harness advice

[Paul86S2]

Ew!  I REALLY don't like them.

IIRC the spec on harness bars is a min 50mm dia.  Those look to be half of that.

The bar between struts, with spreader plates is an OK idea, but still not ideal, as it's a long way back.

Is your safety not worth £600 then, Paul?  

Yep thats why I have never bought one of the ebay harness bars.

My safety is worth £600  but I believe he is oop North somewhere and he can't get it fitted in a day so its a real ball ache logistically.

If I could find someone local that would charge less than my house is worth then I would get one fitted. I've not had any local quotes under £1200 and I count local as anywhere in the South West from Birmingham downwards.

No I can't weld so thats another stumbling block.

Looks like I'll have to look at an ejector seat instead 

Paul

[JonLeeper]

I've been thinking about this and am wondering what do the locost and other kit car manufacturers use for their space-frames?  I would be surprised if it is 50mm CDS and if it is not then why should we not use the same specification for our roll cages?  I know that the “Blue Book” states this and that but if it is not required for a chassis and we do not intend to race them then I fail to see why it would be unsafe?  After all they put seatbelt mounting points into their chassis perfectly safely.

I am going to do some investigation and see where I go.  Any comments, especially DH as I value the opposing view in these sort of cases, it assists in sanity checking my own ideas.

[JonLeeper]

Lots of interesting discussion on that site over the whole EWS vs CDS argument.  A nice usable summary here:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=95261

Some more interesting discussion here:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=79116

Another thread about the use of tube vs box section, interesting to see the thoughts about strength in stress, strain and bending.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=74924&page=1

This gives some ideas on what they actually use:

http://locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=65366

Reading all of this I think that, as long as it is suitably triangulated and supported, EWS tube should be fine.

[leeroy20vt]

hmmmm well thats well and truly confused me as to what to use now but i think dh is probaly on the mark as to use cds

but dh what would ur thoughts be if i bought the steel but welded it all my self still a no no or would u say depends how confident a welder i was

[Diamond Hell]

Do it right and there's no reason you shouldn't do it, provided you're a competent welder.  I'd make sure you were a competent welder, rather than a confident welder as I've seen things pulled apart very easily, despite being welded by confident welders 

Get to a race meet and look around the paddock at some of the cages and their fixings, or spend a lot of time browsing cage installs online.  You could even buy (and read) a book on it - I have a mate who I'll ask for a recommendation - he's bound to have one.....

The main thing is that you follow guidelines for build and ensure you get good penetration (stop sniggering at the back!).  Providing you're competent and build it right there's no reason you shouldn't weld a cage up from a kit.

[danny_p]

get some tube and a hole saw and cut  and make some joins up, clam them in an awkward place and then try weld.

then look at teh inside of the tube and see if you can see good penitration

[leeroy20vt]

well i have decided after yesterday trackday at lydden the mk3 8v is to much of a saggy boat so it will be stripped of all its running gear and put onto a mk2 with a decent suspension

also had issues of overheating 

[Horney]

Did you have fun though?

nick

[leeroy20vt]

Did you have fun though?

nick

first session was like i dont see what all the fuss is about tbh thought it was pretty boring

then second session i was lovin it big time  i think it was i had never driven the mk3 and was not that used to it but like i said second session i didnt want it to end but the car was overheating some what the needle was off the end of the dial
mk3 8v = fun but slow

so next on the list is a widetrack mk2 so need to find out a little is it just a case of unbolting subframe of mk3 and it bolts straight onto mk2 any ideas

i got the perfect mk2 in my eyes 3dr no sunroof 

[Diamond Hell]

so next on the list is a widetrack mk2 so need to find out a little is it just a case of unbolting subframe of mk3 and it bolts straight onto mk2 any ideas

Pretty much, although you'll need to cut the end tabs off the subframe at the back and you'll want a G2 rad on it (it might just be the rad is knackered in the G3.