Westfield Rollcage

Westfield Rollcage

Author
Discussion

MattWilcox

Original Poster:

81 posts

170 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Hey all, looking for a bit of advice.

I'm thinking about putting a cage on the westy (after a cursory examination, I came to the conclusion that the original single bar is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard eek).

I've seen the 'official' one (I think from Caged?) and someone said talk to some of the guys in the 750 motor club, but I know a guy who's a seriously good welder with a fair bit of pipe-bending kit too, who reckons he could do me a custom one cheaper (in excess of £1000 seems a little... well, excessive!).

All good in theory, but I suddenly wondered whether my shiny one-off cage might fall foul of MSA regs if I decided to get into sprints/hillclimbs. Are there any specific requirements for tube diameter, thickness, cage design and so on?

Any advice from anyone who knows the ins and outs of the regulations, or who's gone down this route before would be much appreciated.

Shaun_E

747 posts

259 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
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If you have a one off cage then yes there are regulations if you want to race. These can be found in the Blue Book. There are designs and material specifications in there. For sprint's and hillclimbs you don't need a cage if you are in a road going class. The Blue Book is not easy to understand so best to talk to someone who knows the regulations better than I do.
Caged make a very good cage (I have one of their's on my Caterham) and it was under £1000 (fitted).
I suspect a one off cage made to the specifications in the Blue book will be very heavy. The advantage of using someone like Caged is that they have had the design certified and it doesn't need to meet all of the specifications described in the blue book - the design has to work as a whole rather than as individual elements. This enables them to use smaller diameter tubing for parts of the cage. Hope this makes sense!

GreigM

6,726 posts

248 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
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I have a Caged cage and can't recommend it highly enough - looks great, not too heavy, good design and importantly has the MSA sticker on it......I believe the cage is about £800 without fitting...

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
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If you can stretch that far - whether your mate does it or you buy off the shelf - go for T45 (chro-mang) as it's a chunk lighter than chro-mo steel.

JontyR

1,915 posts

166 months

Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Getting a cage done can be simple. As already pointed out you just build it to the Blue Book! So buy some CDS tube and weld everything into place using either 50mm tube with a 2mm wall thickness or 45mm tube with a 3mm wall thickness.

The reason you should go to someone who specialises in them is that the MSA acknowledge that every bar doesn't need to be made as above. You can get away with 38mm tubing, however unless you send them a drawing and then pay to have certificates done about £400 you will need to run every tube with either 45/50mm

T45 is great however you need to stick to the same rules as CDS which is thoroughly annoying! the material isn't taken into consideration (within reason obviously...you cant use spaghetti!) So whereas you could take advantage of the extra strength of T45 and come down in the wall thickness, the MSA wont allow it. You could draw the whole thing up and send it off for homologation where they will send it to MIRA and crash test the cage (virtually) and then on passing it you can build it to whatever you submitted! This costs about £1800 though frown

As for welding, make sure the welder is good! Not trying to suck eggs here, but a cold weld could kill you! Custom cages will insist you send them a sample. And ideally you could do with getting the cage Tig welded rather than mig.

MattWilcox

Original Poster:

81 posts

170 months

Sunday 12th September 2010
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Cheers for the replies, looks like Caged might be the way to go. Seems like for the tube diameter and thickness required for custom cages, weight will definitely be an issue. On a side note, does anyone know who makes this one? Looks like a neat design.



Edited by MattWilcox on Sunday 12th September 21:18

procomp

71 posts

217 months

Monday 13th September 2010
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Hi

If having a Caged one fitted make sure you get the front mountings welded into the chassis and not just bolted to the inner face of the chassis tube as supplied with the fitting kit. As this actually weakens the mounting point on the chassis.

Cheers Matt

JontyR

1,915 posts

166 months

Monday 13th September 2010
quotequote all
MattWilcox said:
Cheers for the replies, looks like Caged might be the way to go. Seems like for the tube diameter and thickness required for custom cages, weight will definitely be an issue. On a side note, does anyone know who makes this one? Looks like a neat design.



Edited by MattWilcox on Sunday 12th September 21:18
I dont like this one.

If you look at the topbar that runs front to rear, I would be happier seeing it meet at the same point the others do. Otherwise you would get a bending moment. It looks very home made?

ollieamb

24 posts

197 months

Wednesday 15th September 2010
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Heres mine, from caged.


Porkie

2,378 posts

240 months

Thursday 16th September 2010
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Deffo go for a 'Caged' one. Really happy with mine.



make good climbing frames forlittle monkeys!




Edited by Porkie on Thursday 16th September 16:14

MattWilcox

Original Poster:

81 posts

170 months

Friday 17th September 2010
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Right, I reckon that's sorted then, Caged it is! Jonty, I see what you mean about that cage I posted, the Caged one definitely looks a hell of a lot more substantial. Time to get on the phone, I guess. First of many improvements to be done over the winter!
Cheers for the help guys clap

Edited to say, the closest analogue I have for a little monkey is a cat, but I guarantee he'll find a way up there! Also, those carbon wing mirrors look pretty swish, where are they from? Ta.

Edited by MattWilcox on Friday 17th September 08:05

mattnoss

217 posts

183 months

Sunday 19th September 2010
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look like SPA mirrors wink

ColinM50

2,630 posts

174 months

Monday 20th September 2010
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Gorgeous. Bet she's a right little heart breaker.

Red16

589 posts

167 months

Friday 1st October 2010
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Porkie said:
Deffo go for a 'Caged' one. Really happy with mine.

Lee, that looks the business.

How long did it take them to build and fit it? and if you don't mind me asking, how much did it set you back?

GreigM

6,726 posts

248 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
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Red16 said:
Lee, that looks the business.

How long did it take them to build and fit it? and if you don't mind me asking, how much did it set you back?
I have a caged one which they fitted - got it on a WSCC group buy - came to something like £999 fitted. Takes them almost a full day - think I dropped it off at 9am and it was done by 4pm. Top quality job and because they fitted it they apply the proper msa/fia stickers if you ever wanted to race it.

Red16

589 posts

167 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
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Great service for it to be turned around in a day. Does that include them painting/coating it too?

GreigM

6,726 posts

248 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
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Red16 said:
Great service for it to be turned around in a day. Does that include them painting/coating it too?
When you get an install date they will have it built and powdercoated before you arrive - so they just do the welding/bolting for you....they do ask you to do some prep if you can - like removing the seats, existing rollbar etc as that makes it quicker.

Caged are an excellent company - VERY professional and a great product.....for a cage I wouldn't risk a home-built.

Red16

589 posts

167 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
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I presume for them to fabricate the cage prior to you arriving for fitting you would have to visit them so they can measure up your car, making it a two journey job, which is the ballache bit for me living 325 miles away, doh! frown

GreigM

6,726 posts

248 months

Sunday 3rd October 2010
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Red16 said:
I presume for them to fabricate the cage prior to you arriving for fitting you would have to visit them so they can measure up your car, making it a two journey job, which is the ballache bit for me living 325 miles away, doh! frown
I didn't - if its a widebody westie they have the pattern, no need to visit.

MattWilcox

Original Poster:

81 posts

170 months

Sunday 3rd October 2010
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Just out of interest, has anyone had experience of fitting one themselves? It's a bloody long way for me! I was having a snoop at a couple at Harewood the other weekend, and they don't look too complicated to self-install (I know, famous last words...).