To cage or not to cage? That is the question.

[dnunit]

Sup everyone! A buddy of mine is thinking of installing a roll cage in his '88 CRX. My question is on installing roll cages on older cars such as his with no airbags at all: Do roll cages provide a different degree of safety than airbags? For example, knee airbags like those on those high end cars protect your knee in case of an accident, obviously. Do roll cages protect different parts of your body? Are they designed to minimize damage to the car more than you, since they mainly reinforce the car body? I don't know much about roll cages, so please don't answer with "noob" or any of that crap. Thanks.

 

[Shiznit]

of course there is more safety with a roll cage. thats why they require it for cars that run 11 seconds in the quarter

 

[ryanM]

why would airbags make any difference?

 

[zoops]

Installing safety things like this is basically an "all or nothing" type deal if you want to survive a crash. A roll cage alone does NOT make your car safer. In fact, a roll cage in an otherwise stock interior is extremely dangerous.

You and your friend both need to do a LOT more research.. there's probably 100's of topics regarding this on honda-tech.

Why does your friend need a roll cage? If he was actually running 11's, I would hope he knew enough about cars to know about basic safety. So I'll just assume he wants it to make his car safer (since it has no airbags). In that case, his best investment will be an Autopower bolt-in 4 point roll bar (with harness bar), FIA approved front seats and harnesses, and bar padding on any part of the roll bar where a body part could POSSIBLY reach. All of this will need to be used in conjunction, for both driver and passenger, no matter when the car is being driven. There aren't any rear seats anyway, but just to reiterate, never put anything living back there with that particular setup.

Then he'll have a safer car than it is now

 

[Steven.]

will i need a cage? 25psi boosted 91 hatch? gutted interior? lol

 

[dnunit]

Yeah, I definetely need to do some more research on roll cages. Thanks for your feedback guys.

 

[Sundown]

Installing safety things like this is basically an "all or nothing" type deal if you want to survive a crash. A roll cage alone does NOT make your car safer. In fact, a roll cage in an otherwise stock interior is extremely dangerous.

You and your friend both need to do a LOT more research.. there's probably 100's of topics regarding this on honda-tech.

Why does your friend need a roll cage? If he was actually running 11's, I would hope he knew enough about cars to know about basic safety. So I'll just assume he wants it to make his car safer (since it has no airbags). In that case, his best investment will be an Autopower bolt-in 4 point roll bar (with harness bar), FIA approved front seats and harnesses, and bar padding on any part of the roll bar where a body part could POSSIBLY reach. All of this will need to be used in conjunction, for both driver and passenger, no matter when the car is being driven. There aren't any rear seats anyway, but just to reiterate, never put anything living back there with that particular setup.

Then he'll have a safer car than it is now

That is what I was thinking.. Here's a small scenario for you. Image you and your friend riding in his CRX when he loses control of the car and you guys go into a ditch. The car then goes into a roll, tossing you and your friend around in the cabin of the car... all the while your heads are being tossed around. What do you think the odds are of someone's skull finding one of those bars?

 

[Steven.]

That is what I was thinking.. Here's a small scenario for you. Image you and your friend riding in his CRX when he loses control of the car and you guys go into a ditch. The car then goes into a roll, tossing you and your friend around in the cabin of the car... all the while your heads are being tossed around. What do you think the odds are of someone's skull finding one of those bars?

they make roll bar padding.
dont yo uthink its better then getting crushed by the roof?

 

[oc_civic]

they make roll bar padding.
dont yo uthink its better then getting crushed by the roof?

i do...

i have a roll bar recaros and takatas.. and i feel pretty safe..

 

[dnunit]

Thanks

 

[io_303]

You will hate the cage after a while. It was cool at first but on mine I got tired of crawling over the door bars and putting on the 5pt. (if you have a chage, get the 5pt) If you keep your stock belts in a caged car you are asking for your head to go into a bar. Padded or not it still hurts more than sheet metal.

 

[Steven.]

You will hate the cage after a while. It was cool at first but on mine I got tired of crawling over the door bars and putting on the 5pt. (if you have a chage, get the 5pt) If you keep your stock belts in a caged car you are asking for your head to go into a bar. Padded or not it still hurts more than sheet metal.

mine wont be a daily drive so im goign with teh 8point autopower one.

 

[oc_civic]

You will hate the cage after a while. It was cool at first but on mine I got tired of crawling over the door bars and putting on the 5pt. (if you have a chage, get the 5pt) If you keep your stock belts in a caged car you are asking for your head to go into a bar. Padded or not it still hurts more than sheet metal.

I <3 My Takatas

 

[Shiznit]

I <3 My Takatas

is your car your DD anthony?

 

[Ltrain]

Sup everyone! A buddy of mine is thinking of installing a roll cage in his '88 CRX. My question is on installing roll cages on older cars such as his with no airbags at all: Do roll cages provide a different degree of safety than airbags? For example, knee airbags like those on those high end cars protect your knee in case of an accident, obviously. Do roll cages protect different parts of your body? Are they designed to minimize damage to the car more than you, since they mainly reinforce the car body? I don't know much about roll cages, so please don't answer with "noob" or any of that crap. Thanks.

roll cages are only safe when using a sear harness (takata etc.) attached to the roll cage bar in the rear,or to the floor towards the back, i read it in honda tuning i think

 

[oc_civic]

is your car your DD anthony?

yup.. every single day.. lol

i do get strange conversation at the gas station a lot.. but yeah every day...well at least 5 times a week.. sometimes my wife drives her car..

 

[io_303]

mine wont be a daily drive so im goign with teh 8point autopower one.

I had the 6pt autopower in my CRX, It completely changes the way it handles. It ties the unibody togeather and puts the car on rails.

EDIT: Is my post still somewhere around here about aftermarket harnesses??

EDIT AGAIN: http://www.clubcivic.com/board/showthread.php?t=68352&highlight=harness

 

[Steven.]

I had the 6pt autopower in my CRX, It completely changes the way it handles. It ties the unibody togeather and puts the car on rails.

good or bad thing? lol

 

[io_303]

good or bad thing? lol

VERY GOOD. I loved it. The only thing I hated was climbing over the door bars

 

[burntrice16]

Unless you want to always wear a helmet, don't do it. period. When you get in a wreck, you are going to be tossed around at whatever speed you were travelling. As far as padding goes, all I have to say is imagine being hit in the head with a padded aluminum bat going 50+ mph. If you are worried about rolling your car, lower its center of gravity. take some racing classes. don't drive like an ass. A very good friend of mine lost her life due to head trauma. it was only 25 mph when her head hit the pavement. I know pavement is harder than a roll bar but a roll bar will do more damage as it hits a smaller spot with the same force.