bruinbro

I've installed my cage, now I need to pad it. I'm using the BSCI padding for the helmet contact areas and softer tubular padding for the other contact areas. My question is where should the two types of padding be applied to the cage? Obviously, the stiff stuff goes on the main hoop above the seat and on side bars up high and on the front cross bar, but where else? What about the soft stuff? Door bars and lower on the front hoops seems logical, but again, where else?













Thanks,
Bruinbro

Geo

The BSCI stuff goes everywhere that padding is needed. The pool noodles go on the monkey bars at the local playground (they're worthless).

If you have the BSCI foam in the photo, that's the FIA homologated stuff. If you want to save a few bucks you could get the SFI rated stuff.

JackOlsen

I agree. Use the nerf bar stuff the next time you move furniture and need to minimize friction. It isn't going to do you any good anywhere on the cage.

On your set-up, I'd suggest the SFI stuff on everything except maybe the diagonal.

bruinbro

What about the areas down low like the door bars and the front hoop tubes near my knees and the diagonal below the shoulder? For that matter, how about the main hoop below the shoulder?

Bruinbro

bruinbro

Actually I have both the FIA rated stuff and the noodles. I figured the noodles would go where the non-protected body parts might hit.

Bruinbro

ltc

And where exactly are those? You would be surprised in a crash where parts/extremeties of your body can end up.

I agree with George and Jack....put the noodles back in the pool for the kids. Use only SFI and/or FIA padding.

bruinbro

The FIA/SFI padding isn't going to do much when your arms and legs hit it. The whole idea behind this type of padding was to get the correct stiffness/damping to decellerate your helmet properly to allow the padding inside your helmet to protect your noggin. The noodles, on the other hand, are about the right consistency for decellerating the "soft " stuff like arms and legs. So, the question becomes where can your head/helmet hit in a crash? That is where I need the FIA/SFI padding. If there was room I would put a noodle over the SFI/FIA stuff to get the best of both worlds.

Is this picture of a Cup car representative of the bare minimum or is it adequate?



Bruinbro

Geo

Why ask for advice when you don't want to take good advice?

bruinbro

I didn't say I wasn't going to take the advise given here, I am just trying to understand it vis-a-vis other articles I have read, pictures and actual cars I've seen, and some people that I've talked to. They are all limited sources of info so I wanted to ask other people that have experience what their take is on this subject. The replies don't quite make sense to me. For instance, the comment was made I should put the SFI padding everywhere except on the diagonal (and by extension the back stays of the main hoop) yet I have never seen this padding on door bars nor the front hoop tubes near the feet. I'm sorry if my prevous post sounded like I wasn't listening and just pontificating , I was attempting (poorly) to float the reason why I didn't under stand the responses. I am listening and will always listen to people that have been there, done that..

What would be helpful to me is to see some examples. Please post any pics you have of your car's interior.

Thanks,

Bruinbro

dmw44

I am currently using what you are calling the "noodle" padding in my SC. Apparently I need to upgrade to the SFI padding. Where is the best place to find this material? Thanks in advance for the help!
Regards, Doug

bruinbro

Is "best" lowest price or something else? Typical internet prices range from $18 to $23 for a 3 ft stick. It also depends upon whether you get the FIA or SFI rating and whether you get the flat faced stuff or the semicircular stuff. Here are a few links:

UPRacing Where I got my padding

CDOC Do a search on "padding"

Baker Precision

HRP World

BSR Products

HMS Motorsport

Stable Energies

Bruinbro

dmw44

Many thanks, Bruinbro! A low price for greater safety...
Regards, Doug

Geo

Bruinbro, I understand now. BTW, I don't have any photos of the stuff on my car because it's getting stripped down and ready for paint. I bought a buttload of the SFI stuff and am putting it anyplace my body could possible contact the tubing.

One reason you want the SFI stuff is that it will not melt. Imagine being upside down in a fire with molten plastic falling on you.

The noodles will cushion only the lightest of impacts. Put some one a tube and smack it with a hammer. It should make a nice metalic "clink." The SFI and FIA stuff is not just for your noggin, but to protect your entire body. You're doing the right thing except you're short changing yourself using the noodles.

924RACR

As I recall, the SFI and FIA stuff is proper energy-absorbing padding... the pool noodles do not absorb energy, simply store and release it...

JackOlsen

I don't agree with this at all.

In a crash, the pool noodle stuff will collapse to full compression in a heartbeat, leaving the steel underneath to break whatever it hits.

The noodle stuff is used in some applications to keep drivers from bruising their knees, hips and elbows during driver changes. But it's not appropriately used as protection from the cage during crashes.