Show me pics of your upper RACP (subframe) reinforcements

[s54wagon]

Seems like I can't buy a VinceBar anymore, but the system doesn't look too too hard to replicate if installing with welds. I know of the various options that people run but I'm looking for one that's flat and doesn't get in the way of any cargo because it's for a wagon. I've ran across several pics of DIY setups but I can't seem to find any now.

[heinzboehmer]

This will probably help:

https://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1255643#/topics/1255643

[ethan]

I hacked something together using the Vince bolts and Home Depot bar:

[ATB88]

Seems like I can't buy a VinceBar anymore, but the system doesn't look too too hard to replicate if installing with welds. I know of the various options that people run but I'm looking for one that's flat and doesn't get in the way of any cargo because it's for a wagon. I've ran across several pics of DIY setups but I can't seem to find any now.

From the looks of Vince's facebook page, he still seems to be producing and shipping them? https://www.facebook.com/PPRnDnews/

[Johnvu]

I had to message vince directly on fb to get my kit. Here are some pics of my epoxy rivet kit during the install. Sorry but i never took photos of the bar and kit itself.

[timmo]

Copied from my build thread:




Then I drilled the pilot hole for the front mounts from the bottom, poking through the top-most layer of the floor. Then used a holesaw from the top-side to allow access to the internal MIG welds (which weren’t cracked) at the top of the threaded insert for the front subframe studs:



Then started cutting the top-most layer of the rear section:



Had to do a couple of minor trims, before a test-fit of the bar:



All the grinding and cutting sure makes everything in the garage dirty:



Started removing paint on the areas that will be epoxied, and applied POR15 Metal Prep to prevent rust:









Then, epoxied and rivetted everything in place:









It ain’t pretty, but I covered all the exposed seams and remaining exposed metal with POR15:





Also got my new rear shocks, RSMs, and reinforcement plates in during reinstallation:



Managed to button up the car the last night of the weekend, and decided to fabricate the cover and clean up the car the next weekend. Turned out that pre-cut steel plate that was sent with the kit was too small, since I guess I cut the rear top-layer too big:



So I made a CAD template, bought some sheet stock, and re-made it:





Then rivetted the whole lot together and seam-sealed the seams:



Then POR15 all exposed metal and seam sealer. Again, it ain’t pretty, but it’s not something I look at every day:



If I could go back and do it again, I’d take a lot more time protecting the interior. I had a few cheap towels laid out, but clearly they weren’t enough. It took me forever to clean the carpets, and I now have permanent craters in the headliner and pitting on the interior of my windshield from the sparks:





Oh well, at least I shouldn’t have to worry about my RACP ever again.

[Anders93]

I plan on doing something similar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s52UPYLAlWs

Instead of a bolt-though design, they weld tube directly onto the tops of the subframe mounts. Of course, you have to make sure you cut or drill down through the first layer of sheet metal to tie directly into the mount, but it would eliminate the need to drop the subframe if you've already had plates done. Sparks can be a problem if you're doing this with the gas tank on, but I'll be tig welding, so it shouldn't be an issue.

For the rear mounts, instead of the design in the video, I would weld in a piece of square tubing directly over the center of the mounts (with the direction of the tube oriented up) which would then be welded into a Vincebar-style crossbeam. I have very limited knowledge about this kind of thing, but at first-glance it seems it would work very similar to a bolt-though design. It would be interesting to do some finite element analysis on these things.

[liam821]

If I could go back and do it again, I’d take a lot more time protecting the interior. I had a few cheap towels laid out, but clearly they weren’t enough. It took me forever to clean the carpets, and I now have permanent craters in the headliner and pitting on the interior of my windshield from the sparks:

When I did mine, I just removed the whole interior except the front carpet which was covered. I'm happy I did, it made a huge mess getting it all installed and the car smelled like welding for a good few weeks after it was all finished.

[timmo]

When I did mine, I just removed the whole interior except the front carpet which was covered. I'm happy I did, it made a huge mess getting it all installed and the car smelled like welding for a good few weeks after it was all finished.

Smart... so my interior is pretty clean but funny story, last summer when I did my yearly full detail I took the corner of a MF towel and ran it in that little gap between the rear armrest leather pad and rear doorcard - the corner of the towel was black with tiny metal shavings! So that filth was there for 3 years before it was cleaned out.

[poss]

Reasonably straightforward to manufacture the bar (as I did):