Track Day Roll Bar
Discussion
Not required for trackdays perse, just Lotus 7 Club trackdays.
Bear in mind that the FIA bar (i.e. the trackday bar) isn't quite as good a fit for the hood as a standard bar.
Not sure if they still do a boggo-standard pathetically skinny bar and a thicker 'R500' (IIRC) bar. If they do, and you're not fussed about L7C trackdays, get the R500 one - it's the same shape as the standard bar but with wider diameter tubing and no diagonal (std bar also has no diagonal).
FIA bar is also bloomin heavy and is only FIA certified if used in conjunction with the petty strutt.
Bear in mind that the FIA bar (i.e. the trackday bar) isn't quite as good a fit for the hood as a standard bar.
Not sure if they still do a boggo-standard pathetically skinny bar and a thicker 'R500' (IIRC) bar. If they do, and you're not fussed about L7C trackdays, get the R500 one - it's the same shape as the standard bar but with wider diameter tubing and no diagonal (std bar also has no diagonal).
FIA bar is also bloomin heavy and is only FIA certified if used in conjunction with the petty strutt.
If you plan to do trackdays then I would have said that having some fairly robust metal around you would be a good idea. Having done three year racing with a full cage and side impact bars I can attest to the strength of these and I never saw anyone really hurt even after some pretty dramatic crashes ( bar a few broken thumbs or wrists when hitting a front wheel against something solid and whiplash through the spinning steering wheel doing some damage).
The problem on trackdays is that there is far more weight difference between cars on track than in a Caterham race. Being hit by a 500 kg Caterham is a different proposition to being hit by a two ton V8. I would be more inclined to spend money on a drivers side intrusion bar initially although I think I might want the comfort of a track day roll bar as well. When fitting mine recently it seemed quite sharply slanted forward over the cockpit compared to the standard bar and presumably would give considerably more protection for the head area.
The problem on trackdays is that there is far more weight difference between cars on track than in a Caterham race. Being hit by a 500 kg Caterham is a different proposition to being hit by a two ton V8. I would be more inclined to spend money on a drivers side intrusion bar initially although I think I might want the comfort of a track day roll bar as well. When fitting mine recently it seemed quite sharply slanted forward over the cockpit compared to the standard bar and presumably would give considerably more protection for the head area.
MarchHare said:
When fitting mine recently it seemed quite sharply slanted forward over the cockpit compared to the standard bar and presumably would give considerably more protection for the head area.
And this slanting is why it needs (well, rather should be fitted with) the petty strutt. Without the forward support of the petty strutt, if you flipped and landed on it, it would put more leverage on the mounting points than a standard bar would in a similar shunt. I think the better question is just like a helmet - what price do you put on your life. If it's £150-ish for the better bar, is it really worth it to cut corners?
The biggest worry, regardless of bar is how much head-top clearance you have when you take your body with a helmet, sit in the car, then extend string from top of bar to top of nosecone. anything less than 4-5CM, get a taller bar, or a lowered floor....that's what most scruitineers these days are after....
The biggest worry, regardless of bar is how much head-top clearance you have when you take your body with a helmet, sit in the car, then extend string from top of bar to top of nosecone. anything less than 4-5CM, get a taller bar, or a lowered floor....that's what most scruitineers these days are after....
Nice photo comparison but shouldn't the "upside down" datums be run from the tops of the front wheels and not the ever-so-slightly weak GRP nose cone?
I've heard arguments in favour of both FIA and Caterham road bars and both seem equally valid.
The FIA bar is slanted in order to offer an upright support for an upturned car, but is apparently more prone to folding further if the petty strut isn't fitted, but then it is thicker.
The Caterham road bar is thinner but perpendicular to the car so allegedly less prone to flattening hence needs no petty strut.
Then again, I've also heard of a car inverting and coming to rest on the roll bar...and the windscreen stanchions!
I've heard arguments in favour of both FIA and Caterham road bars and both seem equally valid.
The FIA bar is slanted in order to offer an upright support for an upturned car, but is apparently more prone to folding further if the petty strut isn't fitted, but then it is thicker.
The Caterham road bar is thinner but perpendicular to the car so allegedly less prone to flattening hence needs no petty strut.
Then again, I've also heard of a car inverting and coming to rest on the roll bar...and the windscreen stanchions!
Jamie's most excellent pictures are a perfect illustration why a little more dosh is well worth it. Here in Oz now even the FIA uprated bar is std if you are doing anything, even Super Sprints.
Being as we thought for about 5-10 sec's when we got our SV 6+ years ago, the FIA uprated bar was a no-brainer. <sheesh> I guess that is really *was a brainer*, that is protecting OUR brains ;-)
Being as we thought for about 5-10 sec's when we got our SV 6+ years ago, the FIA uprated bar was a no-brainer. <sheesh> I guess that is really *was a brainer*, that is protecting OUR brains ;-)
Crossflow Kid said:
The FIA bar is slanted in order to offer an upright support for an upturned car, but is apparently more prone to folding further if the petty strut isn't fitted, but then it is thicker.
The Caterham road bar is thinner but perpendicular to the car so allegedly less prone to flattening hence needs no petty strut.
I think that might be slightly too simplistic an argument. The usual thing that happens when you turn over is that the car is moving, so having a triangulated bar stops the folding. It definitely isnt the case that the FIA bar is more prone to folding without the strut than the regular one.The Caterham road bar is thinner but perpendicular to the car so allegedly less prone to flattening hence needs no petty strut.
The best roll protection short of a cage is the FIA bar with strut. I don't think there is any info to determine which is better between a standard bar and an FIA bar without strut.
Having put my car on its top, I would not even consider anything less than an FIA bar and would prefer a full cage when I re-build the car. The car flipped and dropped onto the Bar and the windscreen (which is pretty strong considering)and was the equiv of the car being dropped on its roof (?) from about 4 foot. I was able to crawl out, no damage to me, not even a bruise, before the screen slowly gave way. Inspecting the car afterwards, the FIA bad did its job, but also bent forward from the base mounting point and pulled in the rear chassis joints slightly (no Petty bar was fitted).
So summary, Go tall FIA if you can as a minimum, anything that maximises the distance between the road and your head is good!
Jon
So summary, Go tall FIA if you can as a minimum, anything that maximises the distance between the road and your head is good!
Jon
Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff