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Cage question: Does the harness bar need to be in the same plane as the diagonal?


NewbernD

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Wrecked the e30 at Watkins Glen.  Moving parts over to an other one, but our change from 4 door to 2 door means we can finally install a cage with some leg room.  I have a question on cage legality. 

 

Does the harness bar need to be in the same plane (and intersect) with the main-hoop diagonal bar?  At least with our last cage, it would have been an advantage (space wise) to add some bends to shift it back a bit to make room to wrap the harness around the bars.  I found a few pics of someone else's construction that echos what I am considering.  Thoughts?  Reading through the rules, this would seem to be legal but I wanted to check with others.  Does anyone else use this style?

 

Thanks.

 

Dave

cagepic.jpg

cagepic2.jpg

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Please note that the main hoop diagonal shown by @MoparBoyy is not ideal. It is two pieces interrupted by their revised harness bar and because the top portion has been moved it may no longer be spanning >=50% of the main. That configuration will pass tech with Champcar but may cause ire with a strict SCCA inspector.

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2 hours ago, takjak2 said:

Please note that the main hoop diagonal shown by @MoparBoyy is not ideal. It is two pieces interrupted by their revised harness bar and because the top portion has been moved it may no longer be spanning >=50% of the main. That configuration will pass tech with Champcar but may cause ire with a strict SCCA inspector.

Wow! Good eyes @takjak2 ! That diagonal bar IS 2 pieces. I'm not even sure if that's legal by Champ standards, but realize it's obviously passed tech. :(

I didn't realize what you meant until I saw the 'stub' of a tube in the left upper corner. I sure wouldn't leave that stub there, it's just another unnecessary point of contact for the driver's head.

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Per rules, both of the pictured cars are legal.  

 

3.2.5. One main-hoop diagonal support bar(labeled “3”) installed in the same plane as the main hoop, with one end terminating in general proximity to the main hoop bend above the driver’s head and the other end terminating in general proximity to the lower end of the opposite side of main hoop. The diagonal support bar may be of one (1) or two (2) piece construction and it may intersect with or cross-through the horizontal support bar (used for seat belt harness attachment and/or seat support).

 

3.2.8. A shoulder-harness bar (labeled “4”) mounted just below the driver’s shoulder level is required.

 

Should bar crossing diagonal is a "MAY" item, not a must item.  At least for ChampCar.  

 

 

That being said, I personally feel much safer when the main hoop diagonal (single tube) and harness bar are tied together, triangulating the main hoop structure.  Compared to what you have pictured with full cross-car back-set of harness bar, it isn't that different to back-set just the driver portion of the harness bar for improved driver ergonomics and still connect to the diagonal.

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3 hours ago, NigelStu said:

That being said, I personally feel much safer when the main hoop diagonal (single tube) and harness bar are tied together, triangulating the main hoop structure.  Compared to what you have pictured with full cross-car back-set of harness bar, it isn't that different to back-set just the driver portion of the harness bar for improved driver ergonomics and still connect to the diagonal.

 

Thanks.  My thought process lingered on this idea as well.  We run a passenger seat as well, and while driver > passenger comfort, it seems easier to keep the mounting consistent between the sides.  I am planning to add a lower horizontal bar just above the tunnel that will be in plane, FWIW. 

 

Thanks all! 

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^The diagonal will limit how far back passenger seat can go, so nothing really gained by dropping the harness bar back on that side.

 

Horizontal bar at the tunnel is a good move - I did that on the new build as well.

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9 hours ago, mcoppola said:

Wow! Good eyes @takjak2 ! That diagonal bar IS 2 pieces. I'm not even sure if that's legal by Champ standards, but realize it's obviously passed tech. :(

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Just checked my 2013 NCATS rule book to see what they required, and the shoulder bar is the one piece, not the diagonal. No bends allowed in it though.

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10 hours ago, NigelStu said:

^The diagonal will limit how far back passenger seat can go, so nothing really gained by dropping the harness bar back on that side.

 

 

If the harness wraps around the harness bar (which ours does) the buckle requires a few inches of space.  If they are in the same plane and the seat rests against the bars, I will need to add a second harness bar to the back just to make room.  Trying to apply lessons learned instead of repeating the past. 

 

 

HarnessRoom.JPG.d61202bbd07376dee2fb570d677270b2.JPG

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