt screwed up, remove it from that car, and then install in mine. The dude even helped me install in my car in exchange for my non-cut up panels.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 19:00

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It’s a chunk of steel tube, or at least it should be.

If it ain’t got rust, it’s fine.

StudyStudyStudy > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 19:03

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What an odd question. Although I have an odd experience .

I bought a used roll bar. It was a drag race bar that had a horizontal bar, so I decided to add a diagonal bar. Went to clean the cap they put on the horizontal to find it was a piece of tape they painted over.

Visually if it passes it should be fine, if you want extra insurance I would grab a weak magnet and run it over it with a towel to prevent scatches. If it was dented and they bondoed over the dent and painted it the magnet should just fall off when it gets to that area.

Not a big fan of roll bars in miatas, seems they either aren’t high enough or get too close to the head for my comfort.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 19:06

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Even if it was “used” and even if it was damaged, it could very well be structurally sound. If if it has some deformation, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Steel doesn’t magically lose it’s strength after a force is applied. It will actually have a higher us able stress after some plastic deformation and  will transition from ductile characteristics to a metal with brittle charac teristics.

If it looks okay, it probably is.

Cash Rewards > HammerheadFistpunch 11/28/2018 at 19:20

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Im concerned a massive hit to the chassis could bend it through the mounts. If I measuythe box and diagonals formed by the plates I could make sure it's square, I suppose.

Cash Rewards > StudyStudyStudy 11/28/2018 at 19:31

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Yeah, seat modifications or new seat are necessary. But wife would be happier with a bar, and since this whole adventure was her idea anyway, I'm ok with it. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Cash Rewards 11/28/2018 at 20:15

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That’s a good deal! I think I paid $400 for my double diagonal boss frog with no harness bar. Had to have a custom harness bar built (actually from hard dog) since boss frog was out of business and no longer producing anything. That was another $200. So I didnt end up saving money versus just buying a bar from hard dog and having it shipped. But the Boss Frog sits WAAAAAAAY further back so my head has way more space in any sort of street accident. This is safer when driving around helmetless for sure. Way too many bars are basically on the seat and will surely knock you out if not kill you, even with padding in most collisions. I have dual durometer padding and a solid few inches of clearance so I feel safe on the street. Hard tops supposedly dont fit though.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > HammerheadFistpunch 11/28/2018 at 22:06

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I guess that’s a good point, like those C02  inflatable lift rafts. It’s not used until it’s been used. 

pip bip - choose Corrour > Cash Rewards 11/29/2018 at 05:30

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i am if the opinion that you should never cheap out on safety items