To Cage Or Not To Cage
 

Alright guys, finally gettin my proj fb up and running, i plan to enjoy it this season for sunday morning backroad blitzes, autoX, and $ allowing, I will start time trialing this season, definately next. I am looking at the autopower race bar as an option, as it is upgradeable to a full cage with their kit, when I decide it is time to rub fenders in a couple years, but I have been getting mixed feedback regarding 1) the autopower cages themselves and 2) the pros and cons of running, let's say, a four point bar in the street. ANY feedback would be greatly aprreciated, insults optional

Halfbreed

I have a friend who is most certainly alive today because he had a 4-point race bar and 5-point harness in his street FC. He made his car much smaller in all dimensions while doing something stupid (he admits as much) and suffered serioius injuries but he feels strongly that he'd have died without the added safety.

Cory

if you know your really going to be pushing the car to the limits, a cage is well worth the money. plus, if you ever want to put your foot into something like roadracing, youll be required to have a cage.

i belive its a 6 point minimum now

A 4 point rollbar is a good investment in your safety, even a bolt in jobber, for you road warriors who like the canyons.

However, I wouldn't use a bolt in 6 point cage. You loose a lot of interior space with a bolt in that you will find yourself needing, it's much better to yank out the 4 point and go with a well designed welded in cage for safety, room, and stiffness when you decide to go racing for real.

PaulC

Pros/cons

Pro: going home after a rollover. Running harnesses at the auto-x/track day.

Con: make sure you can't hit your head on it if the seat frame bends. some loss of center mirror vision.

PaulC

Thanks guys! Paul, a good part of why I did want to cage was to help stiffen the chassis, I take it that a bolt in, especially to the floor, is not going to provide much in this aspect?

Lou

I dont' have any hard numbers to give you, but logically, 6 bolts is not oing to stiffen up the chassis like a fully welded plate to 1.5" bar will. Location is also important, but again, I don't have hard numbers to give you. I can tell you that my car, with the rollcage fully welded and located directly on the rear subframe cross beam behind the doors means I can lift the car from the left rear subframe and get 3 wheels off the ground.

PaulC

Paul, I hear you. Starting to seem like my best bet is to start saving some $ and have a full race cage welded in when the time comes, rather than spend money on a four point I am going to toss eventually.

Lou