Bolt or Weld in roll cage ?

[PTM12]

I am interested in opinion on Bolt or Weld in cages

Currently looking at picking up a track day car. Considering buying one fully set up or take a decent car and get the work done myself.

Reading forums and advice on the web I am not sure which way to go on the roll cage.

Yes I want saftey and more rigity in the car, but do I need a weld in one to get that ? I read some post and it claims that bolt in ones are unsafe ?

I am interested in any insights on this topic.

Additionally - one car I am looking at already has a KTR 6 Point bolt in roll cage.

Anyone use a KTR cage ? Are they any good ?

Many Thanks

[shim]

my unwritten rule to myself is as follows;

my trackday car currently is road going and no cage and will stay so. I may get a bolt in cage (rear only) for a bit of extra protection but i wont run a front cage on a road car due to the risk of head injury with no helmet.

next promised myself not to do the Ring without a cage of some sort also

finally i wont run slicks without a full welded cage (hence wont run slicks on a road car)

not perfect but my decision and rules (for now)

[iguana]

A proper full weld in multi point cage is of course better for safety & particually rigidity- if taken to front & rear turrets, than a rear bolt in.

But not all weld ins are done well, hell I've seen some really really nasty ones, some look like Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles designed & welded em in & many cases a decent bolt in is a far far better set up, this does not apply to a BTCC esk 4k cage vs 300 quid bolt in naturally, but some bolt ins a really well made & if you do a few extra bits & do them properly can be as good as basic weld ins, can be transfered from car to car easily also unlike weld ins.

You can race with a full 6 point bolt in no probs in many uk series & you have to weld the feet mounts in place anyway & for track days or if racing & regs allow extra ridgidity can be had by welding in fillet plates to A & B pillars. Even just a basic full bolt in will make a massive diference to the stiffness of the car.

Big thing with bolt ins is the install, many trackdayers just don't bother to do it properly, don't have to do it to comply with any regs obvously for tracking but is a good idea to go to at least MSA regs & pref beyond.

Persnally im happy with full bolt ins ive had 4 odd in dif cars, OMP & Safety Devices jobbies & a Caterham own jobbie, just the rear on that tho.

Often said a bolt in is to save you, a weld in is to save the car.


Never heard of that cage manufacturer tho is it somthing jap?

[iguana]

Aha google research- KTR K tec own brand for the french clutter market?

http://www.k-tecracing.com/show_product.asp?id=271...


Not too keen on that cage design.

[Birdthom]

I could be wrong but I think K-tec started out more with 'styling' products rather than pukka motorsport products. It looks like they've broadened their range, but I'd speak to someone like Mark Fish for purely motorsport-based advice.

HTH.

[clubracing]

A bolt-in cage is just as safe as a weld in cage. A bolt-in can have virtually the same design as a weld-in apart from the mounting points, its just unusual as most people choose bolt-ins because of their reduced cost. The only adavantage to a weld-in cage is chassis rigidity which is of no real importance to anything other than a race car.