Safety question? Roll cage in a street car?

[Scott]

That is another very good point bud. Wrenching your neck hurts at the best of times. Add the weight of a helmet to the potential-kinetic transfer and you are asking for a broken neck.

 

It's either all or none IMO.

[dude]

As I said before a neck brace is a pretty good second to a Hans device and has worked for many years, Andy Robinson wanted to put the main hoop on mine further back than it is now and now it is behind my seat, so his idea puts it way back level or slightly to the rear of the pillars, the side bar is always going to be there but I think you will find they are supposed to be covered with an impact absorbing foam wherever the HELMET may come into contact with the cage, thats in most rule books I believe. At the end of the day JP if you need to ask you already know the answer.......no cage!!

[Aweegin]

Being tall my seat sits so far back my head touchs my old cussco rear cage, side bump or rear ended id still be in trouble i think.

 

 

Seems to me you're answering your own question, Mr P.

 

Get shot of it..less you can get a sexy non pink padded number lol

[scotty71]

Not really needed if you are not doing your trackdays no more I guess

[j80leo]

Is there no way of padding it out near your head?

[AJI]

Its a hard question to give a full answer for.

This is because it really depends on what type of accident you were to have.

 

If for example you were to roll your car and hit a tree, then definitely a roll cage will go a long way to help your survival.

But for something like a side or diagonal impact then you'll find the roll cage coming sideways towards your head. (But then again this will depend on your height and the relative position of the cage).

 

 

For your use of the Supra I voted 'yes'.

[JustGav]

I

If for example you were to roll your car and hit a tree, then definitely a roll cage will go a long way to help your survival.

But for something like a side or diagonal impact then you'll find the roll cage coming sideways towards your head..

 

It is the additional side protection of a cage that I like, it is the one part of the car where the driver is more exposed.

[Chris Wilson]

Is there no way of padding it out near your head?

 

Or thinking laterally, you could become a Sikh and wear a turban.

[AJI]

It is the additional side protection of a cage that I like, it is the one part of the car where the driver is more exposed.

 

Yes that is true. I did read however that he was planning to drive it on the street. And I think the side impact situations would be the main concern when street driving and no helmet.

But overall I'd say the benefits outweigh the negatives IF he is planning more track action than street.

[Chris Wilson]

For sure if you fit carbon doors, or

gut the stock steel ones, then proper gusseted (nice word that... ) door X bars are vital. I held fire fitting carbon doors to my Skyline as it had no cage, and after rattling it sideways into the Oulton tyre wall at about 120 I was glad I did. If you want side protection though it will make entry and egress very inelegant.

[JustGav]

For sure if you fit carbon doors, or

gut the stock steel ones, then proper gusseted (nice word that... ) door X bars are vital. I held fire fitting carbon doors to my Skyline as it had no cage, and after rattling it sideways into the Oulton tyre wall at about 120 I was glad I did.

 

Hmmm, i'm liking the bars on the floorpan, I had considered something like that myself, as well as a bar across the behind the seat joining up the two B pillars.

 

I'm assuming they finish on the tranny tunnel and don't go all the way through? Would be nice to do that but gearboxes get in the way...

 

If you want side protection though it will make entry and egress very inelegant.

You say that, but Ash and I bailed out of the 'on-fire' S13 in about 1/2 sec flat (But in all seriousness that is a valid point, but one I'd happily live with)

Edited April 13, 2010 by JustGav (see edit history)

[Chris Wilson]

They are merely seat mounts. It's an FIA spec' cage and they insist on CDS rails welded in for the seat(s) to stop the stock folded tin mounts pulling free in a big one. All the pics of it (wet, it had just come off an open trailer) are at http://www.chriswilson.tv/skyline_cage_painted/sklyline_cage.html and under construction at http://www.chriswilson.tv/skyline_cage/skyline_cage.html

Edited April 13, 2010 by Chris Wilson (see edit history)

[JustGav]

They are merely seat mounts. It's an FIA spec' cage and they insist on CDS rails welded in for the seat(s) to stop the stock folded tin mounts pulling free in a big one.

 

Aaah okay....

 

Having seen pics of cars attempting to put trees on the passenger seat and the method in which the floors have folded up, I do like the idea of bars to help strengthen that area. *noted* and added to plans

[Dave]

cages should only be used if you are wearing a helmet ,harness,neck brace ect,just my opinion .would look a bit different just popping down the shop for a paper wearing all that i suppose.

or the easy answer just build another car .

 

 

you could dress up like the STIG

[JamieP]

This is the reason i started this thread.

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=177&t=835606&mid=57009&nmt=Any%20rules%20on%20how%20fast%20i%20can%20go%20without%20a%20roll%20cage?

 

Getting slated by the drag racers:D, seems they all disagree with the majority of this poll.

[jevansio]

IMHO some of the comment on that thread could lead to serious safety issues if an unsuspecting reader took them for granted.

 

Your comment:

 

You're kidding me right? you dont understand that huge lumps of scaffold all round my head is dangerous when not not wearing a crash helmet? even a small bump i could split my head open, and dont think a little bit of cage padding will save you....

 

Totally sums up the safety issues, some of them seem to have a real blinkered view, I've seen forum after forum spell out the risks of using a full cage without full harnesses & helmet and I thought PH members would have had a little more sense than the gun-ho attitude of "fit a cage, it HAS to be safer!"

[JamieP]

Glad somebody agrees, i was starting to question my thinking and give in to it:D

[ManwithSupra]

I thought that bolt in cages are pointless?

Any amount of stress they would either punch a hole through the body work or seperate away from it.

 

If its a bolt in then i would say no.

If its a custom half cage weld with the headbar moved back then i also say no, for the amount you will be using it for would not be worth the cost.

 

So i voted no.

Edited April 15, 2010 by ManwithSupra (see edit history)

[jevansio]

Read the whole thread, I still agree with you. Cages may make the car safer on track but driving round 364 days of the year with a full cage, no helmet & OEM seatbelt is a dangerous occupation and if they say it isn't, they're lying. They seem to be missing the point of your questions totally

 

Out of interest what does Wez think on this subject? Does he drive his on the road regular?

 

PS have you contacted one of these cage manufacturers and asked the simple question "Do you recommend fitting a full cage if I intened to drive the car on the road regulary without a helmet with OEM belts?" to see what they say?

Edited April 15, 2010 by jevansio (see edit history)

[JamieP]

 

Out of interest what does Wez think on this subject? Does he drive his on the road regular?

 

PS have you contacted one of these cage manufacturers and asked the simple question "Do you recommend fitting a full cage if I intened to drive the car on the road regulary without a helmet with OEM belts?" to see what they say?

 

 

I dont think Wez drives his on the road much anymore.

 

 

I thought that bolt in cages are pointless?

Any amount of stress they would either punch a hole through the body work or seperate away from it.

 

Yeah i would say you are right, might help with stiffening the car up a bit though.

Edited April 15, 2010 by JamieP (see edit history)

[jevansio]

You know why they're getting so upset? It's because you're wanting to run without a cage & a crash would have serious consequences on their sport.

 

If you asked the plain question (not regarding running at the Pod), do you guys think I should put a cage in my daily drive? they wouldn't answer the same.

 

They also seem to be zoning in on the car doing 190mph, that has nothing to do with it. My Porshce does 190 from the factory, do you see all the Porshce owners on there rushing out putting cages in.

 

You are fighting a loose battle with them over your question as they have an ulterior motive in mind and are avoid answering the real question like the plague.

 

Also that guy who posted the wrecked Supra & spouted some schpiel about this being a routeine accient, how the hell would he know, he jumped on wrecked exotics and pulled the 1st Supra crash he could find & posted it, he knows nothing about how that Supra ended up like that.

[j_jza80]

Tough crowd over there on PH...

 

I'd say that alot of them haven't got a clue what they're on about TBH

Edited April 16, 2010 by j_jza80 (see edit history)

[JamieP]

I think its to do with my my little tescos remark towards red victor that got them going myself:D

[jevansio]

My plan is to fit a rear cage (welded in), it'll be 2 seater, and will be far enough away from the head so that even if I came out my seat my head couldn't hit it. No way I'm putting a front cage in when I use mine without a helmet, although I might get some door bars. The way I see it it's the best compromise for me.

[JamieP]

My plan is to fit a rear cage (welded in), it'll be 2 seater, and will be far enough away from the head so that even if I came out my seat my head couldn't hit it. No way I'm putting a front cage in when I use mine without a helmet, although I might get some door bars. The way I see it it's the best compromise for me.

 

Thats a decent shout, might do something similar myself.