I wasn't sure where to put this post since i didn't know what it qualifies as, so i am posting it here since my car is an lsi. Would a rollcage pass NJ inspection? Also, should i go with a 6 pt over a 4pt? And how much does it cost to install? And is there anything irregaular i should know about installing a roll cage?
thanks

A question that I would like to add is, how well do roll cages help in frontal impacts.

I just got this cool new job designing cars for safety stuff, like wrecks.

The short is- its very hard to measure without big bucks on something like a 4 or 6 point. anything overhead should never be driven on the street unless you wear a helmet.

the long:
Essentially, the car are designed to crumple and aborb energy. The body is designed with load paths that will send the load to many places. I've seen front drivers side roof crust tests deform the opposite corner and i've seen rear roof crush tests strain the engine.

They are not designed to abosrb 110mph of impact into a wall, and a race style cage is your only way to go for that. however, at lower speeds- these things can do some CRAZY stuff. They can make an otherwise injury free accident life threatening.

Because load paths are interupted and redirected- who knows what could be breaking in what direction and going where.
It can also prevent certain stuff from breaking and getting the hell out your way.

Watch this: http://paultan.org/archives/2005/10/...ssenger-cabin/


Also, this goes without saying, but if it prevents the car from deforming and absorbing impact....well its not going to absorb impact. You will.

its pretty much a roll of the dice. And this is assuming its done correctly. No heat effected zones, brittle welds etc.


hopefully, you wont see any accidents. Under a 15mph collision Id venture to say it would be ok. After that, you are just kind of using a gut feeling to took at something extremely complex.

What is that called (your job), I've been wanting to learn about crumple zones (especially with the the chassis) for a while now.
The reason for my question is because of crashes in nascar. In F1, the cars are designed to come completely apart, but Nascars stay more intact. I know they are specifically designed that way and have tubes running everywhere, but I didn't know how good or bad a street style rollcage would help.

You are considering two totally different situations. NASCAR is a closed track. F1 is open. F1 usually goes across the grass. NASCAR goes into walls.

Also, I’m sure regulation and cost plays a part in it, which is unfortunate. I'm a big jerk when it comes to safety. After you go head on into a wall at a high speed and walk away from it because of the safety equipment in your that they decided not to cheap out on- you usually develop this point of view.

I make a pretty big stink at work when they try to do cost reduction/weight reduction after they find out they are well above the target. Unfortunately, I cant do anything but make my viewpoint known and talk to my boss about it. His boss is much more engineer than humanitarian so it usually goes nowhere. In our defense, we have pretty safe cars. We have some additional crash test standards that aren't even required by federal law. We also have an in house factor of safety above the federal crash test standards. For example, on a front roof crush the vehicle has to hold, i think, 150% of its weight. We would make that 40% higher (not sure of actual number, buts its around that).

Some vehicles are just terrible, like minivans. Seeing rear impact results of those makes me glad my family has 7 passanger SUVs and not minivans.

Throwing in a cage, while it may be safer intutively, may not be safer at all.

edit: its called engineer

Well, from a business stand point, I'm sure your products are sold as "above federal standards," so when your company goes beyond that, from a money/business standpoint someone might say it's overkill.

I thought minivans were some of that safest vehicles on the road, and that SUV's were some of the most dangerous.

SUVs are the most dangerous... when you see one approaching WAY too fast in your minivan's rear view mirror.

Ben T.

Dangerous to everyone else

they roll easier and stuff.