Rollcage - Which One?!

[Jonmurgie 2]

Have just got myself a 205 GTi to for occasional track use (see this thread) and intend to fit a cage.

 

I've read both articles on the main site about the OMP 10 point and SD 6 point #cough# BOLT IN #cough# cages which are both really useful write-ups (thanks to those who did them!). However, as both cages require welding anyhow, would a fully weld in cage be a better option?

 

I'm also going to fit seats/harnesses as well and wanted to mount the harness straps to the rollcage so it needs to be one with a horizontal bar running across the back of the cage, is there one like that for the 205?

 

To keep this topic simple here are my basic questions:

 

1. Is a weld in cage worth the hassle over the 'kind of' bolt in cages available?

2. Has anyone tried the Sparco cages (bolt in or weld in)?

3. Has anyone tried the OMP AB106A Weld in cage?

 

Um, can't really think of anything else, but would love to hear peoples opinions as I want to order one this week

 

Unless anyone has a second hand cage for sale?!

 

Cheers

Jon

[zeolite 0]

Unless anyone has a second hand cage for sale?!

 

Join the club m8! everybody and their dog are building race/rally 205s so secondhand parts are thin on the ground.

[Jonmurgie 2]

Thought as much!!!

 

Guess I'll have to buy knew... might go for the Saftey Devices WELD IN cage as it's multi-point and £306 + VAT from here: http://www.motorsportparts.co.uk/

 

So no one has any advice other than the 2 articles on the homepage then?

[Anthony 1,002]

Kev-G on here is selling the OMP bolt in cages brand new for £275 including VAT and delivery if that's any help to you?

[Jonmurgie 2]

Cheers Anthony, had spotted that.... not sure how soon that's all gonna happen though cause he needs 7-8 defo's first!

[Dave 0]

I recently fitted an OMP bolt-in cage.

They are cheap, but they are cheap for a reason, they come comletely unpainted and covered in weld-spatter and the brackets to weld into the car are a pi$$-poor fit.

Having said that, if you are a bit handy with the grinder and welder, they really arent that hard to fit.

My friend has a SD cage in his astra and the finish is much better quality and seeingly it was a breeze to fit.

In the OMP`s defence it is a 10-point cage over the SD`s 6-point. Although, due to laziness on my part, mine is currently only an 8-point cage until I get big enough captive nuts to fit to the box-section above the windscreen.

 

As for a horizontal bar to attatch the harnessess to, I havent seen a pug cage with this, but have seen pugs with rear strut-braces.

Due to the pugs suspension design, a rear strut-brace probably does bugger-all for the handling, but would provide a mounting for your belts.

[Guest CB-Dave]

yep - I can echo dave's comments - the rallycar 205 I helped prepare had an omp bolt in/weld in cage (I say bolt in/weld in cos you had to weld the feet to the floor but you bolted the uprights to the b-pillars) and the fit and finish of it was shocking.

 

Either the chassis was twisted (it wasn't) or the cage was welded up on the jig wrong (probably) cos it was a total barsteward to fit!

 

Once the rear half of the cage was fitted, the front half wouldn't go in - so the rear half had to be loosened to get the front half in, then the front half's brackets wouldn't go in without persuading them with a big hammer, then the midsection feet wouldn't go in without persuading the floorpan with a hammer, then they wouldn't line up, then the sleeve to get the two bits of the cage together wouldn't go on properly... by this time we'd scratched all the red paint we put on the cage (cos it's unpainted as delivered) and it was a fkin mare!

 

By the end of it, we just decided to make it a full welded in cage - we welded the feet to the floor, then the cage to the feet, and left it as such - we were then told it would probably fail scrutineering cos of the exposed bolt holes - so I ground the heads off a few bolts, siliconed them over the holes and gave em a coat of matt black paint - sorted!

 

Passed scrutineering like that too!

 

The difference it made to the car was amazing though, you could use the front jacking point and pick the back wheel up too! really stiffened the shell considerably!

[perfecto pug 0]

tempted to place an order for a safety devices 205 challenge 'bolt-in' cage when my bank account gets to the right amount.

 

as for quality of cages i have seen both OMP and SD, i would go SD all day long, the first time i saw an OMP cage i thought it was 'home made' - that says it all in my mind

[Guest ste]

As for a horizontal bar to attatch the harnessess to, I havent seen a pug cage with this, but have seen pugs with rear strut-braces.

The SD 'Challenge' spec cage has a cross cross brace and harness bar.

[thb 0]

i spoke to safety devices at the autosport show about a 205 cage

 

they have so many options available to you - harness bar, door bars, fixed diagonal etc. so basically you can pick and choose what you want

 

fully loaded 6 point 205 challenge cage with door bars etc came to about £450 i think

 

finish is amazing tho, they're all powder coated black

[Guest ste]

Yep they even used a 205 challenge cage as their demo cage at the show to tempt you...

[Jonmurgie 2]

Sods law was that I didn't have a 205 on Friday when I went to the show so didn't really look at the rollcage stands etc.

 

Have sorted a bargain OMP one so I'll just have that powdercoated and it should look sweet... they are, after all, FIA approved

[Jonmurgie 2]

Well, drove down to Southampton yesterday and got an unused OMP 10-Point 'bolt in' cage with door bars from a chap for a rather cool £140

 

OK, so it didn't have the backets to weld into the car, but it sounds like they were s*ite anyway so I'm going to fabricate my own and just weld the entire cage in

 

Got to paint it first though.. nice job for today!

[zeolite 0]

You jammy barsteward!

I had to buy a new SD 6 point at £330

[indigorallye 0]

I had to buy a new SD 6 point at £330

Where did you get that from??

[Jonmurgie 2]

Here are a couple of pics of the cage before painting:

 

 

Obviously the door bars are yet to be cut down to size!!

 

 

And one after a few hours prepping and painting with Satin Black smooth Hamarite:

 

 

Got another coat to do and then once welded in a bit more tidying up

Edited January 18, 2004 by Jonmurgie

[Jonmurgie 2]

While I was looking for a cage I found the SD cheapest here:

 

http://www.motorsportparts.co.uk/rollcage.htm

[Guest Bigj]

Looking good

 

For what its worth I've fitted 3 OMP cages and although they're a bit of a bugger they do fit pretty well.

 

I don't understand the problems others have had unless of course their quality control is dodgy.

Edited January 18, 2004 by Bigj

[Guest Shaggs]

Umm why didnt you cut down the door bars and weld the brackets in first,

coz now your gona burn the paint.

And you aint gona be able to get in it with the door bars that long.

[Jonmurgie 2]

Shaggs - cause I haven't measured the door bars up... and I will just rub back the paint when I weld and then re-paint over

[Guest foz01]

I had to buy a new SD 6 point at £330 

 

 

Where did you get that from??

 

Is that the royal "I"

 

that was a special price from a bloke i know

[zeolite 0]

Ehhmmm by I I meant Cowspeed

 

I am good at lifting heavy objects and blowing up engines though