e36 M3 Kirk Roll Bar Installation

[Kaiv]

The fit was good but as others have brought up I wish the plates followed the contours of the chassis and the fender well better.

Funny you say that 'cause people seem to say fitment is better with the kirk. My (autopower) plates were curved and fit nice and flush around in the fender well.

Also the rear bars on the autopower sit much higher on the fender well. Even though the bolts are facing downwards and my car pretty low it looks like there are plenty of room not to be worried.

The front of the autopower looks like it sits closer to the front seats though.

[jrb]

Wrote to Kirk yesterday... they emailed me a copy of there 4-point bar installation. They said to drill at an angle on the base plates!
pm with an addy if you would like copy of install.

PM'ed you NASA144.
I ordered a Kirk RB yesterday as well. Any further pics of mounting points would be appreciated.

john b.

[M3Alpine99]

Nope. All they care about is seats and harnesses.

Carlos.

They really should care. Technically an instructor could say it is unsafe and tell you that he won't ride with you. Same thing about equal restraint, the instructor could sit in a stock seat and you in a race seat if he feels comfortable. Most would say if you get harness and and better seat then why does the instructor also not receive it?

To the OP I ordered 9 feet. I think 6 feet would be enough. You will need to do both outside bars, the corners of the hoop and the section above your head. Repeat on the passenger side.

I just did this install a couple of weekends ago. I will post up pictures of the install and where everything went. Roll Bar padding is not installed yet though but it will give everyone an idea.

[jcrist]

I spent my saturday installing a Kirk 4 point rollbar. Other than some mild profanity and some bloody knuckles everything went well. The fit was good but as others have brought up I wish the plates followed the contours of the chassis and the fender well better.

Thank you to those who advised me to buy longer bolts for the plates underneath the car. That helped out a lot.

A couple of questions:

1) How many feet of roll bar padding do I need to buy to cover the bar properly?

2) Do I need to worry about the tire making contact with the bolts that come through the fender well plate? It looks like it is close or perhaps I am just being anal.

The car is being hard parked till I get the padding for safety's sake. Sparco EVO's and Schroth harnesses soon to follow.

Some pics.

I also installed the bolts the wrong way the first time! As others have said, it's not an option to keep them that way, you may have already switched them.
As far as padding, the HODE's I have done, BMWCCA/THSCC/Chin/TrackDaze/VIR Member/Audi, don't require padding. For THSCC/Triangle Z Time Trials padding is required. Let me know how the padding works so I can order mine!

[lowside67]

Is this really crucial on the bolts on the bottom of the rollbar? I installed my wheel well bolts head on the outside, thread on the insides, but since my car retains carpet, I put the head of the bolts on the feet of the main hoop bolts by the base of the rear footwell...

[Greg S]

6 feet OR 9 feet of this roll bar padding?

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pro...p?Product=2395

Or any suggestions of better padding?

9 feet.

The BCSI FIA padding is a little thicker but kind of square shaped.

[BraveUlysses]

Side question, does Kirk offer a 4dr version of this rollbar?

[M3Alpine99]

I also installed the bolts the wrong way the first time! As others have said, it's not an option to keep them that way, you may have already switched them.
As far as padding, the HODE's I have done, BMWCCA/THSCC/Chin/TrackDaze/VIR Member/Audi, don't require padding. For THSCC/Triangle Z Time Trials padding is required. Let me know how the padding works so I can order mine!

What events? All BMWCCA events in the packet said all Roll Bar that may contact skin needs to be padded. I personally wouldn't even want to run the risk... Just seems like a large risk for 50 dollars worth of padding.

[JClark]

If your seat is installed correctly, how are you ever going to contact that roll bar?

Brave- There was a thread on here years ago where some guy said a coupe bar worked fine in his sedan. Someone at Kirk told me the same thing. Call and ask them.

[BMW4LIFE]

Funny you say that 'cause people seem to say fitment is better with the kirk. My (autopower) plates were curved and fit nice and flush around in the fender well.

Also the rear bars on the autopower sit much higher on the fender well. Even though the bolts are facing downwards and my car pretty low it looks like there are plenty of room not to be worried.

The front of the autopower looks like it sits closer to the front seats though.

The plates did have a curve to them but they could have used a little bit more.

When fellow bfc members were speaking of Kirk fitment v Autopower I took it to mean fitment of the bar to the b pillar and the roof line. In that case Kirk's fitment is exceptional. There is very little space between the b pillar and the roof when the bar is in place.

[BMW4LIFE]

Nope. All they care about is seats and harnesses.

Carlos.

Interesting. So could I theoretically run with stock seats (Vaders) & stock seat belts with a roll bar with no padding at a BMW CCA DE event????

[M3Alpine99]

If your seat is installed correctly, how are you ever going to contact that roll bar?

Brave- There was a thread on here years ago where some guy said a coupe bar worked fine in his sedan. Someone at Kirk told me the same thing. Call and ask them.

In a violent wreck you could move WAY more than you think. Why would you run the risk over 50 dollars worth of padding?

Interesting. So could I theoretically run with stock seats (Vaders) & stock seat belts with a roll bar with no padding at a BMW CCA DE event????

Not at any event I have been too.

[NASA144]

Hey M3Alpine99... I agree! Why risk??? Is not safety the number 1 priority?

[JClark]

In a violent wreck you could move WAY more than you think. Why would you run the risk over 50 dollars worth of padding?

The bar is completely behind the seat, usually by almost 6 inches. If your seat is installed correctly and you're strapped in, how are you going to hit the roll bar? The more padding you put on the top of the hoop, the more of a pain it is to see out the rear too.

Not at any event I have been too.

The way the current rules are written, yes you can do that.

[NASA144]

do the "rules" say how far away before padding is required?

[M3Alpine99]

6 inches? That is not much... You very well could hit that bar. If you want to run the risk go ahead.

My rules/regs for BMWCCA HPDE say if your body "could" touch the bar then it needs padding. You cannot say for sure if that you aren't going to touch it...

[Rosspbig]

Kind of a random question here guys, but has anyone ever heard of the bolt in cage failing in a crash or accident?

[igyloo]

Kind of a random question here guys, but has anyone ever heard of the bolt in cage failing in a crash or accident?

If installed properly there shouldn't be a problem granted that other safety items are utilized (helmet, harness, etc).

I rolled my old race car with an autopower bolt in 6 pt cage. No issues and I walked away from the accident.

[99MPower]

just finished install my TCKline 6 pt rollbar/cage yesterday

door bars and harness bar are not in, but everything else is... good call on switching the bolts in the opposite direction on the rear fenders...

still need to buy some roll bar padding and such

[Rosspbig]

For installing the plates on the wheel wells, I assume you need to drill the holes? or are they already there?

[BMW4LIFE]

For installing the plates on the wheel wells, I assume you need to drill the holes? or are they already there?

You will need to drill. Measure twice, drill once.

Also, as noted by others reverse the bolts on the rear fenders for better tire to fender clearance.

Good luck. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

[Rosspbig]

You will need to drill. Measure twice, drill once.

Also, as noted by others reverse the bolts on the rear fenders for better tire to fender clearance.

Good luck. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Got it, If I have any questions or problems I will let you guys know.

[clopez95m3]

Kind of a random question here guys, but has anyone ever heard of the bolt in cage failing in a crash or accident?

I've heard of a couple punching through. The drivers have been injured as well. We had one injury in BMW CR but that was due to the minimal design (no foot protection).

Carlos.

[99MPower]

i have the TCKline 6pt... just installed it this week. How do you guys think it compares to the other bolt in bars, as it has A pillar protection as well as a single door bar?

I'm not racing, run in the intermediate run groups in DE's (10 so far), and looking to advance and get better as a driver, but also stay safe...

[clopez95m3]

i have the TCKline 6pt... just installed it this week. How do you guys think it compares to the other bolt in bars, as it has A pillar protection as well as a single door bar?

I'm not racing, run in the intermediate run groups in DE's (10 so far), and looking to advance and get better as a driver, but also stay safe...

For DEs at bolt in cage is fine, it's above and beyond what most DE students have. Once you get into timed events where you're either racing against the clock or there are other cars on track racing against you I would seriously consider taking the bolt-in out and upgrading to a custom cage. The bolt-ins offer minimal protection and are made to pass only the most basic cage rules.

Carlos.