Hey guys...thanks for the comliments...
16vvincent wrote:
Your roll cage build, how well did it pass inspection at any of the sanctioning bodies that you have had to deal with?
My only real concern is the way that you attached the roll cage at the bottom to the frame rails (the 90 deg tube welded to the plate).
To answer your question...I have not logbooked the car for wheel to wheel competition with any sanctioning body to date, and have only competed in time trials with the car. It easily meets those standards. The attachement at the bottom shouldn't be of much concern. A properly welded joint should be as stong as the base metal and treated as a continuous part. The legs of the mounts are cantilevered at the very minimum required to clear the bodywork. Also, the extensions are of a slightly thicker tube diameter so they are stronger in bending...it's a pretty strong joint...
Quote:
I have just posted somewhere else that mounting bolts in shear for a roll cage are not desirable, but I´m totally uninformed about what the racing rules say.
Have you researched this?
The bolts used for this application are 3/8" Grade 8. Each of them has a sheer strength of 120 ksi. Each side uses six of these bolts to carry the load. If I encounter a force large enough to shear those bolts in a crash, then I will probably have bigger problems than just them failing. The bolt-in roll cage guidelines say thay you must have a minimum of three 5/16" bolts at each attachment point. It does not give a guideline about weather they can be in shear or not.
As everyone knows, these cars pose interesting challenges when fitting them with roll cages. I am a fan of keeping the cage parts further away from me, so they have room to deflect without hitting me during a crash. My design gives me a few precious inches more room, and I feel comfortable with it.
Quote:
And if we're on the subject of asking Jeff some questions, are you driving the car much lately or is most of the time spent on the Civic?
I really like the cage you built in the Civic. Very cool.
Hey Moti,
Good to hear from you. Pretty much all of my time went towards the Civic last year, which paid off in some good finishes and awards at the end of the season. Glad you like the cage...I feel safe in it...and that helps me be more confident in my driving. Unfortunately I have not driven the locost in nearly two years. I am thinking seriously about putting it up for sale in a few months. I am just not able to drive it enough while focusing on racing the Civic. It will give me an excuse to start another project though...
Take care,