Rear roll cage supports, removable or welded?

[2001ultima]

Does anyone have information about the rear roll cage supports in the engine bay. I have seen them permanently welded and also removable like mine. Are the standard roll cage supports removable and the welded are and option? If welded, does that qualify the roll cage as FIA? My Ultima has removable support and also the supports that cross the top of the transaxle from side to side are removable.

Thanks, Jim

[Steve_D]

2001ultima said:

Does anyone have information about the rear roll cage supports in the engine bay. I have seen them permanently welded and also removable like mine. Are the standard roll cage supports removable and the welded are and option? If welded, does that qualify the roll cage as FIA? My Ultima has removable support and also the supports that cross the top of the transaxle from side to side are removable.

Thanks, Jim

I've not looked closely into it but believe the FIA cage is all welded. It also has more elements to it and may even be a different material.

I don't believe the Factory do a chassis with the engine bay cross bars removable so that must be a mod.

Steve

[AlexCim]

Standard cage - removable rear sections, "standard" tubing.




FIA cage - non removable rear sections, larger diameter tubing, rear sections join the chassis at a different point




I got the FIA cage. It was like 1350GBP vs the standard being 950GBP (prices are approx). The way the body fits on the chassis changes too, the back section is cut out to fit over, then you put an alloy sheet over the firewall.

Edited by AlexCim on Tuesday 21st June 11:52

[ROWDYRENAULT]

Lots of folks may disagree but unless you plan on racing the car where a FIA gage is required the removable struts on the RAC gage sure make acsess to all sorts of things esier. Plus getting the center section on the car correctly is a bit of a pain, with the FIA gage I would imagine it would be even more difficult. Lee

[ezakimak]

Here is a link to the recently revised Australian roll cage standard from CAMS.
http://www.camsmanual.com.au/pdf/10_gen_req/GQ11_2...
Has anyone got a link to the FAI one?
Or other equivalent.
Or the RAC requirements?
What is the tube spec for the RAC one?

I have a feeling that the FAI cage being fully welded and thicker grade tubing might be a bit stiffer in both torsion and beaming

Ryan

[Steve_D]

The MSA Blue Book should have the info for UK regs.
http://www.msauk.org/site/cms/contentCategoryView....

Steve

[k wright]

I'm on the opposite side of the fence. If given the opportunity I would get the FIA cage and deal with the inconvience that it imposes with the increase in torsional rigidity as the payoff.

[AlexCim]

I understand the non-removable rear sections will cause some extra pain, but to me a tube frame chassis and removable rear clam are orders of magnitude more accessible than all my other previous cars engine bays anyway, so I think it'll be fine.

On someone elses point, the way I see it that with the cage, if I ever wanted to "upgrade" later, the pain to change a chassis down the track with an FIA cage chassis far outweighs the cost and extra effort from the start. Especially because I am in Australia, I can't just drive down to the factory and pick up another chassis.