Brendon

iTrader: (1)

I've been doing as much research on roll cages. What got me interested is there's an SC400 for sale nearby me that has an 8 point roll cage. I can't seem to come up with any hard data on the real world benefits of a roll cage. Obviously in rallying, roll cages are used primarily for protection in the event of roll over (duh!), but is there actually any benefit in the real world in terms of handling? Does the car actually feel sharper or turn better? Or is this just an extra 50+ lbs of weight not needed on a daily driver. Anyone who's actually used one in the SC please feel free to chime in.

1WILLY1

iTrader: (9)

in my opinion it would be purely added weight and offer nothing in terms of performance and or handling.

DeezNuts

iTrader: (3)

depending on how it was made it should help stiffen the chassis, however its not needed on a street car. It can actually be more of a safety hazard on the street as you don't wear a helmet on a daily basis.

good2go

iTrader: (6)

It rather depends on the design and engineering put into the cage. It is definitely possible to have a cage add rigidity to your car, but if it's done improperly, it could also alter the effectiveness of the engineering already built into your car's unibody. For daily driving with an occasional autocross thrown in, it's probably not going to be an asset. If you're full on road racing or routinely running 1/4's in a sub 10 bracket, then it becomes an appropriate consideration. One thing for sure though, if you do put one in your car, you better also plan on wearing a helmet 100% of the time. Those things will crack your skull like an egg.

.02

INTIMAZY

iTrader: (5)

IMO
No for a street car.
Yes if a racing org makes you.

If you really want it, get a good shop to make a custom weld in cage. Bolt in cages are not space efficient and they are not always very safe designs (bends to get around the dash, non-DOM tubing, etc).

abounly

iTrader: (27)

DD with a roll cage? No way, weight plus you and/or your friends will probably hit the bars trying to get into the car.

SC is a tank already!

Brendon

iTrader: (1)

I wasn't planning on doing this to my car regardless. I was just wondering if it actually did anything useful for the car's handling since I've heard that it supposedly improves handling.

spoolxexo

iTrader: (4)

Again it depends. If DSG or Kaizen did it it's one thing.

If Billy-bob with his 110v MIG welded did it, run for your life.

There are things called "Pads" you can install on your roll cage so you don't get into a headbutting match with Chromoly. But that's neither here, or there.

1. If you car needs it, it needs it.

2. If it doesn't, no need.

HiPSI

iTrader: (2)

Depends, if the drag strip is not allowing you back in until you get one

Biggu

iTrader: (12)

off subject but ive got an autopower cage Id sell if you are considering it. Its a bolt in cage.

Klaus

iTrader: (1)

moving on....

A roll cage done correctly will stiffen your chassis by reducing tortional flex. Further, it does what it says it does- provide a cage around the driver in the event of a roll over or major collision at high speeds. However all of the benefits of a roll cage are really only applicable to a track car as it comes with some drawbacks. One it's kind of a pain to get in and out of. Not ideal for daily use. You MUST wear a helmet with a roll cage. Pad or not, in a bad accident a roll cage is nearly guaranteed to crack your skull and even if your helmet hits that thing it's going to cause damage. So then you really should be wearing a 5 point harness (5 point to prevent submarining) so you don't snap forward in an accident and smack your head on the roll cage. But wait, your head will still move forward so a hans device is necessary so you don't separate your vertebrae.

Roll cages have their place and function- street cars aren't one of them.

vinh

iTrader: (8)

i think you are very misinformed

A more rigid chassis provides a more stable foundation for your vehicle's suspension. By minimizing the flex in the chassis, the suspension takes control of keeping the tires in contact with the road surface. When there is flex in the chassis, the chassis itself works as an unpredictable spring in your suspension.

Take two nearly identical vehicles equipped with the same drivetrain, brakes, suspension, and aero. Set both vehicles to have the same exact final weight and weight balance. If the only difference is the rigidity of the chassis (roll cage), do you think it will make a difference on the race track or the street?

The answer is YES