Half Cage (Roll Bar) Options *Glenspen*

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Old Feb 19, 2016 | 02:35 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by LxJLthr
So can someone explain the purpose behind a half cage?
The main purpose of a half cage (4-point roll bar) is to provide a rollover protection to someone who is strapped to the seat with 5 or 6 point harness. Also most roll bars have a built in harness bar to support harness.

Theory says that it's not safe to use anything other than 3 point factory harness without an additional rollover protection.

Also all the airbags may be kept operational with a rollbar . That's not the case with a full cage.

Last edited by wwrx; Feb 19, 2016 at 02:38 PM.
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 03:50 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by wwrx
The main purpose of a half cage (4-point roll bar) is to provide a rollover protection to someone who is strapped to the seat with 5 or 6 point harness. Also most roll bars have a built in harness bar to support harness.

Theory says that it's not safe to use anything other than 3 point factory harness without an additional rollover protection.

Also all the airbags may be kept operational with a rollbar . That's not the case with a full cage.
Why wouldn't the airbags be operations with a full cage?

And another parts that always bugged me, in a roll over situation with half cage, isn't the front half of the car in danger on getting smashed in since all of the extra protection is right behind the driver? Or is the combination of main hoop, harness and helmet good enough in most (side?) roll situations outside a straight up front flip and/or head on crash? Again, please correct me if I am wrong. I am sure these are n00b questions
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 04:05 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by LxJLthr
Why wouldn't the airbags be operations with a full cage?
Front air bags will be but curtain airbags won't have space to deploy (if car has them) because of top side bars. Also full cage (good full cage, not the imitation like Cusco) will require at least partial interior removal. For example, in many cars you cannot have door bars without removal of front door panels. So if keeping a nice looking interior is the goal (car is dual purpose, etc.) than 4-point roll bar is the only way to go

And another parts that always bugged me, in a roll over situation with half cage, isn't the front half of the car in danger on getting smashed in since all of the extra protection is right behind the driver?
That's correct, front part of the roof wont be protected as much but at least it's better than nothing when driver is strapped to the seat. Also depends on a drivers's height, sitting position and etc.

Here is a nice "flowchart": https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...54&oe=57473A13

Last edited by wwrx; Feb 19, 2016 at 04:07 PM.
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 04:11 PM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Slide
I have seen a ****load of car crashes...and Heedz, you will see a bunch too. I have yet to see one where some one came out of their seat enough (with a seatbelt) to hit the roof area.

I have also seen quite a few roll overs up on skyline, where the car was caged, and there was no head to cage impact...

I don't really know where this theory all came from.

I certainly wouldn't run a cage unless I had a 5 point harness and decent seats, just to make sure, and I'd pad the bars closest to the head in case there WAS deformation of the cage upon an impact. But the fact is, if your impact is going to crush a well designed cage, it would have killed you with out the cage...

This above of course is my opinion based upon my own experiences and should just be taken as an FYI and not fact.
How big of a factor is driver's height? I am a shade over 6'3" and it seems like I am always one good head bop away from cracking my head open in every full cage car I sit in. Though I am sure some of that would be attributed to the seating position optimized for someone else.
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 04:52 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Heedz
Because of this. I don't work in a shop I don't own a shop. It'll be very difficult to even be competitive in Limited or Unlimited.
Safety equipment is a classification?
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 05:01 PM
  #21  
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Just piggy-backing on everyone else's stuff. There's good info in this thread.

Originally Posted by LxJLthr
So can someone explain the purpose behind a half cage?
Added protection while maintaining crumple zones.

obviously, there's big differences between racecars and streetcars. But there's also big differences between the racetrack environment and the street environment. On a racetrack, everything you're going to hit is padded to some extent. On the street, there is no padding.

When you hit a wall at the track, the wall absorbs the impact. When you hit a wall on the street, the car absorbs the impact.

Street cars are designed with crumple zones to absorb impacts. When a cage goes in, the car can't absorb as much of an impact.


For a car that's going to be on the street, a full cage isn't a great idea.
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 05:59 PM
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Im contemplating on wearing a helmet when i drive my spec miata to track days. Got no trailer or tow truck yet lol
Old Feb 19, 2016 | 11:34 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by sigma pi
Safety equipment is a classification?
It's how it braces the chassis and street class you have to run a full dash and interior.
Old Feb 20, 2016 | 12:11 AM
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I say run the full cage and seats and harnesses... ****'em...

That's how my GR will be before summer... If not sooner.
Old Feb 20, 2016 | 07:26 AM
  #25  
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To go back to the OP's question:
Mike Maier out in Livermore builds some really amazing cages. He's known as a Mustang guy, I've he's done a ton of import and other stuff over the years
https://www.mikemaierinc.com

Pacific Fabrication in Morgan Hill does really awesome work with Roll Cages as well
Home Page

Again - known for American, but they've done lots of import. I used to work with the shop owner Kevin, he's very smart
Old Feb 20, 2016 | 09:11 AM
  #26  
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Pacific fab did some awesome work building me hydro steering on my truck and fab'ing a gm psc hydro pump onto a ford.
They had some cool vehicles in there. But I think they moved to gilroy or somewhere new
Old Feb 20, 2016 | 10:04 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by JourdanWithaU
Just piggy-backing on everyone else's stuff. There's good info in this thread.

Added protection while maintaining crumple zones.

obviously, there's big differences between racecars and streetcars. But there's also big differences between the racetrack environment and the street environment. On a racetrack, everything you're going to hit is padded to some extent. On the street, there is no padding.

When you hit a wall at the track, the wall absorbs the impact. When you hit a wall on the street, the car absorbs the impact.

Street cars are designed with crumple zones to absorb impacts. When a cage goes in, the car can't absorb as much of an impact.


For a car that's going to be on the street, a full cage isn't a great idea.
I disagree, there is no crumple zone in the cabin. that is suppose to maintain in a crash.
Originally Posted by bkblitzed
Im contemplating on wearing a helmet when i drive my spec miata to track days. Got no trailer or tow truck yet lol
if you were in socal, I would drag you to the track .
Originally Posted by Heedz
It's how it braces the chassis and street class you have to run a full dash and interior.
yeah it does brace, I agree, but its a safety thing. What about full cage, but no tie ins on suspension parts like the strut tower. (yes I know you dont make the rules)
Old Feb 22, 2016 | 10:16 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by sigma pi
I disagree, there is no crumple zone in the cabin. that is suppose to maintain in a crash.
Only because I just came across this.

Name:  vyMoBWA.jpg
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Luckily the guy was ok. I don't think a cage would have helped this situation though. I think a cage would have made it worse.
Old Feb 23, 2016 | 09:37 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by JourdanWithaU
Only because I just came across this.



Luckily the guy was ok. I don't think a cage would have helped this situation though. I think a cage would have made it worse.
Well:

#1 The 405
#2 80 MPH to a dead stop is going to be some serious carnage, nothing but luck is going to help you on that one, or a 10 year old lexus
#3 whats your screen name on reddit?
Old Feb 23, 2016 | 10:14 AM
  #30  
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Jourdan I'll show you that 50mph crash looks like next time I see you.
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