Roll bar options

[mandalman]

Earlier this year I fitted a Roll bar to my 1999 Superlight R in preparation for a the sprint and hill climb schools I have booked for this season. This is my first full year of Caterham ownership and I've never done anything competitively before so I wasn't sure whether fitting a roll bar was a bit over the top (no pun intended) for the few times I'd have it on track but thought I'd try it out.

I have the old safety devices cage with the diagonal bar. I have drivers side lowered floor and initially thought there was plenty of room but after fitting FIA padding and donning a helmet I find head movement is severely restricted. I had to take the FIA padding off the outer bar to my right otherwise my head just locked in between that and the diagonal. Not ideal. Something I thought would make me feel more secure actually made me feel more nervous. I've just done the school at Loton Park and head movement was fine without the padding but I'm wondering If there is a better solution.

Does the double D superlight cage give much more room? Also is this only meant to be used with an aerocreen? Are there any other alternatives?

[Wrightpayne]

There is a tall version of the SD cage which is 2 inches taller at the back but same height front. Renders full hood redundant. I have a half hood for a tall FIA bar which seems to fit.

I'm 6'1" S3 lowered floor and tall cage and I'm well clear without a lid, prob 4or 5 inches.

[Shortshift]

Hi Mandalman

If I understand what you are saying correctly, it sounds as though your helmet is not sitting below the near-horizontal plane formed by the upper framework of the cage.  You talk about your head being "locked between" the outer bar and the diagonal suggesting your are positioned too high in the car relative to the cage.  You really need to have the top of your helmet clearly below the metalwork. 

Ian (above) has pointed you to a taller version of the cage (I didn't know about that) but other options include looking at your seat to see what can be done to get you sitting lower in the car. 

There will be a solution somewhere along the line!

James

[Wrightpayne]

There is also a tall FIA bar which is 2" taller.

There was a low flying article a few years ago explaining the different options.

[Shortshift]

Taller bars are well know about, I feel; taller cages perhaps less so?

James

[Matthew Willoughby]

Safety Devices made quite a lot of tall Roadsport cages before supply moved to Caged in 2004. Very few tall Roadsport cages have been made by Caged as the new design used a curved side rail which moved it further away from the head and lowered floors were intorduced at that time. There are some in existence though.

 

The standard SLR cage has always offered more space for the head because it isn't constrained by the need for a hood fit.

[Shaun_E]

What seat do you have? Tilletts can be reclined by putting some spacers under the front bolts.