This Will Be An Odd Question

I had to have a roll bar repaired on a fiberglas 72 CJ. I had a welding shop replace the base plates that were toast. Unfortunately, they used a different gauge steel, a little heavier (1/4in) than the original. The new holes lined up in the shop with the old holes, but now, I find that for whatever reason, I am missing the holes for the downward facing bolts by about 1/4in. So something needs to get elongated, either the fiberglass tub which is easy, or the base plate, which I suspect will be a pain using a 1/2 steel bit and a hand held drill for all six holes. Looking for opinions on what is the safest (the way that least compromises the assistance the roll bar might provide in an accident) and most efficient way to do this. I do get it, a tub mounted roll bar is not all that great, but, it is better than nothing at all, and this is just a daily driver and mall cruiser, nothing more than farm trails off-road. I don't want to compromise whatever use it might be in an accident. Thanks for your help.

 

I'm not sure if I understand, but if it fit before, it should fit again. Pics would help.

The mating plates aren't just flipped or spun 90 or 180* are they?

Is just a matter of splaying the down-tube out a little to align things?

 

I just re-read your post. I was thinking cage, but it's just a bar behind the occupants?

You should be able to spread the mounts apart from each other or move them around quite a bit by hand, or with a 2x4 or board cut an inch longer than the distance between the tubes and wedged between them.

Am I still misunderstanding?

 

I would redrill the fiber glass and put a larger reinforcing plate behind it

 

Yeah, the problem is the plates are tight up against the body, no more room for jockeying anything around. That's how the holes are short, if I could spread the bars another half an inch, I'd be golden. I think the last poster has the right idea. Elongate the body holes, put a piece of flat 1 inch wide plate underneath, drill it, and essentially sister the wheel well in between. Thanks for the responses.

 

That is how I am doing mine. A plate on top that the cage welds too and a plate under the tub that is attached to the frame or subframe, depending on the location. SO it is upper plate plate, fiberglass tub, lower plate. between the plates and tub I have a piece of thick rubber (conveyor belt?) to hopefully eliminate rubbing between the metal and fiberglass. Pates are bolted with grade 8 bolts.

 

Great idea about the rubber, I hadn't even thought about that. Since my jeep won't be exposed to the torsion forces of riding extreme trails or especially rocks, I can probably do pretty well with a cut piece of worn down non-steel or perhaps fabric tire. A little tough to cut, but cheap and available with just some sweat equity.

 

I have a bunch of old dirt bike inner tubes that would be perfect for that. Put an ad on CL or in a regional section of a dirt bike forum like Thumpertalk or ADVRider. You will probably get them dropped off at your house for free.

If you're lucky, you'll find someone who runs ultra heavy duty tubes. They're 4mm thick.

 

Early jeeps had old tires as rubber spacers IIRC.