157 replies to this topic

[Down&Out]

Ok, i gather this topic may cause some argument but i see too many people saying they are going to fit a rollcage to their mini to make it safer, so i just thought i would post this quote up taken from here to show you where people that think that, are going wrong.

The point about this thread was to show that a Mini can go through a relatively bad crash without much harm to the passenger compartment. The curves of the Minis bodyshell help massively to absorb impact energy, and thats why most people have walked out of these crashes.

Stick a roll cage in a Mini and you make the whole structure a lot stiffer, meaning the bodyshell can no longer absorb the impact energy as well. Yes, the roof might not deform as much in a roll over accident, but how many roll over accidents have been put up in this topic? They don't even make up a large miniority of accidents. Most are front or back end shunts. But the roof deforming when you've fitted a roll cage is only of secondary importance anyway. Your personal safety is the most important thing! If you fit a roll cage you must use proper bucket seats, harnesses and proper roll cage protection foam. Failure to do so can result in very serious personal injury from limbs or other body parts hitting the big steel girders you've just shoved in your Mini that sit a couple of inches from many parts of your body.

If you do decide to stick a roll cage in (with foam), and buckets and harnesses then you have to start thinking about how you're going to reach things like the centre dash switches when you're strapped in...

The best way to make your Mini safer is to keep it standard, well maintained, and to drive defensively at all times.

[Globule]

This has been said before several times, i have personally rolled my mini travelling at speed (had normal seatbelts and no rollcage, had high backed recaro's which stopped the roof caving further), the roof did deform yes, and as Jammy has mentioned, it absorbed alot of the force and it carried on rolling (but not too far!), if i had a rollcage then the energy wouldn't have crumpled the roof, and it most likely would have kept on rolling, in which case i think i would not be here today.

Having said that, i have now fitted a rollcage to my current road mini, i also have fixed seats and harnesses, i can reach the switches fine, but in a crash i could still bang my head on the cage and that would be the end i reckon, they aren't soft! I wanted a cage mainly as i like the look, i didn't want a showcage as they are worse in a crash, so i got the proper thing and frankly, i'll take my chances!

But still as you say, people (like me) get it just as they like the look and aren't fully informed about the pro's and con's of them, they will always be fitted to road cars though as people will always like the look, or the false sense of safety!

[tattooguy08]

interesting!

[tuktuk]

i have a full cage, rear cross door bars dash bar ect

ive got buckets with 4 point harnesses. when im fully strapped in theres no chance of me hitting my head on the cage (unless it moved in a crash) but i cant reach all the switches especially the most important one being the cd player

i got mine for looks (hence painting it luminous yellow) to fill the rear space of the car since fitting buckets and harnesses eliminates the rear seat area...

[scrumpymini]

Can you not get some roll cage padding so if you do crash your head legs or arms will hit the pads, i would have thought insurance companies would charge even more with a cage fitted.

[cap'n crunch]

if i had a rollcage then the energy wouldn't have crumpled the roof, and it most likely would have kept on rolling, in which case i think i would not be here today.

how do you figure that? if you had proper bucket seats, harness and cage padding you would want to keep rolling as it is using the crash/impact damage energy to roll the car and keep you protected instead of deforming the car and causing drastic de-acceleration.

Failure to do so can result in very serious personal injury from limbs or other body parts hitting the big steel girders you've just shoved in your Mini that sit a couple of inches from many parts of your body.

If you had a mini fitted with a cage and door bars and a mini with nothing, i know which i would rather be T-Boned in...

[WiredbyWilson]

Can you not get some roll cage padding so if you do crash your head legs or arms will hit the pads, i would have thought insurance companies would charge even more with a cage fitted.

Yes they do and raise the question from insurance companies of "why are you putting a roll cage in a road car - how are you planning on driving it?"

I had a cage and chucked it in the skip - mainly as I don't like the idea of creating more holes in a shell - thus promoting rust!!

To those that have got them - no offense, but seems a bit OTT unless you need to boost in confidence

[Globule]

Can you not get some roll cage padding so if you do crash your head legs or arms will hit the pads, i would have thought insurance companies would charge even more with a cage fitted.

You can get the padding yes, its £13 for 3 ft of the proper stuff and i think thats why alot dont have it (and it doesnt look as good in my opinion). As for insurance, as Wilson said, it implies you will drive dangerously and a lot of young drivers wont be allowed one!

how do you figure that? if you had proper bucket seats, harness and cage padding you would want to keep rolling as it is using the crash/impact damage energy to roll the car and keep you protected instead of deforming the car and causing drastic de-acceleration.

I landed on a river bank, if i rolled that little bit more i would have gone in and i doubt i would have got out, my passenger certainly wouldn't have..

Edited by Globule, 08 February 2009 - 11:23 AM.

[Ethel]

There have to be some occasions when you'd be better off with a cage and others when without.

The key point is it's not the impact forces on the car to worry about but those that get transmitted to you. There's enough mass in your body to snap your neck and purée your brain even if you don't make contact with anything.

[cap'n crunch]

how do you figure that? if you had proper bucket seats, harness and cage padding you would want to keep rolling as it is using the crash/impact damage energy to roll the car and keep you protected instead of deforming the car and causing drastic de-acceleration.

I landed on a river bank, if i rolled that little bit more i would have gone in and i doubt i would have got out, my passenger certainly wouldn't have..

ah, fair enough.

[mini93]

oh dear....im going to die....i have a rollcage

[Broomer]

Same, I crashed a mini, and the roof collapsed down to the tops of the standard seats...

[sweetser]

oh dear....im going to die....i have a rollcage

[Down&Out]

oh dear....im going to die....i have a rollcage

from what i understand, you race your mini. which is fine, as your more likely to roll than someone in a road car.

[Minigirl]

i have a rollcage in my road mini. no i dont like it and i would like to take it out but my mum paid for me to have itand fitted so therefore it stays

personally i dont think they look nice and they dont make any road going mini look better but some people (like my mum) believe it makes the mini safer - after she was in a head on crash and nearly killed in a brand new clio - she didnt want me being out in a mini without one

i havent got buckets and i havent got harnesses after having them in my first mini i wouldnt have them again