And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

[Vipera Russelli]

On Tuesday, I was visiting Jason Heffner’s shop and spotted a stock roll bar from an SRT-10 that he had removed to install an Autoform’s roll bar. To my horror, the stock roll bar was almost completely rubber, with only a dinky aluminum (or at least it looked like aluminum—please tell me I’m wrong!) hollow tube in the middle of it all. Jason laughed at the protection afforded the driver by the stock roll bars. So I'm thinking that I didn't need to know that and maybe, just maybe, I can somehow forget all this. Right.

Yesterday, I called Viper Days to sign up for their track training in July (which I’m still going to do), and was informed by Courtney that I would have to replace the roll bars or get a hard top, since Viper Day’s insurance carrier won’t allow them to allow SRT-10s on the track with only the stock roll bars. Mmmm… probably not going to forget now, am I?

So last night I looked up the roll bars in the shop manual just to see if there was a disclaimer of some sort. Mmmmm… no roll bars in the index. Page flipping time. Here’s a picture of them, the…, the…, the “SPORT HOOPS???!!!” Awe man. These things are apparently more for cosmetics than anything else, or so it seems to me, and to Jason, and to Viper Days, and to Viper Days insurance carrier…

To potentially save my life and that of my passenger’s, and to sleep better at night in the meantime, I’m putting in the Autoform roll bars, and tossing the “sport hoops” immediately. Track time or not, I want real roll bars. Of course who came to the rescue with the fasted delivery time and best price by far? Well, JonB of PartsRack of course. Again. Thanks Jon!

Oh by the way, I don’t know if Chris from Canada is here, but if so I saw your SRT engine work yesterday in Jason’s shop. All I could say at the time again and again was “WOW!” There is going to be one happy man in Canada. Absolutely stunning!

 

[Viper Wizard]

I just installed a roll bar in a 03 and was also very surprised how flimsy the "Sport Hoops" are! There are THIN aluminum tubing! The only thing there good for is to tie a scarf on them.

 

[Viper Specialty]

How invasive is the autoform Roll bar/hoops for the SRTs? I havent seen one any in person yet....

 

[cstegall]

Daniel...

The rollbar will block what little vision you have out the rear view mirror but the bar itself fits well and looks good. Also, makes one feel a lot safer in the car.

CStegall

 

[LittleFish]

I have the rollbar and 6pts for the driver and passenger. You can check the archive for the pics of my installation. I did it by myself. I really only worked a few Saturdays to get it done over the winter. I few so much more secure in the car. The roll hoops do seem like a joke when you take them out but I'm sure that they are more secure than you think. I posted some detailed pictures and notes that will definately help in the install. My top rubs on the back of the rollbar just slightly. I've corrected with some door felt but do need to get some touch up paint (thanks for the reminder!). My avatar shows the bars. White in the Mamba would be cool, chrome would be better! Don't hesitate to drop me a message if you need any help or information.
dave

 

[Janni]

Would someone please take a picture of the stock roll hoops removed from an SRT? We're going to take the stock roll hoop off Henry's race car this weekend (he has a huge cage - so it's redundant) and if we can show them side by side, it'll prove once and for all that the RT and GTS offer TONS more roll protection than the SRT. (The roll hoop is the same in an RT and GTS - it's obvious and confirmed by the manual) All that really changed is body panels.

As soon as the race car is back together, I'll be getting a bar, too - I think it's just safer - even if I don't make it back to the track soon.

Thanks.

 

[SCLSSRT10]

The Autoform roll bar is the only way to go. Mine was the second one they installed. It was put on the car an I was at Mid-America the next day with Viper Days. This year I even went with a Sparco EVO2 racing seat to get lower in the car. What a difference in how you feel in the car. Additionaly added Autoforms' hard top, front splitter, and wing. The hard top adds some additional feeling of security only from the stand point that in a roll over the roll bar will not dig into soil as the car would slide to a stop on the FRP hard top. The car looks AWESOME with all their parts installed. I will post some pictures after the Putnam Viper Days event, hope to get some on track action shots at that event.

 

[SERPENT INDIANA]

 

[Toddh]

I still wish there was a solution that didn't further obscure the view out the back. Ironically, I remember the first Dodge dealership that I saw the SRT-10 at telling me about how the SRTs were "race ready" (that's a direct quote) just as soon as you put in the 5 points.

Btw, LittleFish I looked for you post on the installation and could not find it in the archives. I'm probably just search button functionality challenged, but was it in SRT discussions or somewhere else. I'm not very mechanically inclined and wanted to see if this was going to be a challenge beyond my limited capacity.

 

[LittleFish]

Todd, I went searching and couldn't find it either. Spent more time and found it - bad post name - I named it 'AF Rollbar Install - Pics'. Sorry about that. Anyway, the pics do not show. I logged into imagestation and the links are active. I'll work on it later or I can email you the pics and you can read the text. I'll have more time tomorrow.
dave

 

[LittleFish]

Here are the install pics to go along with the text from the post AF Rollbar Install.

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[Phoenix SRT]

The pics are not showing up...just the white boxes with a red Xs.

 

[quickysrt]

do those roll bars add alot of extra weight?

 

[Phoenix SRT]

Now I see the pics. Thanks.

 

[LittleFish]

I do not think the bar add a large amount of weight. I could pick the bars up and lift them over the side of the car to place them in I'm guessing around 40-50lbs but you take out about 30lbs of other hardware. Very solid when installed and not a huge deal, just a bit of slow methodical work. My wife still shakes here head when she sees all of the extra parts! Try explaining pic#6 when the wife walks into your man garage and sees the new $80K car apart.

I think I need a boot cover to finish the styling?

 

[riverflyer]

SCLS, did you consider the seat lowering kits now available for SRT? How much lower do the sparco seats put you in the car and do you have a pic? thanks, John

The Autoform roll bar is the only way to go. Mine was the second one they installed. It was put on the car an I was at Mid-America the next day with Viper Days. This year I even went with a Sparco EVO2 racing seat to get lower in the car. What a difference in how you feel in the car. Additionaly added Autoforms' hard top, front splitter, and wing. The hard top adds some additional feeling of security only from the stand point that in a roll over the roll bar will not dig into soil as the car would slide to a stop on the FRP hard top. The car looks AWESOME with all their parts installed. I will post some pictures after the Putnam Viper Days event, hope to get some on track action shots at that event.

 

[TacDoc]

Re: And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

" it'll prove once and for all that the RT and GTS offer TONS more roll protection than the SRT."

As would be expected with a vert. What point is being pursued? Is a point that no SRT should be allowed on track without a rollbar the issue?

 

[Janni]

Re: And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

Greg,
There has been discussion about the RT/10 not having good rollover protection, and the rationale is that "RT/10's can run, why not the SRT" and lots of folks are not familiar with the "guts" of the RT/10 rollover structure.

 

[JonB]

Re: And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

RT-10 Sport Bar is a much more substantial piece. Dramatic difference.
We have seen a LOT of wrecks, including fatals, where the 92-02 Sport Bar supported a massive amount of impact. We have seen ONE broken in a massive fatal, car was destroyed.

Old days: Team Viper managed to provide me a complete 1994 sport bar cut in HALF, during our quest to allow RT-10s in regional track events and drag events. The massive steel /composite bar exceeds most SIZE specs, but NOT made of the correct steel / core size. But it is impressive

I doubt the SRT-10 hoops would survive a big birdstrike.

AUTOFORM ROLLBAR ON SALE AT PARTSRACK ! (You gotta call)

 

[99t1]

Re: And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

Russ...watch out for left hand sweepers on the track...you loose oil and yer motor goes POP!!!...I heard Viper Days was not allowing any SRT10s unless you get the Comp Coupe oil pan along with a real roll bar.

 

[SCLSSRT10]

Re: And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

I just got off the phone with Courtney Thomas with Viper Days. SRT10's are not required to have the CC oil pan and pick up to participate in VD. They do strongly suggest that the car be equipted with this setup. They will ask SRT10 owners to sign a form saying that they have been informed of the situation. Additionaly per Courtney the car must have EITHER a hard top OR a roll bar installed to participate.

 

[Vipera Russelli]

Re: And I thought the Roll Bars were real…

Russ...watch out for left hand sweepers on the track...you loose oil and yer motor goes POP

Nice thought. My car is at Heffner's getting both the AF roll bar AND the Comp Coup oil pan.

Additionally per Courtney the car must have EITHER a hard top OR a roll bar installed to participate.

Does anyone have any idea how strong a fiberglass hard top is and how much protection it would likely afford the driver in a rollover situation given its composition? Additionally, after seeing the picture of the flipped yellow SRT-10 on this board, where it looked like the windshield frame completely collapsed, I question how effective the hard top might be even if it was made of steel. Gee, I wonder how long it will be before someone is offering a replacement windshield frame.

Maybe a roll cage is in order.

 

[g3173]

Awesome ride Where did you get your body kit from and the hard top? I would love to do that to my car. Very nice!!! Do you have a link handy?

Thanks,
Gene