1 Topic by gigglesnirt (edited by gigglesnirt 2010-04-27 09:30 PM)

  • Registered: 2010-01-03
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Topic: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Alright so we are just putting the cage in for thunderhill, really last minute but I guess that's how we roll? Anyway these are just tacked in there for a mockup, we want to know if there are any problems. First off, we know the harness bar is crooked, we put it in there and realized how terribly we put it in and laughed as well, but does anything else look out of place so far? How are the doorbars at these angles and heights? We can raise it but it just makes it harder to get in, and if this will work that would be perfect.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/gigglesnirt/ojlkjm.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/gigglesnirt/grfefwe.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/gigglesnirt/downsize-8.jpg

We are still working on things, but tomorrow we are hoping to get the majority finished so input would be great if we are doing it wrong.

Quick side question, we don't have a seat cover but we have materials, is it alright to just make one with some density foam and cover it with some materials? leopard print possibly if we are cool enough?

Thanks for any help.

  • Spank
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Before I type anything else, I need to make clear that I'm NOT a professional cage builder nor do I ever hope to be. And I've only ever done 2 cages-- both for Lemons.

That said, I've spent probably too much time looking at the FIA regs (and NASA and Rally America) and the first thing that jumps out at me with your cage is the dog legs and how far inside they are located. I believe the "other" organizations like to see them in line with the roof bars or darned near close to it (they specify how far off they can be mis-matched, but I won't quote that). Essentially your roof bar needs to act like a 1 continuous bar pushing load onto the dog legs otherwise you will have a point where the tubes can tear the main hoop in half. Pretty much where your diagonal is currently. It's a pain to notch it at the curve and with multiple tubes intersection at the same point, but might be time well spent.

I would also encourage that you have your top door bar up a bit higher but it's tough to tell from this angle. Use a quick release steering wheel if leg clearance while entering/exiting is a problem (or get in and out the passenger side door).

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  • Registered: 2010-01-03
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

The problem with the dog legs is our spare tire pit is really in the way, the spot we have them at now is pretty much the only section where we can get a clean patch for our base plate unless we were to up the angle and bring the bars to the spot where the back seat rest goes, but that seems too far forward. I did feel like they should be spread out as far as possible too but that's about as far as they can go.

  • From: Mentor, Ohio
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

I would consider some better door bars as well.  Those dont look like they will protect you very well in the event of a side impact.

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  • RobL
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

The door bars are fine - you would just have one hell of a time getting 360 welds in that footwell...  They should be moved up to where your welder can do a good job on them. 

The other thing is that your rear stays should be spread out to the sides a bit if possible.

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  • Registered: 2010-01-03
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

thanks for the info we will take note, a local team is going to swing by and check things out for us as well in person.

  • BoB
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

The main problem I see is you seem to be drinking Decaf, if you had Caffeine the harness bar may have been straight, or maybe way more crooked.

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  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

BoB wrote:

The main problem I see is you seem to be drinking Decaf, if you had Caffeine the harness bar may have been straight, or maybe way more crooked.

No. No. No. The car is sitting at an angle so once they get the car off the jacks everything will go the other way. Damn levels who needs them anyway.:D

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  • From: sacramento ca
  • Registered: 2009-11-25
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

crooked ass harness bar too

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2010-02-11
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Your rear stays should weld to the strut towers.  Not only is it a good, strong place to mount your rear stays, it also helps the car handle better.  You might not be able to make a flat plate for it, which means you'll have to cut multiple pieces of metal and weld them together or heat them up and bend them into place.

See this article:

http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles … -cage.aspx

  • Serj
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

I agree with most of what's already been said here. One thing i would advise is getting a dash bar. It's not mandated but looking at your cage it looks like it would fold inward on a front-side impact, and thus, a good idea to cover your basis.

  • Registered: 2010-01-03
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

We have a dash bar, this is not the complete cage just the important parts we were not quite sure about.

  • From: NJ
  • Registered: 2009-10-08
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Comment on the door bars -- I sure like a design that extends the driver's side bars as far outboard into the driver's door as possible. 

Certainly makes me feel better to know there's some room for movement before contacting the seat as we wheel "the Taxis" around the track.

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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Bender/StickFigureRacing wrote:
BoB wrote:

The main problem I see is you seem to be drinking Decaf, if you had Caffeine the harness bar may have been straight, or maybe way more crooked.

No. No. No. The car is sitting at an angle so once they get the car off the jacks everything will go the other way. Damn levels who needs them anyway.:D

So the cage is tilted due to the angle of the car but the driver's seat is not?  huh?

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  • Mulry
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Ditto on the door bars. Don't install those and do a couple of them NASCAR style. I've done it both ways and the NASCAR door bars are far superior, being both safer in the event of impact and making the car more comfortable for the driver. Skin the driver's door first then bend the door bars to fit.

If you don't know what a NASCAR style bar looks like, check the first photo on this post for an idea:

http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewtopic.php?id=1335

It's kind of a pain to bend them to fit, but you'll be happy that you did.

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  • From: The other side of the fence
  • Registered: 2009-06-17
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

If that is the seat you are going to use please install a seat back support or you may not make it through tech


Pen

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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

What everybody else said:
The rear downbars need to be approximately inline with the halo bar.  The current config will allow the main hoop to fold around the the rear bars in a serious crash.

The upper door bar should be moved up to horizontal, and bowed out into the door w/ a NASCAR bend.  Watch the bar placement, and you may be able to keep your inside door latchhandle.  make the space between doorbars at least 6" and the cage is Chump legal also.

It also appears that the cage is inside a mitsubishi.  You may want to change that. smile

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  • From: Detroit, MI
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

FJ40Jim wrote:

It also appears that the cage is inside a mitsubishi.  You may want to change that. smile

Well THERE'S your problem... says the guy who drives a Z.  tongue

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  • From: San Diego, CA
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Mulry wrote:

Ditto on the door bars. Don't install those and do a couple of them NASCAR style. I've done it both ways and the NASCAR door bars are far superior, being both safer in the event of impact and making the car more comfortable for the driver. Skin the driver's door first then bend the door bars to fit.

If you don't know what a NASCAR style bar looks like, check the first photo on this post for an idea:

http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewtopic.php?id=1335

It's kind of a pain to bend them to fit, but you'll be happy that you did.

Or, since you've already made the straight ones, you could swing both ways:

http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles … -prep.aspx

Second picture from the bottom, aka the "crash attenuator", not quite as strong as a NASCAR setup by itself, but the point is to fold on impact to absorb energy, and the X-brace is the strong, enough is enough, point.  Since NASCAR bars can bend in just as far as they're bent out reasonably easily, they're not the best solution, IMO.

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

Mulry wrote:

Ditto on the door bars. Don't install those and do a couple of them NASCAR style. I've done it both ways and the NASCAR door bars are far superior, being both safer in the event of impact and making the car more comfortable for the driver. Skin the driver's door first then bend the door bars to fit.

If you don't know what a NASCAR style bar looks like, check the first photo on this post for an idea:

http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewtopic.php?id=1335

It's kind of a pain to bend them to fit, but you'll be happy that you did.

I went over and check the car out last night. They bought a prefab kit designed to fit the Mitsubishi, based on what they received their doing a pretty good job with what they have. The main reason for not doing Nascar doors bars is that they don't have the bender or any more time for getting them done.  I suggested doing them for the next race. These guys are really pushing against a time line to get the car done. The engine is not in, and a lot of the basics still need to be done. I told them get the car to the track and if need be do a shout out for help to finish things up. I would say that they are in the same boat so many of us were in when we did our first race.
Oh! the painful memories.:D

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  • FJ40Jim
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

We did the X-bars for the first race, cause it's what came with the kit from
http://www.swracecars.com/store/10-Poin … 569TD.aspx

After we banged our elbows on the x-bars repeatedly, they were cut out and replaced w/ locally sourced NASCAR bars before next race.

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  • From: San Diego, CA
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Re: Judge us! another how does this cage look thread

FJ40Jim wrote:

We did the X-bars for the first race, cause it's what came with the kit from
http://www.swracecars.com/store/10-Poin … 569TD.aspx

After we banged our elbows on the x-bars repeatedly, they were cut out and replaced w/ locally sourced NASCAR bars before next race.

That's what roll-bar padding is for. big_smile