Side impact bars ?
Discussion
Hi All, what are people's opinions on the side impact bars as a way of making the Caterhams a bit safer? I hav a track day rollover bar already and don't want to go full cage. They don't seem to be commonly fitted and are also hard to get from CC, at least via the website. Thoughts?? Thanks!
I guess it's each to their own, but I have run with a SIB for 11 years.
My reason was that as an aeroscreen user I 'felt' more exposed (generally I don't bother with half-doors unless wet or particularly cold). Remember that if you use a windscreen and doors then the SIB prevents the doors from being opened, that's probably why you don't see too many on road cars.
My reason was that as an aeroscreen user I 'felt' more exposed (generally I don't bother with half-doors unless wet or particularly cold). Remember that if you use a windscreen and doors then the SIB prevents the doors from being opened, that's probably why you don't see too many on road cars.
Wow guys, in part I can understand the concern for safety, the cars IMHO are relatively safe however if you need a car sports car with 'better' side impact protection maybe its the wrong car for you. Lotus have a side impact girder running through the door of the elise/europa/exige.
I am not being blasé in my comment but if you are worried id buy something else, one day the concerns you have may just legislate the car off the road and what a sad day that will be....
Fo me a standard 7 is safe enough....but that is just my assessment and personal view....
I am not being blasé in my comment but if you are worried id buy something else, one day the concerns you have may just legislate the car off the road and what a sad day that will be....
Fo me a standard 7 is safe enough....but that is just my assessment and personal view....
Tim75 said:
Thanks for the feedback, guys. Can I assume that a helmet is a must given the positioning of the bars. ie. head-strike on the bar is inevitable in an impact?
Since you have a Metric Chassis you could have one of these, no need for a helmet and I believe the door will still work properly! 
Toaster said:
Wow guys, in part I can understand the concern for safety, the cars IMHO are relatively safe however if you need a car sports car with 'better' side impact protection maybe its the wrong car for you. Lotus have a side impact girder running through the door of the elise/europa/exige.
I am not being blasé in my comment but if you are worried id buy something else, one day the concerns you have may just legislate the car off the road and what a sad day that will be....
Fo me a standard 7 is safe enough....but that is just my assessment and personal view....
Have you ever seen a Caterham chassis without the aluminium panelwork fitted? If you have you will know that there is a sum total of one diagonal thinwall box section steel seperating whatever is hitting you in the side from your right hip. This is not a vehicle you want to have a side impact in. I am not being blasé in my comment but if you are worried id buy something else, one day the concerns you have may just legislate the car off the road and what a sad day that will be....
Fo me a standard 7 is safe enough....but that is just my assessment and personal view....
I am not risk adverse, I have raced a Caterham down the Kemmel straight at 110mph in torrential rain with over 60 other Caterhams on the same straight at the same time for company... I'll be the judge of whether it's the car for me or not. However my angle is that if it can be improved cheaply and unobtrusively with a side impact bar, then do it.
Do you use your seat belt, Toaster?
BritishRacinGrin said:
Since you have a Metric Chassis you could have one of these, no need for a helmet and I believe the door will still work properly!
Can anyone offer any explanation as to the differences between the various flavours of these bars listed on the Caterham parts website?(SKU: 30SI03A) Side impact / wheel protection bar - RHS
(SKU: SI04K) Side impact bar - Academy - RH 2005
(SKU: 30P306A) Side impact bar - metric RH S3
(SKU: 77856) Side protection bar - RH - 2004 onwards - drivers side
In my own case it would be for a 2012 metric chassis S3, but I guess info might be useful for others.
BritishRacinGrin said:
Have you ever seen a Caterham chassis without the aluminium panelwork fitted? If you have you will know that there is a sum total of one diagonal thinwall box section steel seperating whatever is hitting you in the side from your right hip. This is not a vehicle you want to have a side impact in.
I am not risk adverse, I have raced a Caterham down the Kemmel straight at 110mph in torrential rain with over 60 other Caterhams on the same straight at the same time for company... I'll be the judge of whether it's the car for me or not. However my angle is that if it can be improved cheaply and unobtrusively with a side impact bar, then do it.
Do you use your seat belt, Toaster?
Interesting thoughts, a side impact is a bad accident in any car, its not just the hip but other more life threatening injury's you can be sustained, its all messy and bad however if you feel the need for the bar I would be the last to say you shouldn't but to its actual benefit, (its probably akin to wearing a lucky rabbits foot), its just a thought and not meant to wind you up but you may also want to wear a Hans device and neck collar they would also contribute to your safety in the light of the paper below, you may like this paper its quite informative:I am not risk adverse, I have raced a Caterham down the Kemmel straight at 110mph in torrential rain with over 60 other Caterhams on the same straight at the same time for company... I'll be the judge of whether it's the car for me or not. However my angle is that if it can be improved cheaply and unobtrusively with a side impact bar, then do it.
Do you use your seat belt, Toaster?
https://www.cirrelt.ca/DocumentsTravail/CIRRELT-20...
"However, a recent and well documented study has shown that traumatic rupture of aorta is twice more at risk in lateral impact than frontal ones. They found also that 79% had rib fractures, mostly bilateral and more than half of them were associated with liver and lungs injuries; third of them were spleen and pelvis injury."
but that paper is a good read BritishRacinGrin said:
Tim75 said:
Thanks for the feedback, guys. Can I assume that a helmet is a must given the positioning of the bars. ie. head-strike on the bar is inevitable in an impact?
Since you have a Metric Chassis you could have one of these, no need for a helmet and I believe the door will still work properly! Toaster said:
Wow guys, in part I can understand the concern for safety, the cars IMHO are relatively safe however if you need a car sports car with 'better' side impact protection maybe its the wrong car for you. Lotus have a side impact girder running through the door of the elise/europa/exige.
I am not being blasé in my comment but if you are worried id buy something else, one day the concerns you have may just legislate the car off the road and what a sad day that will be....
Fo me a standard 7 is safe enough....but that is just my assessment and personal view....
Have you ever seen a Caterham chassis without the aluminium panelwork fitted? If you have you will know that there is a sum total of one diagonal thinwall box section steel seperating whatever is hitting you in the side from your right hip. This is not a vehicle you want to have a side impact in. I am not being blasé in my comment but if you are worried id buy something else, one day the concerns you have may just legislate the car off the road and what a sad day that will be....
Fo me a standard 7 is safe enough....but that is just my assessment and personal view....
I am not risk adverse, I have raced a Caterham down the Kemmel straight at 110mph in torrential rain with over 60 other Caterhams on the same straight at the same time for company... I'll be the judge of whether it's the car for me or not. However my angle is that if it can be improved cheaply and unobtrusively with a side impact bar, then do it.
Do you use your seat belt, Toaster?
Any advice on fitting it. Do you have to take the roll bar off to fit it? If so, I seem to remember the roll bar being bolted in from underneath the wheel arch which presumably makes fitting one of these quite time intensive?
Probably because it gets in the way of the doors and the aesthetics of the car. It also adds some weight and some additional cost to their packages so why would they I guess?
I'm still interested though. Although if I have to dismantle the rear suspension again in order to fit them then I may think twice.
I'm still interested though. Although if I have to dismantle the rear suspension again in order to fit them then I may think twice.
Not really. Someone drove into my daily car on a roundabout last year. They hit me head into the side of my car - they simply didn't stop to look for traffic. There was no way of even seeing her before she made contact with the car. I didn't see what hit me until I got out!
If I'd been in the 7, I don't think I'd be around anymore. Luckily, my normal car just shrugged it off and it was even repaired.
Admittedly, I'm even more weary of junctions and roundabouts now, but sometimes things just happen and there's not a lot you can do about it. Any additional protection is welcome.
If I'd been in the 7, I don't think I'd be around anymore. Luckily, my normal car just shrugged it off and it was even repaired.
Admittedly, I'm even more weary of junctions and roundabouts now, but sometimes things just happen and there's not a lot you can do about it. Any additional protection is welcome.
tomwoodis said:
I'm strongly considering fitting one of these to mine. Do you have one fitted both sides?
Any advice on fitting it. Do you have to take the roll bar off to fit it? If so, I seem to remember the roll bar being bolted in from underneath the wheel arch which presumably makes fitting one of these quite time intensive?
I've never fitted a metric one but I don't think the roll bar or wheel arch would need to come off. You will need to drill two holes on the floor and a hole in the side panel though. Any advice on fitting it. Do you have to take the roll bar off to fit it? If so, I seem to remember the roll bar being bolted in from underneath the wheel arch which presumably makes fitting one of these quite time intensive?
one eyed mick said:
I wiil probably get excomunicated or some thing but if some of you guys are so k---er wetting worried you are buying the wrong car to find your jollies maybe an ex US marine Hummer would be better
This old-fashioned "safety isn't macho" attitude just refuses to die. It's so misguided and frankly, pathetic. Who is impressed? Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff