simple cage ideas

[tbburg]

I don't think adding a 4- or 6 point cage to an XJ is going to effect either the front or rear crumple zones in an XJ too much. The front frame is supposed to collapse ahead of the firewall. The rear load floor is supposed to fold up behind the back seat. Add a basic starter cage and none of the tubes would extend outside the passenger area. The B-pillar supports will come down around the spring perches, and the A bars will stay inside the firewall. As long as you don't start in with the frame plating/engine cage/etc, it's not going to change too much.

How many Jeepspeed racers wear a D-cell or Hans device? I know I should but I haven't made it a priority.

Funny, I didn't worry about that either. Just had a contoured helmet pad/neck brace. Then we had our little off-track "excursion" at Parker last year('09). Those things are horrendously expensive, but I want to try to get one before we race again.

 

[Loose_Nuts_Enterprises]

We use head and neck restraints in our jeepspeed. Two of us have the R3 (that's what I have) and two of us use the Decel. The Decel isn't horribly expensive, and you can get the R3 Rage for around $600. Really it's cheap insurance compared to a hospital bill or a funeral.

 

[Goatman]

I wear an R3, even getting in the car for shock tuning. Two cars barrel rolled one day last Feb at Barstow tuning shocks with King.


There are no perfect answers on this cage thing. I don't like a full cage that doesn't go forward of the firewall, like most don't. The whole chassis has flex, and when it's stiffened considerably only around the pass compartment then chassis flex gets concentrated in a much smaller area increasing the likelihood of stress cracks developing. We've seen cracks where the front frame connects to the firewall, all along the front frame sections, and at both ends of the front crossmember.

You can't have it all. Personally, I'd probably go for a simple B pillar hoop that will help keep the roof from collapsing but won't interfere with much else, or a full cage front to back.

 

[Loose_Nuts_Enterprises]

Did some one mention crumple zones???

 

[chris_amrein]

I thought of this thread when I saw those pics. I think Lafortune wears an R3 as well. From what I heard about the crash it may have saved his life.

 

[Larrythedog]

I was looking at these pictures on Jeepspeed.com. Is anybody concerned about how far the light bar moved down and back towards the co-dog seat? It seems more jeeps are mounting these light bars lower and farther forward. I never even thought about where it could go on a severe rollover. This picture show me that I need to keep the light bar above the cab and away from the window.

 

[Loose_Nuts_Enterprises]

If you have the center supports in the windshield area, I think it would be pretty difficult for it to enter the passenger compartment. That is what those bars are for, to limit the size of the opening so big stuff can't get through, in addition to the support they offer. Think about how many racers that are losing spare tires these days. it would be a bad day if one of those wanted to hitch a ride with you.