Roll bar foam padding

[Cjman]

Hello. The foam padding I had wrapped around my front hoop roll bar and connecting bars only lasted 2 years before just disintegrating. You touch it and the foam breaks down into fine dust. Can’t be good for you to inhale.

Do we have a source of padding that we all like to use?

Thanks
George

 

[shum8]

Back many years ago we (I) used pipe insulation. Finding the correct ID these days has proven impossible in this neck of the woods........ Do you have a roll bar cover already, or are you old schooling it and wrapping the foam with 2” vinyl tape?


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[Project86]

I also used pipe insulation on one of my builds. You may try talking some refrigeration places/friends out of some. All you can do is try.

 

[shum8]

This appears to be about the largest ID commonly available these days

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Frost-King-1-1-2-in-x-6-ft-Foam-Plumbing-Tubular-Pipe-Insulation/3308048

You could cut filler strips to fill in......


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[007]

I've wondered about this too, and I think you could use what's been proposed then have a vinyl wrap with snaps or velcro on it (like a handlebar pad on a kids bike) and make it look pretty nice and match your paint or interior...

 

[Cjman]

Thanks all. Good ideas. I’ll post a picture of whatever I end up doing.

 

[Basod]

McMaster-Carr has larger pipe sizes with foam rubber vs. the common polyethylene available in box stores.
https://www.mcmaster.com/pipe-insulation

Or just bite the bullet and get a roll bar padded cover
https://www.morris4x4center.com/bes...MIhYqMvfHk5QIVA_7jBx1hEQOVEAQYAiABEgJOzfD_BwE

 

[JeeperChris]

Or just bite the bullet and get a roll bar padded cover
https://www.morris4x4center.com/bes...MIhYqMvfHk5QIVA_7jBx1hEQOVEAQYAiABEgJOzfD_BwE

That link looks like it's just the cover, not the padding.

 

[Mrpeter63]

As an insulator by trade it sounds like you had what we call Armaflex on your roll bars. Goes by a bunch of different names now a days, K-flex, Armalock, Armacell, etc. Which is an easier more flexible padding/insulation for what your doing. The polyethylene type insulation, what you will find in home depot/Lowes, is a more rigid/less flexible insulation. plus the self seal or glue on the polyethylene doesn't work as well on bends. Either one you use they need to be coated with a UV coating, what we call Armaflex paint, for outside use. Easy to apply and looks good with two coats. Can also be tinted to whatever color you may want, comes in white and you would have to tint yourself. Your best bet is locating an insulation supplier near you, also any HVAC supplier will sell it also just a tad more expensive. If you use the Mcmaster-carr link, the first link is for the Armaflex type, the second polyethylene type, but the coating at the bottom is not the type coating you want. One thing to remember is Insulation is measured by OD of the pipe your installing it on. Example 2" copper is 2 1/8", 2" schedule 40 is 2 3/8", etc. So measure the OD of your pipe and if they don't have that actual size go the next size larger.. Use a really sharp knife to cut it!! When you have to go around a bend put your seam on the side of the bend not in the throat or on the back...

 

[007]

Thank you! That’s great info!


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[drbillm]

So what acrylic coating do you recommend for the flexible rubber foam? What can you tint it with? I was thinking of just wrapping it in duct tape or something. That's what all did on our cages 35+ years ago.

 

[Mrpeter63]

Armacell Product Selector - ArmaFlex WB Finish White Paintable Insulation Coating This is what you want or something comparable. Different suppliers sell same product under different names. Any commercial insulation supplier will sell it as well as some HVAC suppliers. I see you're in upstate NY. Google General Insulation, i'm pretty sure they are up your way. They sell the K-Flex version, or on that link there's a where to buy tab. Somebody near you sells it. It ain't cheap! but ya get what ya pay for.. You can tint with any water based tint from Lowe's, Home depot, or any paint supply store. i know its says on the website tint for indoor use only. That is using their tint and it won't effect the paint, it will just fade a little over time from the UV. They just use/sell a cheap tint as 99% of color coded piping is inside. Outside we cover with aluminum, PVC, or just paint it white. I'm sure a paint supplier can sell ya a tint that will hold up better outside...