CJ5 rollbar padding

Somewhere on the forum I saw a shot of an older Wrangler in a junkyard with the covered zip-on roll bar padding still on it....it got me thinking...I could use some rollbar padding for the kids riding in the back.... is a YJ rollbar the same diameter as an old CJ5 rollbar? Would look pretty trick if I had some nice professional looking padding....Where does one acquire padding for rollbars?

 

Some of those floating tubes for kids in the pool might work.

Some of the speed equipment sites carry the roll bar padding, but it ain't exactly cheap!

 

Neoprene pipe insulation works well. Does not have the fancy zip-on vinyl cover though.

 

I used the pipe insulation and then bought black duct tape and it came out decent

 

But the duct tape begins to dry up and peel, then you have to start over.


I'd suggest getting an estimate at an upholstery type place, maybe they could make a roll bar cover.

 

hmmm dont know about that...I would guess environment, use etc would play into that. Mine stayed in the garage and had no issues but I guess If I had to rewrap it every other year that wouldnt be so bad..certainly the route you suggest is cleaner looking but im cheap

 

Some years back I got some 2 inch wide black plastic tape at a 4 wheel drive shop in Sacramento that was sold as roll bar padding tape. It lasted for many years of exposure to sun and weather. Unfortunately that 4 wheel drive shop did not...Capitol Jeepers Supply if anyone remembers that shop.

Don

 

Here in the SW US you would have to have covers. The padding itself would not last a season and you would be replacing that. The cover is a necessity here.

 

I use the pipe insulation like Tim suggested, and got some 2" wide black electrical tape at Ace hardware.

 

Rugged Ridge sells covers, for some later years at least. Summit Racing has universal Pro Comp's "Rapz."

A custom scuba wetsuit maker could fabricate a tubular 1/4" neoprene cover with a zipper, and it would have a nylon or lycra skin. Dunno about cost. Or you could cut and glue the neoprene yourself.

 

I also used thick pipe insulation and around 2" wide tape. It was more of a vinyl tape and has held up for around 17 or so years. I normally run a bikini top when the soft top is off so I'm sure this has helped quite a bit. I believe the tape is for pipe wrapping or large electrical insulation. Don't remember where I got it but you absolutely cannot tear it, but is easy to cut with a knife.


Sent from my iPhone

 

Summit Racing sells roll bar padding for different diameters tubing. Then I used 2" wide black pipe tape. It has been on there for last 10years and still looks good.

 

What is the inner diameter of the pipe tubing you guys are using?

 

Roll bars come in all different diameters of tube. You need to measure what you have and go from there.

 

yeah i thought hat after I submitted that, OK.

 

Yeah, mine is 2 inch, but a lot of them are 1 7/8" or even 1 1/2". Some are even a mixture.

 

i bought pipe insulation and spent 40 dollars on cold weather electrical tape

 

I bought roll bar padding from from a racing supply and was industrious by sewing black vinyl and using velcro to secure it. The sewing project wasn't to difficult, sections were broken down to make it easier.