32 replies to this topic

[mike.]

Right so these plates are supposed to be welded to the underside of the cill, on the outside of the car? So the cage bolts go through the holes in these plates to reinforce the floor panel abit right? Are they really needed?

If so how thick are they?

Could i just make my own?

If i ould make my own i could probably get my mates dad to put a few bits of weld around them to hold them on.

[Pie]

mine are abuot 3mm thick. Yeah make your own. you put the bolt face down then washer then through sill then spreader plate then washer then nut and tighten.

Then get someone to weld round all four edges to give them strength.

[mini93]

you can just bolt them, not like your cage is going to be in a track car right? basicly just use them as a sandwhich plate
you can make your own bu they will have to be bent in places to hold to the shape of the sill and the rear arch

[mike.]

reet well just got to find somewhere with some 3mm steel that will be open on a sunday... Does B&Q sell it?

Any idea of average dimensions of the plates i'll need? I spose i an measure up a decent size one when i get the cage.

One last thing. In my rear bins theres like a little rectangle box. This will stop the roll age legs reaching down to the floor. What do i do with this? Will i have to ut this out?

[mike.]

Anyone? Shall i just cut this little box out of the bins so the cage legs can reach the floor?

[mini93]

they should still fit i believe, can you get piccys?

[mike.]

Tommorow morning i can get some pics. If you look into the rear bins, you can't see the floors.

Best way i can describe it is that it looks like a turbo box. That sort of shape, it looks like its part of the bins. It there to make the bins into proper storage places. It looks standard to me.

But looking at pics of rear cages the feet that go in the bin are slanted so they can bolt through the cills. But when you look into my bins you cant see the slanted surface of the cill. You can just see the flat bottom of this box in the rear bin. I'v not had a proper look yet at how its attached it might just slide out.

Also another thing. Should i make the reinforcing plates for just the bottoms of the cills, or for the arhes as well? Arches are going to have to be curved though aren't they...

[Jordie]

Have you removed the cardboard liners from inside the rear pockets?

[Pandora]

I got mine from roll center. Put it in today. It was a B*****d Tho i do have a fixed diagonal. We got the plates and bolts. We also managed to drill in the pockets. But you need a thin and small drill lol we got ours from BnQ for a tenner It looks SWEEEEET now.

[mike.]

I seem to reall removing some lining from the bins yeah; well anyway theres not cardboard in there now. I think i'll have a proper look at it tommorow and see whats in the bins at the moment. But to me it looks like a metal try type thing thats in the rear bin.

I'll have a look in the morning, take some pics and tell you what i find.

Do i need plates for just the rear bins or did your cage come with plates for the arch mountings too pandora?

[ed4ran]

Plates for all 6 points of contact, the door bins and the front are to be welded in and the rear arches where just plates that we bolted the other side of the arch (think they where stainless).

[rawky]

So am I right in saying that the bottom part of the rear cage is bolted through the floor, and that the rear part is bolted through the wheel arch? Just interested to hear how this bolts together..?

[JonBetts]

To do it properly you need to add the plates inside the car and fully weld them to the floor and rear wheel arch. We covered this in an issue of Mini Mag not too long ago, cant remember the exact issue but will look tomoro. Without the plates if you do roll the car there is every chance the feet will push thru the floor as it is relativly thin. This is the correct way following motorsport regs etc. HTH Jon

[mike.]

Holy thread revival!!

Yes your right about where they bolt.

Since its been brought back up, i'd like to say to anyone thinking about a rollcage to check with your insurance first! I fitted all mine in, then had to take it out 6 months later when it came to insuring the car. My insurance said a rollcage is a race item, not a safety item and would not be covered by them.

[Sherlock]

I found it a lot easier with the steering column out, also be careful of your roof lining, my Rally car never had one but the cage was very close to the roof during installation. It was a long time ago, but I don't remember any difficulty drilling the holes. It is possible to get a domestic size electric drill into the side bins, but you will be drilling at a slight angle to the slope of the floor, not a problem as the holes in the feet of the cage will keep the drill in line.

Times have certainly changed, 30 years ago roll cages were no problem insurance-wise.

Edited by Sherlock, 27 September 2009 - 08:19 PM.