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Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

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Old 07-25-2003, 12:08 PM
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Default Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

Trying to decide on whether or not to have swingouts on the roll cage I'm going to get built. The local shop has an awesome design that is a tight fit and works nicely. I've always thought that the moment connection would hurt stiffening the front/reat of the car. It's on it's way to a being a race car that will see the occassional cruise and wanted to get some opinions.

Thanks.
Old 07-25-2003, 01:17 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I like swingouts and it makes it nice if you need to take the seats in and out of the car. If you want, later on down the road you can always remove the swingouts or just weld them in place.
Old 07-25-2003, 01:37 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

get them, I regret not having them now!!
Old 07-25-2003, 01:40 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

This is pushing me in that direction.
Old 07-25-2003, 09:02 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

Swingouts are the way to go!

Mark
Old 07-26-2003, 06:40 AM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I'm putting swingouts on my new Chromemoly rollbar we are building now

Didn't have em on my last bar...worst thing is that the paint on the door bars wear away down to bare metal leaving it kinda ugly
Old 07-26-2003, 07:37 AM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I'm a little surprised nobody has voted against. Would have guessed that PITA of not having them wouldn't have been selected over the stiffening effect for the launch.
Old 07-26-2003, 09:34 AM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I am paying more now to get them installed after the fact

If you happen to injure yourself ie: tweak your back or something similar...getting in and out of the car is nearly impossible!
Chris

ps- If you want to help stiffen the car throw in a set of 100 dollar MAC subframes
Old 07-26-2003, 12:29 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

OK, I'll vote against it since it this is a safety item, and in a car that needs a roll cage you shouldn't be worrying about amenities, and emphasize safety.

But since I think you actually meant roll bar instead of cage, then the car isn't a serious car going that fast, and a bar with singout(s), is just fine.
Old 07-26-2003, 04:17 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

OK, I'll vote against it since it this is a safety item, and in a car that needs a roll cage you shouldn't be worrying about amenities, and emphasize safety.
swingouts are legal for 7.50 and slower. After you go 7.49 you can't have them anymore. Thats the ET break when safety becomes #1 I guess
Old 07-26-2003, 06:09 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

Brian, Thats true, but if you had a vehicle trapping 145mph+, would you really want a weak point anywhere around you.
Old 07-26-2003, 07:12 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

not that I'm fast, but I wouldn't want swingouts in a racecar.

Maybe in a streetcar/weekend warrior/daily driver. but not a racecar.


I've never had swingouts, maybe I don't know what I'm missing
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Old 07-27-2003, 10:19 AM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I have had both set ups.

I had a 6 point roll bar with swingouts. The swing outs constantly nicked my window tint. No matter how I tried I would forget and open the swing out too far and nick the tint. Actually I found them to be more of a pain in the **** than I thought they would be. Just one more item to batten down before a run.

I now have a 12 point roll cage. My chassie builder advised against swing outs for saftey reasons. They are a weak link. I find it very easy to get in and out of my car and I'm a big guy. Just have the side bars custom made. I'll post a pic of mine on my web site. Give me a few.
Tom
Old 07-27-2003, 10:33 AM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

There you go. BTW this cage is NHRA certified.
Tom
Old 07-27-2003, 11:19 AM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I'm a big guy too, and my 6pt does not have swingouts, and has a standard height for the side bars. Yeah, I bump my *** on it getting in and out. But after doing it once, I became much more careful.
The other guys was right. If you have a sore back, it does make getting in and out alot more of a PITA. I twisted my back last fall, and got into the car easy. Getting out was alot more trouble. I guess you can say "screamed like a little girl with a skinned knee"
Old 07-27-2003, 02:01 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

Wolfe makes his bars come down to where they are barely legal...come right to your elbow. This would be fine for something into the 9's. After that, I'd get a regular door bar.
Old 07-27-2003, 02:58 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I have the wolfe cage, I got the swing outs, but never use them to get in or out, Im only 150 lbs, My bigger friends use them and it does make working on anything interior wise much easyer. I would say get them and later on if need be weld them in.
Good luck
Old 07-27-2003, 07:00 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

I have the wolfe cage with swingouts. I figure that they're there if I need them. I just slide over them to get in and out but they do make it nice if someone needs to get in the back seat or if I'm working on the interior or up under the dash.
Old 07-27-2003, 09:36 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

Alright, now we're into some of the good, bad and painful of to have or not to have. I'm getting a real strong vote from two important players. My wife and chassis builder are both voting against swing outs. One says the safer the better, the other says the more rigid the better. Alright get your mind out of the gutter, we're still talking roll bars. Tom the roofer, your set-up looks nice, was originally thinking of something similiar.
Old 07-27-2003, 09:49 PM
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Default Re: Roll cage opinions from the fast cars

What about Wolfe's low-slung side bars? Are those not NHRA legal? They appear to be low enough to easily get in and out of.



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