Half cages. Pointless posing or sensible compromise?
Discussion
How useful are half cages?
I drive my track car to and from the track, so not having a full cage has a lot of benefits such as less insurance complexity and no need to wear a helmet on the road.
However, are they actually any use in a crash? Part of me thinks a half cage is going to strengthen the bit of the car I'm not in, essentially turning the other half of the cabin into a crumble zone.
What are everyone’s thoughts?
I drive my track car to and from the track, so not having a full cage has a lot of benefits such as less insurance complexity and no need to wear a helmet on the road.
However, are they actually any use in a crash? Part of me thinks a half cage is going to strengthen the bit of the car I'm not in, essentially turning the other half of the cabin into a crumble zone.
What are everyone’s thoughts?
Chr1sch said:
I'm in the same boat, do full cages cause insurance issues?
Previous to having mine fitted, the previous car was modified & insured as such, the company I was with then said they would not insure if I fitted a cage, no idea why, no idea if this is normal.Changed ins. co. when changed car & fitted cage, & they were fine about it, no change.
MDL111 said:
My half cage saved my life and my dog's life in an on road crash - without it no chance. So therefore generally big fan of them in sportscars. Dont have one in my current car, but would actively seek one in a sports / weekend car / occasional track use car
What breed of dog was it?I have just picked up a mk1 mx5, looking at using it as a weekend car and will be putting it around a few tracks hopefully
Reading around I think I will pick up some roll bars, any recommendations which ones? Are they easy to fit or would you recommend who to fit them?
Happy to pay as it is safety
Also how much does it affect your insurance?
I am not planning on going nuts on the track just yet I will be driving it very steady as at the back of my mind I don't want to have a mechanical failure
Cheers
Reading around I think I will pick up some roll bars, any recommendations which ones? Are they easy to fit or would you recommend who to fit them?
Happy to pay as it is safety
Also how much does it affect your insurance?
I am not planning on going nuts on the track just yet I will be driving it very steady as at the back of my mind I don't want to have a mechanical failure
Cheers
When I was tracking the Tiger Six, I was actually looking for a full cage, as being a big guy in a sevenesque car it was going to be nasty if I rolled.
A few wet miserable days put me back in a tin top.
Until my current car (Based on a Proton GTI Shell), I have never bothered with a cage as my cars had always been daily runners, but I managed to get a Safety Devices rear cage from a Silverstone Race School car. That just bolts in using existing holes for the seatbelt and suspension mountings.
Its more protection than standard, but definitely less than a full cage.
A few wet miserable days put me back in a tin top.
Until my current car (Based on a Proton GTI Shell), I have never bothered with a cage as my cars had always been daily runners, but I managed to get a Safety Devices rear cage from a Silverstone Race School car. That just bolts in using existing holes for the seatbelt and suspension mountings.
Its more protection than standard, but definitely less than a full cage.
From my (limited) understanding, half cages are not really an issue but full cages are.
From what I have heard it is something to do with the chance of you hitting your head on the cage in a crash. Given that the majority of road cars will be driven without a helmet, the chance of you doing some very serious damage to your brain is very likely. Not sure if it is true mind.
As for Mx’5, as a previous owner, the fitting of roll bars is very common. However in my personal opinion, if you are anything other than short, it won’t do you much good because to get the roll bar under the roof, it has to be so low that the line between the top of the roll hoop and the front of the car will pass straight through the back of your head.
From what I have heard it is something to do with the chance of you hitting your head on the cage in a crash. Given that the majority of road cars will be driven without a helmet, the chance of you doing some very serious damage to your brain is very likely. Not sure if it is true mind.
As for Mx’5, as a previous owner, the fitting of roll bars is very common. However in my personal opinion, if you are anything other than short, it won’t do you much good because to get the roll bar under the roof, it has to be so low that the line between the top of the roll hoop and the front of the car will pass straight through the back of your head.
[quote=(steven)]From what I have heard it is something to do with the chance of you hitting your head on the cage in a crash. Given that the majority of road cars will be driven without a helmet, the chance of you doing some very serious damage to your brain is very likely. Not sure if it is true mind.
[/quote]
It certainly has some truth. Porsche 996 GT3 Clubsport and RS models came with a bolt in front section for the cage, however the handbook for the car said that it should not be installed other than on track for exactly the reasons above. Plenty of people do still leave them in all the time though (it isn't a legality issue after all, just potentially dangerous). More recent iterations of the GT3 excluded the front cage (which is now available separately from the motorsport parts catalogue but not as a book option on new cars).
[/quote]
It certainly has some truth. Porsche 996 GT3 Clubsport and RS models came with a bolt in front section for the cage, however the handbook for the car said that it should not be installed other than on track for exactly the reasons above. Plenty of people do still leave them in all the time though (it isn't a legality issue after all, just potentially dangerous). More recent iterations of the GT3 excluded the front cage (which is now available separately from the motorsport parts catalogue but not as a book option on new cars).
FarQue said:
MDL111 said:
My half cage saved my life and my dog's life in an on road crash - without it no chance. So therefore generally big fan of them in sportscars. Dont have one in my current car, but would actively seek one in a sports / weekend car / occasional track use car
What breed of dog was it?Been lucky so far in an open TVR.
Sideways into the gravel trap at Mallory Park tripped the roll-over fuel cut out, but didn't roll the car.
Spinning on the grass at 110 mph also didn't roll the car.
Coming back onto the track at speed, i managed to be straight enough not to roll the car.
But I do have a half cage/roll hoop, which is behind the seats and higher than my head, and am glad it's there.
Also, when I had harnesses they were secured at the top onto it.
Sideways into the gravel trap at Mallory Park tripped the roll-over fuel cut out, but didn't roll the car.
Spinning on the grass at 110 mph also didn't roll the car.
Coming back onto the track at speed, i managed to be straight enough not to roll the car.
But I do have a half cage/roll hoop, which is behind the seats and higher than my head, and am glad it's there.
Also, when I had harnesses they were secured at the top onto it.
FarQue said:
MDL111 said:
My half cage saved my life and my dog's life in an on road crash - without it no chance. So therefore generally big fan of them in sportscars. Dont have one in my current car, but would actively seek one in a sports / weekend car / occasional track use car
What breed of dog was it?Labrolldor
Weimarolloveramer
Whippet-over
Rhodesian Ridgerolloverbach
I'm done!
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