rollcage ideas

[Ash C]

was just wondering which would be best a fully welded cage or a cage with clamps/lugs and bolts? i was thinking of the lugs and bolts side as i would be able to get it out to spray/powder coat it. any ideas??

[Philsutton]

depends what you want / use it for. For full on motor sport use then a weld in would be best but for road use a bolt in one will suffice, thats what I have in mine.

[Ash C]

it'll be for track days and a bit of road use. i think the bolt in one sounds easier im going to make it myselfs so might be best. if the gayness corsa has got one in i think the little 1.4 will be ok lol

[Dan]

fpmsl, i hope i read that wrong, but just incase i didnt.......

If you intend to drive the car to its limit on track for the sake of a few hundred quid you will get a bolt in 6 point cage which is fia approved. I'd be buggered if i had a diy bodged cage surrounding me. The time it would take you to bend and cut tubes, after initial purchase of the correct materials, one off the shelf would be far more economical

[Mike]

fpmsl, i hope i read that wrong, but just incase i didnt.......

If you intend to drive the car to its limit on track for the sake of a few hundred quid you will get a bolt in 6 point cage which is fia approved. I'd be buggered if i had a diy bodged cage surrounding me. The time it would take you to bend and cut tubes, after initial purchase of the correct materials, one off the shelf would be far more economical

agreed with Dan!! A home made item would offer very little if any at all structural support, zero safety aswell!!

[Ash C]

fpmsl, i hope i read that wrong, but just incase i didnt.......

If you intend to drive the car to its limit on track for the sake of a few hundred quid you will get a bolt in 6 point cage which is fia approved. I'd be buggered if i had a diy bodged cage surrounding me. The time it would take you to bend and cut tubes, after initial purchase of the correct materials, one off the shelf would be far more economical

i dont want to come across as big headed and i know youve got a lot of track knowlage but im an apprentice served sheet metal worker and i keep my car at a fabrication shop so would it be possible to make one or is it just knowing where to place the tube to and the corrct dimesions of it? maybe i'll look into the prices of a six point bolt in one.

[Mike]

i dont want to come across as big headed and i know youve got a lot of track knowlage but im an apprentice served sheet metal worker and i keep my car at a fabrication shop so would it be possible to make one or is it just knowing where to place the tube to and the corrct dimesions of it? maybe i'll look into the prices of a six point bolt in one.

no amount of apprentiship knowledge will compare to hours and hours and hours, and then some more hours, and thousands of pounds worth of development that goes into a proper cage

im a qaulified engineer/fabricator (mechanical and structural) but even i wouldnt make my own

[Ash C]

think i might buy one then lol . wheres a good place to buy one then??

[Mike]

demon tweeks, rallynuts, ebay, roll center etc etc

[ashtal]

usedrallyparts

[tom reid]

agreed with Dan!! A home made item would offer very little if any at all structural support, zero safety aswell!!

Sorry lads, i have to disagree with the above, I've been making my own cages/space-frames for years, even had them approved by the MSA, they have been shown to provide as much protection at every angle as touring car ones. The structural analysis is expensive though.

[Dan]

I cant disagree with that if thats what you have done, my main issue was if he hasnt done it before. Then the purchase of the materials and the hassle/man hours making what would be his first cage couldnt be compared to just buying a 'decent' 6 point cage, ready to bolt in for the sake of 200-300 quid. A no brainer imo

(and just for reference regarding a previous post, i have alot less track experience than many give me credit for. I am only aware of lines to drive and have the full confidence in my car to push it to its limit regardless of shape it pulls. It was built to my spec and setup by myself to how i like a nova to feel, thats it lol lol lol )

[tom reid]

Yep, agree on the inexperienced bit.
I would start by buying a second hand bolt in cage, then weld it in and then start adding some lengths to it at the structurally weak area's, have a look at some rallycars/touring cars, you'll get lots of inspiration from them, problem with that is,inspiration is closely followed by expense!

[Mike]

I cant disagree with that if thats what you have done, my main issue was if he hasnt done it before

that what i was referring to Mr Reid lol

with no experience with regards to fabricating structural strengthening parts, as Dan says, it would be a complete no brainer

I have every faith in my steel working skills and i am certain that i could make a cage, but it would offer as much protection as a ham & cheese toastie lol

[tom reid]

Cold ham and cheese toasties are far stronger than hot ones, the structural analysis suggests that the cheese offers more torsional rigidity if it has ground black pepper added, also tastes better lol

[london_chris]

if you build your own cage, doesnt it have to be checked anyway for road use even? im pretty sure they do as you dont want it splitting in a crash and sticking into you, also cars a re designed so that when you do crash it makes the driver safe, so if you were to build a cage than went into the engine bay for example it would therefore endanger you as when you crash it would be a harder force on the inside of car