Need help with autoform roll bar!!!

[TowDawg]

OK, I'm officially out of ideas.
I followed the directions, all the holes line up and it bolts in just fine.
The problem is, the top won't go up or down without hitting the bar. Can I physically put the top up and down? Yes, but it doesn't lightly brush the bar, it hits it. The directions tell you to check to make sure the top will lock and unlock in the stowed position during install, and it will. I had to trim a little more of the plastic trim panel a few times, but I've got that part good.
Like I said, the top hits going up and down. I can put the top up and latch it, but when I do, the metal bar at the back of the top is pushed up against the back of the bar pretty hard. Also, due to the flex in the top mechanism, I cannot just put the top up and down by grabbing the top from anywhere anymore. I have to really reach towards the middle and pull it past the bar.
In all, does it physically work? Yes. But I don't want to take the new powder coat off the bar from it constantly hitting. The trimming of the plastic only helps with the top "seating" properly when folded. As you can see in the pics, the bar is completely flat on the bulkhead (it is also bolted tight and flush on the bottoms), so the is no way to make the bar sit any lower.
I will call Autoform tomorrow, but I'm just hoping some of you that have installed the bar in your car might be able to chime in from personal experience. It's the newer version with the hidden crossbar if that makes any difference.

Thanks.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

Does the top, when up touch the bar with any of the support bows?

 

[TowDawg]

Once the front edge of the top is past the bar (when putting the top up) nothing hits until the top is fully "on" and latched in place. At that point, the very back metal support bar is pulled tight against the back of the bar.

 

[TowDawg]

Also, does anyone have a number for Steve besides the one on the Autoform website?
I had a PM from Steve with a phone number, but I must have accdentaly deleted it from my phone and I can't see a way to view deleted messages like you can in your email. I've been trying to call the number from the website all day and just get a voicemail, but you can't leave a message because it's full.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

You could have the lower mount off just a tad, when you cut the holes and fit it was the L bracket flush to the frame tube? If so then maybe there is a variation in your car or maybe the bar is slightly off in dimension, I have seen this one time in all the bars we have installed.

 

[Autoformsteve]

Oops, sorry about that, I just cleared the old messages...(616) 392-4909

 

[TowDawg]

It's dead flat against the bottom frame rail and the bulkhead. There is about a 1/4" gap to the outside wall on both sides of the lower mount though. I have actually drilled the lower mount holes yet though. I just have the tabs on the back attached. I don't want to drill any holes until I see if there is any adjusting I can do to make it work better with the top.
I did buy it from fellow VCA member (it was never installed though), and Steve mentioned that some of the early bars of this new design had issues with the top. He suggested possibly elongating the holes in top bulkhead part of the bar to move it forward slightly. I don't have a problem doing that, but I'm worried about how far I can go and still have the bulkhead cover fit back on properly.

 

[JoelW]

It's dead flat against the bottom frame rail and the bulkhead. There is about a 1/4" gap to the outside wall on both sides of the lower mount though. I have actually drilled the lower mount holes yet though. I just have the tabs on the back attached. I don't want to drill any holes until I see if there is any adjusting I can do to make it work better with the top.
I did buy it from fellow VCA member (it was never installed though), and Steve mentioned that some of the early bars of this new design had issues with the top. He suggested possibly elongating the holes in top bulkhead part of the bar to move it forward slightly. I don't have a problem doing that, but I'm worried about how far I can go and still have the bulkhead cover fit back on properly.

I told you that you could call me. I'll send you a PM.

 

[ViperGeorge]

When I had the bar on my 03 I had a similar problem. The top would rub the hoops on the way up. Eventually it did wear the powder coating off the roll hoops. Autoform seems to make the tolerances a bit close to the top.