HARDWARE KIT:

• Shoulder Harness Guide Relocation Assemblies
  • 2 - 3/8" X 1" grade 8 bolts
  • 4 - 3/8" flat washers
  • 2 - 3/8" lock nuts
  • 2 - bushings
  • 2 - plastic trim caps
  • 2 - 3/8" trim cap mounting washers
    
    
• Upper Mounting Plate
  • 2 - 7/16"(11mm) X 2.25" bolts
  • 2 - spacers
  • 2 - plastic trim caps
  • 2 - 7/16" trim cap mounting washers
    
    
• Foot Plate Mounting
  • 2 - 7/16" (11mm) X 1.25" bolt

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Wrenches
  • 16mm or 5/8"
  • ‘94 & later - 17mm or 11/16"
  • 2 - 9/16"
  • 10mm
• #2 phillips head screwdriver
• fine tooth reciprocating saw or jigsaw for cutting plastic interior panels (a belt sander and/or half round file are handy for fitting plastic interior panels)
• T-40 torx drive for removable hard top latches

1) This step is my favorite part: PUT THE TOP DOWN!

2) REMOVE THE TRIM PANELS COVERING THE SEAT BELT TOWERS. (THESE PIECES ARE CALLED QUARTER TRIM BY MAZDA.)

First remove the metal cap at the top of the panel just behind the door. This is held in place by a threaded fastener that is used to attach the top boot (10mm) and a Phillips head screw on the NA. The NB version is similar but an extra rubber molding has been added that is held in place by a plastic insert inside the top of the door jamb and another under the lip of the body just behind the door.

Remove the weather-stripping that runs along the front edge of the trim panel at the rear of the door opening. (you might find it necessary to loosen the 4 Phillips head screws in the scuff plate that runs along the bottom of the door sill on some early models)

Remove the plastic cover from the shoulder harness guide (it just snaps off) ,loosen the bolts and remove the bolt and spacers from the guide.

On the ‘94-’97 models Remove the cockpit brace end covers (they also snap), loosen the bolts and remove the cockpit brace.

There is a small plastic clip at the rear of the trim panel just behind the hole the shoulder harness guide bolt goes through. Remove the clip by pulling it toward the rear of the car.

Remove the rectangular seat belt trim ring at the front of the panel and the 2 fasteners in each trim panel located on the inside just above the package tray, one is a kind of plastic rivet that is loosened by lifting the center portion and pulling it free, the other is another one of the boot cover snaps with the 10mm head.

If you have an NB with the wind blocker remove the screws and lift the wind blocker out. The trim panel can now be removed by pulling it toward the center of the car.

3) REMOVE THE LOWER SEAT BELT REEL BOLTS (16mm pre’94 17mm ‘94 and later) AND SPACERS. Also remove and discard the seat belt reel alignment screw at the top of the mounting bracket (small screw w/ 10mm head). Pull the complete assembly forward and bend the alignment tab down flat, this will allow the reel to tilt inward for better seat belt alignment and retraction after the bar is installed. Do not reinstall the small alignment bolt at the top of the reel.
VERY IMPORTANT GO TO SEAT BELT REEL & GUIDE INSTRUCTIONS and follow these instructions.

4) SET THE BAR IN THE CAR - Place the bar in the car with the labels on the lower part of the bar forward. The horizontal mounting plates half way up the bar should fit over the top of the seat belt tower and align with the bolt hole that held the shoulder harness guide. The lower mounting points align with the lower seat belt reel bolt holes. The roll bar foot plates fit against the seat belt reels which stay in their original location but do not use the original spacers.(FIG# 1) Once the Hard Bar and seat belt reels are in position start, but do not completely tighten the footplate using the mounting bolts from the hardware kit and the original equipment small OD flat washers from the stock bolts. Make sure your seat belts are on the inside of the roll bar.

5) Install the upper mounting bolts through the upper mounting plate with the spacer under the plate in place of the original shoulder harness guide bolt and spacers,(FIG# 2) be sure the trim cap mounting washers are under the bolt heads, we want this thing to look nice when you get done!
Most of the time this is not a problem but we've noticed over the yearts that NA and NB seat belt towers can vary. In some instances, by a considerable amount even from side to side in the same car. If the spacer is too long for your car, it will make the bolt difficult to align. Too short and the plate will distort when you tighten the bolt. Cut the spacer or add a washer or two if needed. The spacer should be a snug fit under the plate but should not push the bar forward.

The shoulder harness guide is NOT installed at this point, DO NOT install the guide under the mounting bolt. Attach the seat guide to the bar through the smaller hole in the upper mounting plate using the bolts, washers and bushings supplied in the hardware kit as show in (FIG# 3).
 Be careful, don’t drop any hardware down in the seat belt reel!

6) TIGHTEN THE FASTENERS: MOUNTING BOLTS 35 - 40 ft-lbs SEAT BELT GUIDE BOLTS 20ft-lbs

7) CHECK CONVERTIBLE TOP CLEARANCE - It may be necessary to adjust the top frame to allow clearance when the top is lowered and raised especially with the covered bars. Raise the top slowly checking clearance as the hinge points come up past the bar. If the hinge point rub the bar, loosen the (3) 12mmm bolts on each side just behind the door jamb that holds the top frame. Pull or pry the frame toward to rear of the car as far as it will go. Tighten the bolts while holding pressure on the top frame and recheck the clearance. See convertible top adjustment page. These adjustments will not cause problems with top fitment at the windows or windshield but will keep the top frame from scratching the bar or cover.

8) CUT QUARTER TRIM PANELS - In order to reinstall the trim panels they have to be cut into two pieces. We use a small air powered reciprocating saw to do the jpb, but a jigsaw with a fine tooth blade will do just fine. It’s fairly evident as to where the cut needs to be made, just cut the panel and trim to fit up to the roll bar, but maybe (FIG# 4b) will help to make things easier. A belt sander gives a nice straight finished edge but a large fairly coarse (wood type) file will suffice. Take several small cuts to get a good fit. In addition to the vertical cut, a semicircular area will have to be removed along the outer top area of the panel to fit up to the bar.(FIG# 4a)

The final cut is to elongate the seat belt hole, trim to the vertical edge, cut the end off of the rectangular seat belt trim rings that were snapped out of the quarter trim during the disassembly so that they will fit back into the elongated seat belt holes and butt up against the roll bar.(FIG# 4a) Make sure the seat belt does not drag on the panel.

9) REINSTALL THE REMAINING PARTS 

Updated January 26, 2018 8:12 PM