What PCA/POC-legal roll cage do you recommend?
11-20-2007, 05:02 PM
#16
11-20-2007, 05:12 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
Nothing against the pre-fabbed cage kits - but for that kind of money (what, $1400 something for a 964?) you can get a custom fabbed one that is better and will meet all the series' specs/rules for just a tad more. Not sure what John is charging but out here Tony says $1500-$2500 depending on how fancy you want to get (doesn't include things like camber boxes).
And even with the kits, you've still got the labor of welding it in. Minimal, but something to keep in mind.
The raw tubing is something around $500 give or take for most cages.
And even with the kits, you've still got the labor of welding it in. Minimal, but something to keep in mind.
The raw tubing is something around $500 give or take for most cages.
11-21-2007, 12:41 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Okay, so the consensus is custom cage. I like the idea of a stiffer and faster cage but doesn't the extra rigidity transfer the energy of an impact to the driver more effectively than a more malleable cage that can absorb the impact?
What about the HEIGO cage? A friend mentioned they build the cages for the factory cup cars....
Material: steel or alu?
What about the HEIGO cage? A friend mentioned they build the cages for the factory cup cars....
Material: steel or alu?
Last edited by Wilder; 11-21-2007 at 05:20 PM.
11-21-2007, 01:11 PM
#20
Burning Brakes
mild steel or chromoly is all you can use. the only advantage to chromoly is smaller tube size but it's more expensive material and a lot harder to weld properly. go with mild steel.
you are right about stiffness, however, you are relying on deformation of front and back unibody to absorb impact. good point though, especially about side impact. this is why a lot of guys will still run gutted steel doors with a cage - to give some impact absorbtion. If it were legal (it's not) I would almost want to run one tubing wall size smaller for nascar bars, to let them deform somewhat - because when the cage is hit it does indeed transfer that energy to you pretty directly. that's some tricky engineering, though - how soft do you want the side bars to really be? too soft and you take someone's bumper to the side of your body.
i think in the future you'll see a lot more guys using that impaxx foam stuff like they do in nascar and many of the pro series road racing. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of ready-made blocks of it, you have to seal it, somewhat bolster it, and it is somewhat flammable. I am going to try to get my hands on some and use it with nascar bars since I have fiberglass door shells.
you are right about stiffness, however, you are relying on deformation of front and back unibody to absorb impact. good point though, especially about side impact. this is why a lot of guys will still run gutted steel doors with a cage - to give some impact absorbtion. If it were legal (it's not) I would almost want to run one tubing wall size smaller for nascar bars, to let them deform somewhat - because when the cage is hit it does indeed transfer that energy to you pretty directly. that's some tricky engineering, though - how soft do you want the side bars to really be? too soft and you take someone's bumper to the side of your body.
i think in the future you'll see a lot more guys using that impaxx foam stuff like they do in nascar and many of the pro series road racing. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of ready-made blocks of it, you have to seal it, somewhat bolster it, and it is somewhat flammable. I am going to try to get my hands on some and use it with nascar bars since I have fiberglass door shells.
11-21-2007, 08:15 PM
#22
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Nothing against the pre-fabbed cage kits - but for that kind of money (what, $1400 something for a 964?) you can get a custom fabbed one that is better and will meet all the series' specs/rules for just a tad more. Not sure what John is charging but out here Tony says $1500-$2500 depending on how fancy you want to get (doesn't include things like camber boxes).
And even with the kits, you've still got the labor of welding it in. Minimal, but something to keep in mind.
The raw tubing is something around $500 give or take for most cages.
And even with the kits, you've still got the labor of welding it in. Minimal, but something to keep in mind.
The raw tubing is something around $500 give or take for most cages.
11-23-2007, 12:02 PM
#25
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slawek and Goober....you have PMs.
Does anyone have the Autopower cage or know anything about them?
Does anyone have the Autopower cage or know anything about them?
11-23-2007, 12:22 PM
#26
Burning Brakes
Yeah Tony said 1500-2500 without tying into the suspension. I know, 2500 seems like a lot more than 1400 for a pre-fab, but that's out the door - no shipping, tax, extra labor, etc - and you get a cage that's a little better and fits great. Of course, others can chime in on what they actually paid - that's just what he told me on my initial call. I think that includes basic front/main hoops, door bars, knee bar, main and roof diags, and 2 rear down tubes.
11-23-2007, 12:28 PM
#27
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Yeah Tony said 1500-2500 without tying into the suspension. I know, 2500 seems like a lot more than 1400 for a pre-fab, but that's out the door - no shipping, tax, extra labor, etc - and you get a cage that's a little better and fits great. Of course, others can chime in on what they actually paid - that's just what he told me on my initial call. I think that includes basic front/main hoops, door bars, knee bar, main and roof diags, and 2 rear down tubes.
11-23-2007, 10:28 PM
#28
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Chance, I may have to give Tony a call...
