Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

Roll Cages


  • Please log in to reply
30 replies to this topic

#1 Jase

Jase

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Traders
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,160 posts
  • Location: Wales

Posted 10 February 2019 - 04:15 PM

What are peoples views (I know it has been discussed in previous years but reflecting on the traffic and stupidity on 2019 roads) on fitting these to their Mini? I have fitted one previously but didn't keep the car long enough. Thinking about a FIA approved front and back system:

 

https://www.minispor...-roll-cage.html

 

 



#2 Cooperman

Cooperman

    Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 23,014 posts
  • Location: Cambs.
  • Local Club: MCR, HAMOC, Chelmsford M.C.

Posted 10 February 2019 - 04:26 PM

Not ideal for road use.
You will lose the use of the rear seats and you really need full harness belts to prevent the risk of your head hitting the cage in an accident.
Insurance companies don't like cars with cages unless they are real competition cars.

#3 nicklouse

nicklouse

    Moved Into The Garage

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 17,899 posts
  • Location: Not Yorkshire
  • Local Club: Anonyme Miniholiker

Posted 10 February 2019 - 04:39 PM

And without a front cage and door bars the car just collapses just as well as normal but with more metal to squash you.

#4 Icey

Icey

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Traders
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,490 posts
  • Location: Wiltshire

Posted 10 February 2019 - 05:44 PM

Are you always going to be firmly strapped in by some decent harnesses? Are you going to be wearing your crash helmet?

 

If the answer to those is no, then a roll-cage isn't for you. All you will have done is add a load of very heavy steel inside the cabin to bounce your skull off. They have to be fitted in combination with proper seats and harnesses to make them safe. All three of those items together will make a Mini safer but miss any of them and you may as well have none.



#5 Jase

Jase

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Traders
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,160 posts
  • Location: Wales

Posted 10 February 2019 - 06:02 PM

Thanks guys, decision made - no cage.



#6 sc-em

sc-em

    Mini Mad

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 181 posts
  • Location: Cannock

Posted 10 February 2019 - 09:20 PM

If not for regular use then why not the rear cage, seats and harnesses. The latter are a phaff getting in and out but snug when in. My first mini had fixed belts and I kept them tight and so had extensions on the switches etc.



#7 nicklouse

nicklouse

    Moved Into The Garage

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 17,899 posts
  • Location: Not Yorkshire
  • Local Club: Anonyme Miniholiker

Posted 10 February 2019 - 09:47 PM

If not for regular use then why not the rear cage, seats and harnesses. The latter are a phaff getting in and out but snug when in. My first mini had fixed belts and I kept them tight and so had extensions on the switches etc.

why just a rear cage? then the front will just squash you.

 

its not rollover protection he is talking about. it is from Traffic.



#8 Bobbins

Bobbins

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,327 posts
  • Location: Chester

Posted 10 February 2019 - 09:55 PM

In an accident situation your body and particularly your head can move a long way, even when anchored in with a harness. Without a helmet there can be dire consequences if your head suffers an impact with the steel structure of the cage, basically, no helmet no cage. For road use it's a serious safety implication.

#9 Cooperman

Cooperman

    Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 23,014 posts
  • Location: Cambs.
  • Local Club: MCR, HAMOC, Chelmsford M.C.

Posted 11 February 2019 - 12:10 AM

Remember, raly cars are driven on the road and have a full cage, Helmets are not worn on road sections or whilst travelling to and from the start/finish. 

My cage is fully padded.

The biggest problems with a cage are the loss of the rear seats which makes the Mini a 2-seat car, the possible increase in insurance unless it is a historic competition car and the inconvenience of the necessary full-harness belts.

If someone is nervous about driving a Mini or any other older-generation car in modern traffic, the the best advice is not to do so. I am not being sarcastic here, just pragmatic. If I was nervous about doing something, I probably would not do it. A Mini is expensive to own and run compared with a modern small car and the modern has all the safety stuff, like enhanced body strength, dual-braking system, crash-resistant bumpers, ABS, good de-misting, big brakes, longer-travel suspension, etc.



#10 JDImini

JDImini

    Super Mini Mad

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 673 posts
  • Location: Guildford

Posted 12 February 2019 - 09:23 PM

 

The biggest problems with a cage are the loss of the rear seats which makes the Mini a 2-seat car, the possible increase in insurance unless it is a historic competition car and the inconvenience of the necessary full-harness belts.

Our mini has full bolt in roll cage race seats and harnesses and currently the original 998 engine at 41 bhp so no fire breathing monster but oh boy does it bump up the insurance especially when you say it's only two seater! Also using any of the switch gear is just about impossible when firmly strapped in - it is great fun though and I wouldn't change it for the world, more smiles per mile than anything else :D

 

The other issue as mentioned previously modern cars absorb a lot of the impact thus reducing the energy transmitted to the occupants, good old rigid minis don't so just transfer all that rapid deceleration to you, not good. Best advice don't have an accident. I realise that is flippant but if you drive a mini or other classic car their safety features are limited/non existent it just goes with the territory. 



#11 pete l

pete l

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,355 posts
  • Location: East of France

Posted 13 February 2019 - 09:28 AM

I'm on the fence with this one.

Part of me wants a safety cage, part of me doesn't.

The mini is small and your head is only a few cms away from the steel body shell as it is. In an accident you are going to hit your head on metal, with or without a cage.

I like the idea of a safety cage that goes all around the interior, front of the floor, bottom of the doors, half way up the bulkhead etc. Just to stop in from caving in. But would it be practical ? and what would happen if there was a bigish accident? 



#12 nicklouse

nicklouse

    Moved Into The Garage

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 17,899 posts
  • Location: Not Yorkshire
  • Local Club: Anonyme Miniholiker

Posted 13 February 2019 - 09:43 AM

I'm on the fence with this one.

Part of me wants a safety cage, part of me doesn't.

The mini is small and your head is only a few cms away from the steel body shell as it is. In an accident you are going to hit your head on metal, with or without a cage.

I like the idea of a safety cage that goes all around the interior, front of the floor, bottom of the doors, half way up the bulkhead etc. Just to stop in from caving in. But would it be practical ? and what would happen if there was a bigish accident? 

and a rollcage makes the distance between head and metal even less.

 

rollcages are not designed to help in any form of RTA.

 

they are designed to reduce the chance of death in a motorsport accident that rarely involve a second car. when the do there is often life changing results.



#13 Cooperman

Cooperman

    Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 23,014 posts
  • Location: Cambs.
  • Local Club: MCR, HAMOC, Chelmsford M.C.

Posted 13 February 2019 - 05:05 PM

Basically, if you want modern car safety features then don't go for a classic car. No classic will have the in-built safety features, although some are better than others.
For example, a classic Mini is safer than a Healey 3000, where a head on collision may shove the steering column through your chest. In fact, a Mini is safer than a lot of expensive and very desirable classics.

I have full roll cates inboth of my Coopers, but they are pretty full on rally cars. Of course I don't wear a crash helmet on road sections, but I have the cages fully padded and I am prepared to take the risk.

For a road car I would never fit a cage. If I was afraid I would not own a Mini.

#14 Jase

Jase

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Traders
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,160 posts
  • Location: Wales

Posted 13 February 2019 - 06:48 PM

Good discussion. Haven't driven a Mini for a long time. Last real classic was a GT6 back in 2001 and even then I felt dwarfed by modern cars. It's now a more selective choice for when and where to use my car.

 

Will leave the roll cage as the previous car I had was a little bit of a tight squeeze and there was that worry about smashing your head on one of the bars at the front.



#15 JDImini

JDImini

    Super Mini Mad

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 673 posts
  • Location: Guildford

Posted 13 February 2019 - 10:53 PM

Think I'll be getting some padding for the roll cage before the mini comes out of hibernation 






1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users