27 replies to this topic

[zeroasylum]

I am rebuilding my mini with a new BMH shell in a few months and I am now working out the interior. I was considering installing a safety devices 6pt bolt in cage however I have a few questions.

I would really still like to use my back seats so do I need to fit bucket seats or could I fit a cage with cobra Le Mans seats.

I was also looking at these harnesses securon Harness Pn. 700 - Three point Harness with Retractor . This can be disconnected so I could use the back seats occasionally and leave in the normal belts.

How safe are cages. Will they help in an accident or make it worse.

Any help appreciated

Thanks

Zeroasylum

[Jammy]

If you fit buckets you really need to use harnesses which render the rear seats useless.

If your fitting a roll cage, then technically you should use bucket seats to stop parts of your flailing about in an accident, hitting the cage and breaking. So if you do fit bucket seats then I refer you to the point above.

Have a search for rollcage/ roll cage, the views on whether they are safe in an accident have been discussed many times.

If you do fit a cage then you must fit proper roll cage padding.

[Matt]

as above.... make sure you add the padding....

i'd hate to hear of another mini accident where the drive bounced his head off of the top rail

[CharlieBrown]

Why do you need to use harnesses with buckets?

Cant you just use a normal seat belt if you want to? (with buckets)

Just asking is all.

[Jammy]

You can, but you need to make sure that the sides of the seat don't lift the belt/harness off your body. For us skinny guys its usually a problem when using standard seat belts and bucket type seats.

If the belt or harness isn't tight to your body, and your body is allowed to travelled forward before meeting the belt/harness in an accident then you can suffer quite badly with damaged ligaments, broken shoulders, very bad whiplash, etc. That goes for keeping a harness loose so you can reach buttons on the dash too!!!

[CharlieBrown]

Noted!

Cheers Jammy

[Matt]

but for the larger likes.. its not a problem

[Bungle]

you could fit a rear cage

not as safe but it keeps most of the metal bars away from your body

[insamoufonyx]

It's Illegal to have rear seat passengers in a car with a roll cage.

[mike.]

It's Illegal to have rear seat passengers in a car with a roll cage.

It is?... whoops....

Edited by minimadmike, 12 November 2007 - 05:13 PM.

[Bungle]

i think a lot of people will say woops if thats the case

[mike.]

If it is illegal I can see why. But if the roll cage is padded well and the passenger has there seatbelt adjusted properly then its not so bad.

[insamoufonyx]

If it is illegal I can see why. But if the roll cage is padded well and the passenger has there seatbelt adjusted properly then its not so bad.

true but that doesnt make it not illegal

[Jammy]

Can I ask where you read that its illegal??

[insamoufonyx]

my friend was told when he got pulled over for a routine roadside check on his mini, il have a look into it find some proof online when i get a spare moment