Roll cages, your views
- Thread starter Chucaro
- Start date
Michele said:
I would not worry about it Michele, you got the cage because you obviously need it and I dont think it will hurt anything if it is a bit stiffer. By the way, did you get the X cross for the inside of the truck. Those photos (completed ones) are were I got the idea for my truck and ran a cross inside. I think that is about the best thing you can do is to triangulate the exo. Gordo.
Michele
Observer
Dave,
I wasn't having a go at you/Matt's cage above...
BTW,ill fitting doors and leaks come standard with almost any Rover so it's the last of my troubles
:xxrotflma
gordo said:
Hey Gordo,
I agree in the end I'll have the cage fitted as it's supposed to be (weld-on brackets to the chassis etc),and see how it goes,may modify it later (yeah,trying to kid myself here,I'll have no more will nor money to do that once the cage will be in place,I know!!Ha!)
This cage will be a work in progress anyway,as I change the roof accordingly to my mood/need so I'd like something modular which works either with the full SW roof & the truck cab.
I think of a removable X or at least 1 diagonal bar /...
Bolt on I guess?
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Chucaro
Adventurer
JohnC said:
Hi John, that is a good set up, I just sold the Disco and I am shopping for a Defender or a Range Rover so my plans for a roll cage are going to be on hold for few weeks.
I am currently touring in Tasmania where are awesome 4wd tracks. I posted some images in the expeditions section.
Looking at your address is nice to see NY/Uruguay. I born in Montevideo and come to Australia in 1969.
Cheers and keep in touch
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Very good discussion here guys. I would just like to add that you REALLY should have proper padding on those internal cages. And by proper, I don't mean that pipe insulation one person showed.
Race cars have started to move away from allowing pipe insulation as rollbar padding. There are now new materials engineered specifically for this application. You can get SFI rated padding in the USA, and FIA padding in the rest of the world.
You can see it here on the cage of my trackday car:
It is a more of a rigid foam, which at first might seem counter intuitive. But, if you want to understand the reason, take your pipe insulation and whack it with a hammer. You'll feel quite a hard blow on the surface underneath. With the proper rollbar padding, you can hit it very hard without hitting the substrate.
For reference, look at any helmet. Is the insulation soft and squishy, or is it firm?
It's great that you add rollover protection to your vehicles. But if the vehicle survives but you or a passenger does not because of a head injury, then what is the point of a cage?
This padding should be added to any surface you can possibly hit with any part of your body. You'd see I added it practically to the ground along the A pillar. It's also on both the windshield hoop, and the B pillar main hoop.
Race cars have started to move away from allowing pipe insulation as rollbar padding. There are now new materials engineered specifically for this application. You can get SFI rated padding in the USA, and FIA padding in the rest of the world.
You can see it here on the cage of my trackday car:
It is a more of a rigid foam, which at first might seem counter intuitive. But, if you want to understand the reason, take your pipe insulation and whack it with a hammer. You'll feel quite a hard blow on the surface underneath. With the proper rollbar padding, you can hit it very hard without hitting the substrate.
For reference, look at any helmet. Is the insulation soft and squishy, or is it firm?
It's great that you add rollover protection to your vehicles. But if the vehicle survives but you or a passenger does not because of a head injury, then what is the point of a cage?
This padding should be added to any surface you can possibly hit with any part of your body. You'd see I added it practically to the ground along the A pillar. It's also on both the windshield hoop, and the B pillar main hoop.
IXNAYXJ
Adventurer
The padding issue is a great point. As someone who has gotten a concussion from my track car (driving on the street, no helmet), I can completely vouch for the importance of GOOD cage padding. That's one of the reasons I like the hybrig cage I built; there aren't any bars to hit my head on.
My 365 RWHP Miata MX-5.0:
-----Matt-----
My 365 RWHP Miata MX-5.0:
-----Matt-----
Ron B
Explorer
I put a cage in my hummer last June (been out of town for almost a year working, now I'm back and addressing the padding issue).
I bought the half circle sfi-rated stuff...it's waaaay harder than I thought it would be. I know it's really designed for impact with a helmet, but it will be better than pipe insulation (or god forbid, raw steel) in a crash. I was thinking of adding some additional padding in the areas one's head will most likely contact (the self adgesive 1/8th inch thick rubber stuff). Maybe it's the wrong stuff for my/our application?
this stuff is what I got:
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=2395
maybe should have gone a softer route:
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=KIR-99003&N=700+4294920026+115&autoview=sku
It just came in the mail yesterday...I was considering returning it and just getting the usual offset full circle type non-sfi rated padding (second link above), but it's a soft top and thought it might interfere with the top's fit...plus finding that stuff for a 2" pipe aint easy!
what do you guys think?
rb
I bought the half circle sfi-rated stuff...it's waaaay harder than I thought it would be. I know it's really designed for impact with a helmet, but it will be better than pipe insulation (or god forbid, raw steel) in a crash. I was thinking of adding some additional padding in the areas one's head will most likely contact (the self adgesive 1/8th inch thick rubber stuff). Maybe it's the wrong stuff for my/our application?
this stuff is what I got:
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=2395
maybe should have gone a softer route:
http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=KIR-99003&N=700+4294920026+115&autoview=sku
It just came in the mail yesterday...I was considering returning it and just getting the usual offset full circle type non-sfi rated padding (second link above), but it's a soft top and thought it might interfere with the top's fit...plus finding that stuff for a 2" pipe aint easy!
what do you guys think?
rb
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I absolutely think the harder stuff is the way to go, even without a helmet. That Kirkey stuff is junk. Might as well not have any padding at all for all the good that it does. If you're really wondering if the good stuff is too hard, just compare it to the A pillar trim on any car from the factory. They don't make the trim hard for no reason, it's specifically designed for head hits.
I'll always regret not bringing in a sample of the FIA padding to a supplier I worked with who had a HIC rig. Would have been interesting to know how it compares to OEM. I'm surprised nobody has tested it yet. (or maybe they have, I haven't looked in a few years).
I'll always regret not bringing in a sample of the FIA padding to a supplier I worked with who had a HIC rig. Would have been interesting to know how it compares to OEM. I'm surprised nobody has tested it yet. (or maybe they have, I haven't looked in a few years).
Ron B
Explorer
thanks for the fast feedback -- I agree with you about being safer. I've been on-line reading about testing and there are many comparisons to the plastic in auto interiors. I think I'll go ahead and put it in and maybe soften up the sections I'm more likely to hit with the thin foam padding I mentioned above. I'll post a picture when I'm done.
rb
rb
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Are you worried about bumping your head getting in and out, or while driving? My Focus has a high roof line, and I'm strapped in with a 5 point harness, even on the street, specifically *because* of the cage, so there's no chance of bumping it while driving. I don't think you need to worry about getting hurt getting in and out. If the cage is close to your head and the road is bumpy, maybe you could worry about that. I still don't think it would *hurt* much, but you'd feel it. You could try the soft stuff.
In race cars, there's a concern about flammable materials inside, and IIRC, the FIA padding is flame retardant. Probably not worth worrying about with the soft stuff you're putting in.
Another option, if you have money to spend or a REALLY helpful wife, have somebody sew up a padded fabric, velcro closed sleeve to put over top, just like the Jeeps used to have. That would really make it look nice, and give the dual level of protection you want.
One note, the BSCI brand padding I bought didn't work out too well with the self-adhesive strip they put on. I had to zip tie the cage. Others have had the same problem. If you use large black zip ties and trim them, do a neat job, it doesn't look bad at all.
In race cars, there's a concern about flammable materials inside, and IIRC, the FIA padding is flame retardant. Probably not worth worrying about with the soft stuff you're putting in.
Another option, if you have money to spend or a REALLY helpful wife, have somebody sew up a padded fabric, velcro closed sleeve to put over top, just like the Jeeps used to have. That would really make it look nice, and give the dual level of protection you want.
One note, the BSCI brand padding I bought didn't work out too well with the self-adhesive strip they put on. I had to zip tie the cage. Others have had the same problem. If you use large black zip ties and trim them, do a neat job, it doesn't look bad at all.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
It was about 4-5 years ago I did this, but IIRC, the tape didn't stick to the tube. It was ok on the straights, but on the curves, not a chance. I also questioned it's ability to hold the padding in position when it actually takes an impact. It just seemed best to zip tie it.
I'm not sure if it is the 3M VHB tape I've used, but I've used a really high quality grey 3M padded dual sided tape before with mixed results. It works well for light duty applications, such as sticking down satelite radio or GPS antenna, but I've also used it to help hold my WRC spoiler on the hatch, and it didn't work there. The spoiler attached with both studs, and tape. The tape has released, but the studs remain. That's a difficult application though, as the spoiler actually generates some downforce, and overhangs the hatch.
I know I used the tape somewhere else it failed also, but can't remember what.
I'm not sure if it is the 3M VHB tape I've used, but I've used a really high quality grey 3M padded dual sided tape before with mixed results. It works well for light duty applications, such as sticking down satelite radio or GPS antenna, but I've also used it to help hold my WRC spoiler on the hatch, and it didn't work there. The spoiler attached with both studs, and tape. The tape has released, but the studs remain. That's a difficult application though, as the spoiler actually generates some downforce, and overhangs the hatch.
I know I used the tape somewhere else it failed also, but can't remember what.
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