FIA Rollbar lower bolts

[bryno]

Hi, was looking to remove my rollbar to repaint - but having looked at how involved it could get to remove the lower bolts had second thoughts! 😳

 

Anyway, with the top 4 bolts removed (13mm & seatbelt) and the rear mounts at back of the boot, I can rock the roll bar and move it a fair bit even though I've not slackened the lower bolts above the shocks. So, should it be rock solid just on the bottom bolts, or should I have some play?

 

Having not fitted the lower bolts myself, not sure if these are supposed to allow a bit of movement for lining things up at the other mount points.. any advice appreciated..

 

thanks

[James_Russell]

I did exactly the same thing and found that my chassis didn't use the bolts from underneath. If the bar was fitted with these bolts you'd expect it to be rock solid. I got mine off with a couple of upward-blows with a mallet

 

Q41 ACF Classic Grad #98

[Paul Richards]

If you've taken those bolts out, try and remove the bar. In my experience many (often factory built) cars don't have the lower bolts fitted. Even if they are it's only 4 more bolts to remove the shock absorbers.

 

Paul Richards

Area Representative - L.A.D.S. (Lancashire and District Sevens)

LADS Website

Growing old is compulsory - Growing up is optional

[Archie Procter]

Live Axle cars don't have the bottom bolts that bolt through the chassis recesses, hence why James didn't find any on his car!

 

If they are in correctly they should be pretty tight, I've seen them fairly loose (but still in situ) before, and it wouldn't take much slack to enable the bar to rock about.

[bryno]

thanks all, had another look last night, there is really too much play for me to not investigate, so I'll bite the bullet and drop the shocks off later to see what's going on..

[Paul Deslandes]

If you do have these bolts fitted and have to remove them, they have a thin hex head which can easily get damaged making it difficult for a socket to get a grip. It helps to grind or turn the face of the socket flat, rather than radiused, so that the full depth of the bolt head is held by the socket hex. There are a few recent threads on this in the archives. Unless they show no signs of resistance, soak the threads in penetrating oil for 24 hours before having a go.

 

 

[bryno]

Done! shallow headed 14mm bolt, luckily not very tight, a socket skimmed down on the bench grinder did the trick..

 

Just need to work out how/where to jack the rear end back up to refit the shocks