Are Roll Bars real or are they just appearance bars

[MikeWoodBooks]

Hi,
new member. Looking at building my own cap due to the exorbitant prices of the A.R.E. caps. Would really help if i could remove the roll bars. I know some vehicles don't really have true roll bars. What they actually have are appearance bars made to look like functional roll bars. Does anyone know if the Baja's bars are functional or they just put there for appearances sake. And if they are there for appearance sake, what is the best way to remove them? thanks, mike wood. Also, here's a pic of my truck hauling a glass front cooler.

[yellowblaze]

They aren't "roll bars" (which is why Subaru calls them "sport bars") however I believe they do add to the structural ridgity of the vehicle. Since Bajas aren't full framed, I think they used them to tie things together a bit-but I could be wrong, that could have been the STX. I know someone with a Silver Baja removed them and had them powdercoated black, then put them back in, so it is possible to remove them.

[Alpha Wolf]

Since they do not extend up to/above the roof and have a cross bar connecting them they are not roll bars.

They add some stiffing to the chassis due to wagon part of Legacy being cut down to form our truck bed and since this vehicle lacks full frames of true pickups it may be needed. It also is a routing for wiring for sports lights etc.

I suppose you could remove them but I have no idea if you will have flex issues. That would depend on how you drive, where you drive, what you carry etc...

[MikeWoodBooks]

Thanks for the responses. It wasn't the answer i was hoping for, but it looks like i'll have to keep them. I'll just have to build around them.

[Alpha Wolf]

Thanks for the responses. It wasn't the answer i was hoping for, but it looks like i'll have to keep them. I'll just have to build around them.

I the camper shells I have seen are built to rest so that they are retained.

[davecoon13]

There is an article in the NASIOC Baja forum that says how to remove them. I am not sure if it impacts the crash worthiness or not, but you can remove them and the vehicle won't fall apart. This article says they are structural.

[MikeWoodBooks]

Thanks,
If they were only for appearance, i'd just as soon remove them and increase the cargo room. But my primary reason was to make it easier to add a shell cap. Fortunately i was able to acquire an ARE so that made the issue moot.