Roll over hoops - part 5 - The Final Fix!

I have not done anything for the past couple of weeks. The last job I did was to drill the roll over hoop holes in the body and loosely fit the bars. So now I needed to check the fit to the chassis, then fill the hoops with expanding foam, before the final panel body trim, the fitting of the grommets and the escutcheons.

The hoops were removed and the studs (I think that bolts are used on the GDJAG) fitted to the outer legs, after applying some grease (note that the shorter thread went into the roll over bar).

The hoops were fed through the holes in the body and the boot floor. Next the nuts were loosely fitted to the outer bar studs, before the other bolts were put in place by hand. A ratchet strap was used to help get the studs/bolts and the bars aligned.

Hoops bolted in to place.

Ratchet strap helped pull the legs in to position.

Once I was happy with the fit, the holes were finally marked up to allow 5mm gap for the grommets to fit into the body top holes and a 3mm gap around the legs in the boot floor to allow some clearance for body to chassis movement. The hoops were taken out and bolts and studs were removed, before the body holes were finished off with the Dremel.

Then it was on to the messy job of filling the hoops with expanding foam. GD recommend this to reduce the noise transmission from the chassis. I used Polyfiller Expanding Foam, but as they say other brands are available! Do use disposable gloves (supplied) as this stuff is not easy to get off your hands if you get it on them.

Each of the escutcheons were drilled in the three places marked for 4mm stainless button head bolts. First I drilled the holes for the 4mm button head bolts in the escutcheons, the grommets and the body. I then put the escutcheons and grommets onto the appropriate legs. The fitting of the grommets onto the legs is not easy! I used Vaseline to help them slide into place on each leg (it is amazing what this stuff can do!). Next I masked around the bottom of each hoop's legs, then I sprayed water into the legs to help cure the foam. I then squirted foam into each leg of the hoops (after putting on the gloves!) and quickly inserted the bolts/studs into the holes to avoid the threads being clogged up. This also makes sure that the foam does not leak out.

Chalk was then rubbed around the six holes in the boot floor. The boot carpet was laid in place and pressed around the holes to leave a chalk imprint on the underside. The carpet was removed and cut in a star pattern within the chalk marked holes. The inner area of the carpet hole was removed to aid fitting.

After the foam was cured, I left it overnight, I finally tightened the studs into the outer legs, using mole grips. Once this was done, the hoop was again put through the holes, then through the carpet into the boot floor holes. The bolts and studs were tightened in place from underneath the car.

Bolts/stud tightened in place

GD say that silicone is not needed as water does not get in through these holes, so I didn't apply any.

The grommets were manoeuvred into place, through the holes in the top of the body. Again a fiddly job. Then the escutcheons were lowered into place and were fixed in place with the 4mm button head bolts and nyloc nuts. 17 of the 18 bolts went through okay, the 18th 'disappeared', probably into a cavity between the matting layers. This hole will need filling and tapping to get the bolt to bite.

Just need to fix the escutcheons.

Inside the boot

Second hoop done and escutcheons fixed in place

The loom was re-clipped into place and the carpet re-fitted to the sides. Then the eye bolts for the harnesses were fitted. To get them in the vertical position, I needed to file a small amount off the hoop mounting points. Grease was applied to the eye bolts to help them go into place.

Eye bolt in hoop

Job done!