Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN UPDATE TO A REVIEW SUBMITTED EARLIER
UPDATE: I contacted Ric Joranlien at Boss Frog, and told him about the problems with the initial rollbar I received. He was very quick to get back to me. He thought the bar must have been damaged in shipping, and based on the replacement he sent me, I am sure that was the problem. Ric sent me the replacement bar via FedEx. It arrived in 3-4 days. He asked me to pack up the old bar in the packaging the new one came in. I contacted him when the old one was packed up, and he arranged for a FedEx pickup. No cost to me, and no fuss at all (I left it on my porch and they came and got it). When I finally got around to installing the new bar, the difference was night and day. The new bar lined up and fit with very little effort, and installation, while not exactly a breeze, went smoothly and as expected. The final result was a solid rollbar that took around 4 or 5 hours to install. In theory it can be uninstalled readily, but enough permanent changes were made that I would not install the bar unless I planned on it being there for the life of the car. The holes (obviously), the cutting of the carpet and trim, and the removal (cutting off) of the stock seatbelt guides are all irreversible. Also, I regret that I did not replace my faded seatbelts prior to installing the bar, as the bar would have to be completely removed should I ever need to get at the seatbelt reels. The dealer wanted $700+ for new parts, so I kept the old belts. If you can spare the money, though, this is definitely something to consider. Anyway, having seen the quality of the undamaged bar, ! and having dealt with Ric and his excellent customer service, I would highly recommend Boss Frog products in the future.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99-'05 1.6 liter
I purchased a Clearview Max a few months ago, and with warm weather here again, I am just now getting around to installing it. NOTE: I have not yet installed this bar. Problems with fit have stalled me at the test-fitting stage. However, these issues are significant enough that they warrant this review. I have to say, I am unimpressed with this product. That is putting it mildly. This bar is "designed" with 4 hard points that attach to existing bolt holes on the car. Great concept, horrible execution. When I test fitted the bar, no two holes lined up at the same time. Any time one hole was lined up, the bar was off center. The holes that bolt to the seatbelt towers are too far forward. When the bar is shoved backward enough for the holes to be in line with the seatbelt towers, the front feet lift off the bulkhead lip. In addition, the interior plates that attach to the front feet are at an angle that is neither parallel, nor even close to the bulkhead! On the passenger side, the lower two holes on the plate are at least 3/4 of an inch away from the bulkhead. While we're on the subject, why do they even use bolt-on plates at all? Wouldn't it be easier (and stronger) to just weld a longer plate on the foot? The instructions warn that adjustments may be required, but when every single hole needs modification, where do you start? Also, widening the holes to allow for necessary travel is fine, but with so much widening required, I'm afraid that the strength of the attachment points will be reduced to a dangerous degree. It seems it would make sense for Boss Frog to knock together some kind of a jig that could guarantee a little uniformity in the finished product. Why haven't they? Based upon what I've seen,quality control is so poor that I am starting to have misgivings about entrusting my safety to this product. Since Boss Frog has established an excellent reputation within the Miata community, I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt assume this bar is a one-off glitch. I have contacted Boss Frog, and will update this review as things develop.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Double Maxx roll bar in silver powdercoat.
I was warned that some shipping damage might occur, but the bars showed up in perfect condition. Silver powdercoat was even and smooth, very professionally done. All necessary hardware was present. The directions were clear and easy to understand, with the exception of the inner panel cutting info. All bolt holes lined up properly, hardware was top quality, and the bars were simple to install with the exception of the back mounting hole on the outside top mount. That one was not fun. Rerouting the wires for the ABS and defroster was time consuming, but not a big deal. The only real issue I have with this product is the vague and confusing info on cutting the interior panels to fit the bar. The inclusion of some pics of a finished installation would have made a huge difference. I spent about 4 hours just cutting the panels and making sure that they would align without looking wrong, completely unnecessary waste of time.
Really well made product, and worth the money. There is an improvement in the stiffness of the car afetr installation. I beleive this is the result of having a huge cross bar to tie both sides of the car together. Aside from the hassle with the plastic panels mentioned above, a very simple installation.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Single hoop roll bar.
I installed this in about 5 hours. The instructions were good though some better pictures would help. The only problems I had were wqhen I didn't read the step through first. I am impressed with the quality of this roll bar. I ran an autocross after the install and feel that it stiffened up my miata's handling.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99-'05 1.8 liter
This is the newest version of the their single hoop roll bar. The seats can move to any position and the top works fine but I can't use a hard top.
Where to begin? I've never done a car project this involved before. It took me about 10 hours of work myself with about six of those including a friend. The hardest part was getting the 4 main bolt locations to line up. My suggestion would be to buy a Dremmel if you don't already have one. I used it to grind away material from various locations. I used it to trim the package tray and seatbelt tower trim. Now that it's installed, I'm very happy with it. It arrived unscathed, I wish I could say the same about it now. Actually, it still looks pretty good and I intend to get the padding and cover.
I love the way it looks - I like the classic roadster look of the single bar. The bar has reduced body flex from the rear, now I need something for the front end. The added safety, performance and good looks makes the work worth while. I would do it all again - in less time now that I know what I'm doing. I hope this was helpful.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Double Hoop Roll Bar in Black.
I did this install by myself and it is quite involved but certainly worth the effort. I installed the roll bar in about six hours total give or take some breaks (all day). The instructions are rather straight forward although I thought about it later, some more pictures of things would help. The fit and finish of this bar is exceptional and to design it to mount to four existing threaded points, plus catch two more holes is pretty amazing. What I haven't told you is getting the bar in is only half (maybe more) the problem. I spent the better part of Day two doing the fit and finish of the parts you have to remove just to get the bar in. I followed their instructions on cutting the plastic tower covers and was less than satisfied with the driver side. If you move slightly out of the inside corner (toward the bar) and make your first cut it fits much better. I was real happy about the passenger side. I also cut the plastic tower covers with a sharp utility knife and it gave! a very smooth cut. BE CAREFUL that is a sharp knife, and change the blade often.
I am very happy with the extra safety feature of this product and the look is fantastic. I didn't get a chance to put her through her paces last night but just the ride to town I could have sworn the car was stiffer. Maybe just knowing there is this thick heavy bar around my head gave me that feeling. This is the only bar I would buy for looks and safety. Now it's off to the track....
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99-'05 '06+ 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Clearview Roll Bar in Silver Powdercoat (standard version, not Maxx). For a '96 Miata M-edition.
I chose this product for 3 reasons. 1-I wanted a bar that would be SCCA Solo 1 approved. 2-I wanted a bar to give me (and my wife) some security confidence while driving around town. 3-I wanted a bar that would allow me to put the top up and down while sitting in the driver's seat. The BSP bar has a very obtrusive diagonal, severely impacting the view from the rear mirror. The HD HardCore bar fits the bill, but the diagonals are too close together, making it difficult to operate the top from the seat and also making it difficult to see out the back. The BF double hoop bar also fits the bill well (and probably looks a little better), but the position of the driver's hoop would make it tough to reach the top while sitting in the driver's seat. I also like the silver powdercoat option and the fact that the bar has been destructively tested. Even though it's a single hoop, it's still very easy to raise/lower the top w/o getting out of the car. Overall the instructions! were great, although I had to enlarge 2 holes where the bar attaches to the upper seat belt tower. Not a problem w/ a dremmel. Also I was not able to reinstall the factory seatbelt tower brace. Maybe it would have fit w/ the Maxx version, but I wanted the standard version because it allows fitment of a hardtop and I'm only 5'5" anyway. My seat doesn't even come close to touching the bar. In the end the car is much stiffer. I noticed the different when hitting bumps in the road and on the autox course. The bar also looks very tough. BTW, the bar shipped to me at 55 pounds, so the total added weight to the vehicle is about 50 pounds. The only real issue I had w/ the bar was that my glass window (Duetto no-zip glass) doesn't fit between the diagonals. It does fit between the rear supports, so I am able to push the glass around the diagonals and get the glass to lay flat. It's a small inconvenience, but something to be aware of.
Some installation notes: For the best possible seatbelt retraction, the tops of the seatbelt retractors should be tilted inwards (the top bolts are moved about 1" to the inside of the car). I installed the Boss Frog seatbelt adaptors as well. I'm not sure how much those helped though. The seatbelt retracted OK at best. I then discovered a good trick; use a zip tie wrapped only around the roll bar so that the slack of the zip tie (the part you would normally cut off) keeps the seat belt from twisting and getting wedged against the bar. Kind of like a guide. It's difficult to explain this, but it's actually very simple. I'll try to post a picture in the forums, but I'd be happy to receive email requests for a picture of the setup. This significantly improved seatbelt retraction. In the end it's still not perfect, but definitely livable. I would also recommend taking your time to install the plastic trim panels. Try to understand (by test fitting) what is actuall! y happening BEFORE you cut anything.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97
Plexiglas wind block made to fit Boss Frog Double Hoop roll bar.
This product is a nice weight and thickness and mates well with the roll bar. I installed it quickly with the supplied Velcro and a little extra I had from another project.
This did an amazing job of cutting down the buffeting in the cabin at speed. We were up to 75 mph and the reduction in noise and buffeting was amazing. This definitely has the wife seal of approval. We were able to carry on a conversation and hear the stereo clearly without shouting or cranking up the volume. There is still a nice breeze in the cabin without the gust. I also felt like my cap was not constantly in danger of lifting off of my head. Even works with the windows down. The wind block has a nice geometry and is nice and clear. The styling fits well with the roll bar and compliments the cabin. I highly recommend it for both styling and functionality.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Boss Frog double hoop bar in polished stainless.
I installed this bar myself a few months ago. The installation was pretty involved, and took a while to get everything right. The bar bolts into four existing threaded holes in the car, and getting those lined up with the bar can be very hard. The finish is pretty good, although I'd like to go over it again to polish it even more. The stainless finish seems to me to have some shinier and some duller spots. The bar looks fantastic in the car though, and you couldn't really tell any difference in finish without looking closely. Overall I'm not sure installing this bar was a good thing to do. While there's no doubt it's a substantial bar and would provide good protection in a rollover, it's probably caused more problems than it's solved. First off, the diagonal brace limits seat travel substantially. A notch or two more than the cross brace that came on '94-'97 cars. So, that means I have my seat pretty much as far back as possible when driving. (I'm under six foot! , but it depends on seating preference, I don't like to be cramped.) This creates the problem of having steel tubing bolted to the car's frame all around your head while driving. That will not be good in a rear end accident. So, I'm considering buying some rollbar padding for the front of each hoop and diagonal brace, which will of course cover up a lot of the stainless finish I paid such a premium to have. Then you have the problem of the seatbelts. The way the guides are re-positioned with the bar means that they don't retract very well at all. Boss Frog just recently came out with a set of replacement seatbelt guides that helps this problem to an extent. I installed these, but it turns out I got a defective set that have exposed sharp edges and have frayed an edge on my driver's side seatbelt (which by the way would need an entire hoop of the rollbar taken out to replace.) In all fairness though, Boss Frog is a great company since they sent me a new set of guides ! for free, which seem a little better, but I may still wrap th! e questionable area with tape to smooth the edges. Whatever seatbelt guides you use however, will dig into the sides of the stock seat headrests and squeak if they're leather seats. I also just discovered that some of the undercoating I applied to the floor mounting points of the rollbar is coming off since those mounting points are so exposed to the elements, so I'll have to try to fix that to keep water away from the holes I drilled. In the end I'm probably still happy I installed the bar since it just looks so great on the car, much better than a tacky style bar. It's one of only two real double hoop bars made for the Miata that I know of. It's also very substantial and stiffens up the chassis a lot. However, don't expect everything in the car to work perfectly just as it did before you put in the bar.
Pros: Looks great, meets SCCA standards, sturdy construction, fits under hardtop, great customer support. Cons: Limits seat travel, could be unsafe in a rear end collision, makes seatbelts not retract well.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Double Hoop Roll Bar with black finish
I installed it myself taking as much time as I needed (16 hours). The instructions were good, but about 10% of the things you'll just have to figure out yourself. The installation was long but not difficult. I am very pleased with the result.
I have no experience with any other roll bars, but as a mechanical engineer working in the auto industry I can say this. The bar is beautiful and has loads of structural integrity. I am extremely pleased with the product, instructions, and final result. I don't know how they can improve this product, great looks and all the structure a roll bar should have.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 +
The Boss Frog Double Hoop roll bar is a piece of safety hardware that no Miata should be without. It is manufactured from 1.75in DOM mild steel (powerdercoated black or bare) or stainless steel and TIG welded together, forming three distinct pieces to assemble within the bounds of the body. It includes all Grade 8 hardware, backing plates and bolt covers to finish it off.
As my buddy asked me yesterday,"The Miata doesn't come with that?" seems the perfect testament to the fit and finish of this bar. It looks like a factory piece, and should have been included instead of the useless windblocker on the NB models. No less than 20 bolts attach the bar and saddle to the car in various places to promote structural rigidity. There is no comparison in chassis stiffness before and after, as most of the wiggles and jiggles have been quelled over all but the most relentless surfaces. There is the strongest roll bar I've seen, aside from a full cage, yet allows full range of motion for in-car top movement, glass clearance and hardtop clearance. Most importantly is that the bar has been tested and approved by the SCCA and FIA for sanctioned racing; it has undergone destructive testing to seek approval, like all bars should but don't. Testing makes the product superior, as it is proven to hold together long after the car is destroyed.! For $513 w/ tax and shipped, it is a bargain and is worth your neck in a roll-over situation or side-impact.
Installation takes 6-8h, depending on your alacrity, people helping you, the weather, beer supply, etc. Trim fitment is about the only difficult step, as it pays off getting the interior pieces to fit snugly. One note that I'd like to make that the instructions didn't include in the template is that you must notch out a section of the side trim panels for the pad that attaches to the bulkhead below the seat belt retractors. The hoop welds to a horizontal pad that extends past the vertical pad which bolts to the bulkhead, where the two bolts come through the inner fender, and this horizontal pad will not allow the trim panel to fit without notching it out about a half inch by an eigth. It's not hard to figure out once you see what's going on, but it is important to note, as the panel will not fit without this adjustment. As stated before, this part should have come with the car stock, as it is far superior to the tower bar on earlier NA cars and tosses t! he useless windblocker on the NB models. The best upgrade to do first when you've picked up your Miata.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Double Hoop Roll Bar Pads
This is two pads shaped to fit the Boss Frog Double Hoop roll bar. They are designed to protect against impact in a crash, not to be soft to the touch. If they were soft to the touch, there would not be much crash protection. They attach with double sided tape to the bar. You must allow three days for this to completely attach. The ends still do not quite attach using this so I used long ty-wraps to clamp these down. Finish is a matte black which matches well with the bar. Fit was close enough that I could easily make the final contours without having to bend the pads.
I discovered my need for these at my first Autocross. First thing the helmet did was bang against the bar! I ordered these from Go-Miata the night I got home. Although my seat is adjusted away from the bar, I felt like in a severe crash such as a rollover, the occupant would be tossed around and may deflect the seat enough to strike the bar. These would provide enough protection to significantly improve survivabilty in my opinion. (Bad headache versus concussion or worse) Any roll bar should have padding of this type if this is a concern.
Under 5 minutes to remove
Applicable to: '90 - '97
Boss Frog Double Hoop Rollbar
Excellent, strongly recommended
After doing my research I ordered the Boss Frog double hoop roll bar. I was impressed that Boss Frog was the only firm that had its products submitted for actual simultaneous load testing, supervised by an independent engineer. I decided to have the bar installed by a Miata specialist. This was their first Boss Frog install. When I went to pick it up the owner said "You have done your research well. We have installed Hard Dog for years and I like the brand, but you have made me a Boss Frog convert. As a mechanic and a racer I am telling you that the Boss Frog product is superior and could actually protect you in a crash, due to its heavy duty saddle that connects the roll bar to the floor, and the six backer plates that mount to the exterior of the undercarriage, and extended mounts (etc.) it is really impressive". He then took me into the shop where he had a Hard Dog double hoop, which appeared to me to be 50% less product, kind of like getting the torso without the legs.
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97
Roll Bar in Double Hoop design
I am very pleased with this product. The product arrived intact in the box. The box had some transit bumps and bruises but was completely intact. Appears Boss Frog is doing a better job at packaging their product. The box was reinforced at the edges in the interior. Given the off-center center of gravity and odd size of the contents, I would say they did a very good job of designing packaging and packing the bar. Read the instructions carefully. This is a two person job at certain points, my wife and 13 year old son were able to help. If this is your first time working with sheet metal, practice a little on a tin can. I didn't and my first cut is a little jagged. Also, I found the 12 inch 5/16 drill bit to be undersized and had to redrill the holes from the bottom with the 3/8 drill bit. As a final note, the last bolt sheared as I was torquing it to the recommended 50 ft/lbs. I am almost through with the install, but have driven it for three weeks now.
The car feels much more solid. I feel much safer as does the wife. The seat belt retraction is taking some getting used to. The best method I have found so far is to pull the belt direct in front of you so that your hand is directly in front of your face and then let the belt retract. A woman at work used the instructions I printed off from the Team Miata web site and resewed my boot. This looks like a factory job now. I have found it very difficult to zip and unzip the rear window. There is a finger (1/2 inch) thickness of clearance between the bar and frame of the top. Definitely strengthened the frame of the car. Fills in for the "missing" B-Pillar. Got rid of a lot of the squeaks and rattles. I highly recommend this to everyone as it definitely makes the car safer, is a real roll bar, and improves the handling by providing structural support in the rear.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Double-Hoop Black-Powder Coat Roll Bar
Product arrived wrapped in pretty-much bomb-proof padding....Excellent instructions....Do not hesitate to grind out the holes in the roll bar slightly in order to get the seat belt bolts to start. I spent forever trying to get the bars to fit before I did this....Get a 12" drill bit, it is worth it.....Do not make any cuts on the trim panels, other than the initial vertical cut, until you have held them in their approximate final positions and had a look at what more needs cutting....I took me way more than 8 hours to install, I wasted a lot of time before I realized I had to grind out the holes mentioned above...I am very pleased with the final result...Drivers seat will not go quite all the way back when inclined the way I like it. 2001 with high back seats.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
Double hoop, SCCA legal, engineered and TESTED roll bar
Product arrived in a mangled box, but the bar was not damaged. It was packed and padded well. More than enough hardware was supplied. The workmanship is excellent and the bar fit very well. The instructions were very clear. Installation took about 6 hours. Take my advice and use a 3/8" 12" long drill bit where required. It cost about $12.00 and will make the install much easier.
The bar looks great! The added stiffness to the body is very noticable. It actually got rid of the most of the little body squeeks and rattles. I like the fact that this bar gives you the protection that you need but doesn't get in the way of raising the top while sitting in the driver seat. ( I live in Louisiana and it can rain at anytime without notice.) The only thing that I can say is less then preferable is that the seat belts don't retract as well as before. Check it out. http://www.geocities.com/lsvtec/IMG_3484.JPG Looks good.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Black Powder coat roll bar
A very substantial product. 6 point mounting;each side of gas tank each inside corner by tunnel, and each side at the seatbelt towers. Conclusion: worth the money for the peace of mind and safety and the installation is fun if you like wrenching. If you are only after "the look", get a style bar. You're welcome to e-mail me w/ questions
First the downs. The seat belt mount is a little indirect so the seatbelt doesn't come out or retract as well (minor). Arrived with the box broken open and there were some minor divots in the paint, most out of sight (minor). BF needs to better package the unit for shipping. I have an '02 SE which has high back seats. The top of the seat hits the rear support and so limits seat travel and recline (about 2' in travel with the seat slightly reclined. If you have lower seats or don't recline it might not be a problem. I'm 5'11' and this is borderline. My hardware pack was missing some washers and had extra bolts, nuts and trim pieces (BFD). Ups: this is a solid chunk of steel! The hoops go over my head and way over the Bn'C's head (5'2"). The car looks great with it installed, and I'm certain this will give protection in a rollover and also in a side impact (t-bone).
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Boss Frog double hoop roll bar powdercoated black
I was one of the first to recieve this bar and have had it on for a couple months now. I consider it the best modification that I have made to the car to date.
The product is an excellent piece of metal. The welds are strong and very smooth making for a great appearance. The overall weight is less than I expected. The backing plates for the roll bar bolts are a great touch as they distribute the force of any impacts during a rollover. The installation was long, the directions were some of the best I've seen and I was never wondering about what to do next. The backing plates came in handy again here as they acted as stencils for the drilling of the holes in some of the tight spots. It’s now been on for one Miata Performance Driving School, and several mountain road drives. It significantly added to the rigidity over the previously installed racing beat style bar, which I was not expecting, and it is very sturdily bolted into the frame. I am confident it would offer protection during a rollover. It is also a great place to grab for a quick jump into the car when the top is down.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Boss Frog Double Hoop Roll Bar
The bars arrived earlier than they said they would. They were shipped FedEX ground. The box was mangled badly. Had some scratches on one bar. The bars took about 8 hours to install (I took my time). Good instructions. Called for a 12" drill bit which I couldn't find anywhere. I used a dremel instead. Had to make some minor drilling on the bars to make fit.
Very happy with the bars. Look great with the top down. Also, tightened up the chasis alot and got rid of alot of rattles and squeeks from chassis flex.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
A functional roll bar with style.
It was a challenge, but the completed project was a reward in itself.
If you are interested in a real Roll Bar, but you also want some style, then you should look at the Boss Frog double hoop roll bar. The workmanship is first class. The installation does take time, but then again any Roll Bar worthwhile will take time. I installed the Boss Frog with some help in four hours taking our time and making sure everything was just right. I then took an additional two hours of cutting and fitting the trim pieces giving the installation a completed and finished look. I highly recommend the Boss Frog double hoop roll bar. Al Hollingsworth (Indyal@aol.com)
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 '99 +
The only dual hump roll bar I've seen for the miata. Looks like a stlye bar but has been tested and is a real roll bar.
Excellent product, it took me 5hrs and 45 mins to do the install, and it looks great. haven't tested it yet, but I don't plan on it!!
Purchased from Team Miata, was one of the first bars made, received promptly. It was a long ordeal to install but the instructions were excellent, so it simplified things greatly.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
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