roll bars

[rhughes@domain.elided]

>This was in someones post recently:
>>I'm going to need a rollbar -- more for supporting a bikini top than for
>>safety (my off-roading is *usually* pretty tame).  Suggestions?

>Not to pick on anybody but having been over a few times (none while
>wheeling ironically) I have a pet bruise when it comes to roll bars. NEVER
>NEVER NEVER look at them as a place to mount a fire extinguisher, or a
>shovel or a bikini mount, use them for those yes, but always after
>considering their true purpose first, last and always. In other words,
>conduit will hold up the top ok but it won't keep your Scout from turning
>you into street pizza. Get a good quality, non chrome, roll bar (at least,
>a cage would be better) and mount the thing properly to sound material in
>the vehicle (this may sound intuitive but you'ld be amazed at some of the
>stuff I've seen, muffler tubing isn't even in the top ten).
>Rant mode off, Smittybilt makes one but if you don't live close to a large
>supplier, the shipping will eat you alive on one. I was quoted over $300
>for one in Albuquerque, about 100 for the bar and about 200 for shipping!
I
>found a good steel fabrication outfit, looked at their bending, and sat
>down with their designer and sketched it up, $125 and it is larger
diameter
>tubing than Smitty, a larger mounting foot and offers more coverage than
>anyone. I'm still working on the cage aspect of it, but now the top can
>come off and the bikini on.

Terry, it was my post you referenced.  I absolutely understand what you're
saying, but keep in mind that I have *no* roll bar right now -- muffler
tubing (that's unbelievable) aside, it seems like almost anything that is
actually a *roll bar* would be an improvement.    All I was saying is that,
the bikini top benefits are the major impetus for me to buy a roll bar
sooner rather than later, and that given my driving habits and cost
constraints, I don't think a full cage is worth the cost at this point.

That being said, I fully intend to buy (or have fabricated) a real roll bar
and install it correctly.  Anybody have Smittybilt's phone # handy?  Do
they make something specifically for Scout II's?

As far as mounting goes, I'd assumed that four bolts through the mounting
foot through the bed would be adequate -- is that wrong?  Is there some way
to transfer load to the frame?

Thanks for any info

Rob