Hard Dog M3 Sport roll bar install
This is the third time I’m installing a rollbar. Actually, I have installed a HardDog bar in a NA, NB and NC.
I wanted the following features:
- Single hoop
- Max height but still compatible with soft- and hardtop.
- Harness bar
- rearward bracing
- double diagonal in the hoop. Mostly for looks I guess..
I ended up with HardDog again since Boss Frog don’t have a single hoop bar for the NC (yet?) and cheaper than AWR.
Install was complex and took more time than expected. The instructions were sparse and I now understand why their pics in the instructions was taken without a softtop or seats in place. It was extremely tight to get things in place with all the plastic trim. I will say a NA/NB install is half the job.
Espechially without the harness bar as that requires additional cutting for reusing part of the OEM bar.
Some pictures:
New bar:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The bar is covered under a lot of plastic covers. There is a lot of space under the bar compared to NA/NB. On the PRHT version this is supposedly where the foldingmechanism is located.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The starndard bar is mounted to the chassis via 4 points + 2 small sidebars.
Thats is actually not bad. If it had been taller it would be a pretty good stock bar. It is certainly not just a style bar.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Here is a comparison between the M3 Sport and stock:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
One of the hardest part of the job was to bend/cut the side covers shown to the left of this pic to make room for the rearward braces. The metal is thick and very hard to bend with what I found in my toolbox combined with the cramped space. I ended up using my angle grinder. Not a good feeling when sparks are flying all over the place with the gas tank inches away…
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Getting the rearmost plastic covers in place was a b** but I finally got everything together. The double diagonal required a lot of trimming of the plastic covers. They also make the windblocker useless without serious trimming of the upper edges.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I’m satisfied with the end result but would have liked it to be wider. That would require relocating the stock seat belts which I guess is a big deal on a new modern car. I like that it is a lot safer for regular driving without a helmet. The M2 bar with a stock seat was very close to the head compared to this.
Comments