Roll Cage question

[Podd37]

Having been away for the last while due to lack of funds, this year will see me back traveling to the Uk to race again. Yippee!! However I now see that my nice certified OMP roll cage is no longer legal as the upper bars are demountable, like in the attached Nov 2011 MSA bulletin....Booo!

http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/m...Scrut_1111.pdf

You've got to love this sport for changing stuff....Anyway, could anyone point me in the direction of an acceptable fix as I have read various things but none seem to be singing off the same hymn sheet! Oh and please dont say change the cage, I cant afford that much as it is the obvious solution!

[tim dodwell]

I also hope there will be an cheap and easy fix, as this will affect loads of cages - all OMP ones I believe. Can't believe the FIA would have certified them if they were dangerous in any way.

[terence]

Quite surprised to see a joint like that is still around.Shouldnt be too costly to sort out though.

[GORDON STREETER]

I can't see an "easy"way out of this but if it was me I would take the cage out and grind off the brackets.
Then I would make up some bigger diameter tube that would be welded onto the side rails, the top screen tube could be cut down enough so that you could push the tube into one side and pull it back into the other side and then weld it together.
Obviously it may not be possible to get to weld the top part but I have seen a so called "top of the range" one made in this way, alternatively you would have to cut a slot in the roof.
Of course this is assuming that you can weld decently or know a "man who can"
In the end you may find because it hasn't any certification it might well be thrown out, but as it is of no use anyway you could try it.
At the end of the day how do you value your safety ?

[terence]

Looking at it again,looks like you will need to replace the whole front of the cage. It needs two full side legs with two bolt saddles either side,and of course the front top cross tube,which again,will need the two bolt saddles at both ends. Doesn't seem like an easy option is available for you though.Good luck with it.

[Podd37]

Thanks folks....anyone with a scrut contact though? As you can see, even on here there seem to be varying ideas and I just want to get some official line. The Irish msa gave me a vague 'fix' of just attaching short diagonals between the demountables and the main hoops but as the car will be used over with you lads I want to get it right. I dont know if removing and re-doing the front half is ok if the original unit is homologated.
This cage is only 6yrs old and is a full app J homologated and certified cage ...the Fia dreamt this up last year I believe. I last ran in 2010 in the UK with it, no problems. As you can imagine it is p****ng me off somewhat! No wonder people do track days!!

[terence]

Have you looked in the Bluebook for a scrutineer nearer to you.

[terence]

Have you looked in the Bluebook for a scrutineer nearer to you.
Problem is with any mod's that are done could invalidate whatever paperwork you have with the present cage.

[Podd37]

You see Terence...that is called using your head! Never actually thought of that. Doh! Thanks, I'll try that route.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

In the end you may find because it hasn't any certification it might well be thrown out,

As I said Terry.
Also one scrute may not agree with another, seen it happen !

[wolfhound]

Is there a class scrutineer for the series that you race in, as they will be the one regularly looking at the car? You should be able to find out who it is through your class coordinator or whoever is the organiser of the series you will race in.

[terence]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

As I said Terry.
Also one scrute may not agree with another, seen it happen !

Absolutely Gordon,problem being that ultimately the decision is for the MSA/FIA to make.Not sure that any self respecting Scrutineer would put his head on the block if he is unsure if the cage complies.

[Paul D]

I wouldn't personally be happy with a cage made in the way those photos show - impact from certain directions could cause that design to just fold up and offer little protection in my opinion. I find it hard to believe any cage with that style of joint in those locations (top of 'A' & 'B' pillars) would ever have gained certification, but obviously it has!

If it was mine, and I didn't want to change the whole thing, then I think I'd be tempted to remove the front section, make two new lateral bars and weld these to the front section having first removed the existing brackets - then, for the joint with the main hoop, remove the existing brackets as at the front, and replace these with proper two-bolt joints as used on most bolt-in cages. You should be able to buy these fairly cheaply from a roll cage manufacturer, and just weld them to the main hoop in place of what's there now, and weld the other half to the ends of the new lateral bars that you've made.

Doing it this way allows you to do most of the welding out of the car for full access (apart from the two-bolt 'ears' that need welding to the main hoop - but access for this should be fine) and allows you to keep the cage demountable for the future - but with the proper type of joints that shouldn't cause you any woes at scrutineering.

Of course, any such modifications will invalidate the certification for the cage, as has been mentioned - but if you're coming over to race just in club races in the UK, then you shouldn't have a problem. Spa or similar may be a different story...

[terence]

Yes,quite, what I was trying to say in post 5.

[MGDavid]

most opportunities for us to race at Spa involve running under UK rules and our club providing own scrutineers so no problem (e.g. CSCC); the 6 Hours would be different of course...

[terence]

Still nice to have a decent cage overhead no matter where you race David. RE the cage in question,quite surprised at the likes of OMP ever designing a front cage as pictured,always thought the side legs should be separate in their construction with a front top cross tube,two bolts either ende to secure it--most strange. I know that side intrusion bars can have a similar means of bolting in using a single fastening,SHP do a very neat line in that way.