Roll cage feedback
 

I've been researching all the stuff I want to do to my car, a cage has crossed my mind a couple times. I don't plan to ever run anything lower than a 10. More or less looking for feedback from people using a cage. I'm gonna drive the car a lot (or at least hope to) in the summer, so I'm kinda hesitant to put one in, but don't feel like getting kicked off the track if I do run pretty fast times. I'm doing a full interior tear down, so if I were to get one done, I'd like to get it done during that time.

My questions are-
1. How do you like your cage set up. (Is it pretty easy to get in and out? Any annoyances that bug ya? Etc...)
2. What kind of cage should I get? (6pt, 8pt, 10pt...) *keep in mind, don't plan to run faster than mid tens, and want to get some autocross in*
3. Who locally makes cages, or what's a good site up get a weld in cage?

Any input is helpful, thanks for the time!

Dan.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

John (pushit) on here I believe is willing to make them for a decent price. Otherwise places like TnT can do it, and there's that other shop that did a lot of chasis work for MAP, can't think of their name though, deng.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

I remember the place that did MAP's stuff, but couldn't think of the name either haha.

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Whoa bert, really taking it to the next level here.

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Hey Bert? lol

I say drive the car first before you decide to put a cage in it, are you ready to move around a cage everytime you want to get into your DSM?

Also, what are you going with that you will need a cage? Will you be tracking it that much?

I'm just a big fan of street cars and don't really see a cage in a street car, esp. a DSM (maybe cause I haven't seen that many)

Not really a jab at you, but I do have a little doubt I think there are only a few active members on here whose car needs a cage.

I read your post fully, so i left my post.
I say rock without the cage, there are other threads on here about who does cages (that can be certified!, a big plus)
I'll help you this summer pull the interior out, I've done it a million times and its kinda sick but I enjoy it.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

A little advice, run your 10's, then put in a cage, they are a pain in the ass.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

My build is kinda heading towards a multi purpose street car. I do plan to take it to the track as much as I can, but it will be used more as a DD (if/when it's running). I guess I was hesitant on the whole comfortablilty factor, as well as safety. I'm not looking forward to climbin into my car everyday, or having other people (especially of the lady variety) having to deal with it. If my car ends up where I want it to be, then i'd feel a lot safer spending a couple hundred dollars to have a saftey net. It's a strictly summer car, so it's not like it's gonna get a ton of use, but enough where I can see a cage getting annoying.

And turbotalon, I might take ya up on that help haha. I'm not looking forward to tearing it apart, did it twice this last summer.

Oh and the nickname "bert", derives from my last name (Hebert). A couple of my friends are on here, and I have a lot of nicknames lol

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

Including shitfuck. Cages are fine. Mine was a gift. Needed more-so for the harnesses, and was a GREAT excuse to get rid of that crap auto seatbelt shit. Stiffens the car up, and I feel it handles better. Be prepared to spend more then a few houndred though on the fabrication and install costs.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

Hey Bert, on a random note, do you need any parts from a 1GA? Parting one out at the moment.

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I would love to rid of auto seatbelts...that would be a joy. I've seen 6/8pt kits for sale (dsm specific) for like $200. I figure I know someone down the line that could weld it up for me, but want it done nice if I do.

And I don't recall shitfuck on list of nicknames swifty.

Couldn't text or pm me that? Lol

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

What exactly do you feel you'll be doing that requires a cage? Depending on the purpose, you might not even want to waste any money on a 6-point.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

I've called you that before!! lol jp.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

Drag racing is one, I'm under the impression that you're fine up to the ten mark, with an 8pt cage. I don't think I need an 8 by any means, since I'll be shooting for mid-low 11's, maybe dipping into the high tens.

Also wanted to get out and do some autocrossing. Figure a cage might help stiffen things up, maybe help out a bit.

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im installing a cage, i kno im not going to be in the times needed anytime soon, i just feel safer with it.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

You are fine without a cage until you hit 11.49. A 5-pt cage is good to 10.00 or 135mph. With the way DSM's run, it's not the time, it's the MPH you need to watch out for. When you start hitting low 11's, you may find yourself in the 130's. So the 5-pt/6-pt cage is kind of a wash in that aspect because you may still be booted even at low 11's high 10's. If you're going to spend the money on a cage for a DSM for drag purposes, my opinion is skip the 5/6-pt and go straight to the full cage, then you don't have to worry at all. John seemed to know a bit about what all you need to run faster than 135 as far as a cage goes, and he said he would guarantee his work to pass tech. He might be a good resource to tap into before deciding on anything.

Only reason I know what I do, is because I was in your same shoes, looking for a 5/6-pt cage because it was good to 10.00. Then I found myself running 11.0 at 135, and 10,9 at 137. So that 5/6-pt setup would already be no good do to my MPH. So glad I didn't get one. Now, I'm also contemplating a cage, but haven't bit the bullet yet because I hate to do that to what is a 99% street car. Decisions decisions...

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I'll be getting rid of my manual seat belts when I get home, so problem solved don't need fricken cage or $200 or swifty I'm ballin wanna be race car superstar harnesses.

I need some a rust free pass fender. (since we are posting random crap along with helpful posts, or just by themselves)

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

For comfort, maybe you want to do swing outs? Not sure if they are ok for the track or not though.

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yeah swingouts are allowed. I thought I remember John saying something though about possibly not even needing those side bars. I can't remember and I think I deleted the PM's. Deng it.

EDIT:
found the PM. He said with a 10pt cage, you only need a drivers side bar. So you could leave the passenger side without a bar, and only have a bar on the drivers side, but have that bar completely removable (via pins like a swingout), and leave that bar out all the time and only put it in on track day. That'd probably be your least intrusive option.

So something like this, but that cross beam that goes across the driver side door could be completely removeable, and the cross bar on the passenger side door simply wouldn't exist.
http://www.badassperformance.com/mri...e/10_point.jpg

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

^ If it was me, I would do the pass side door as well (likely in a swing out). It would seem kind of weird to only have one door bar.

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The swingout deal sounds a hell of a lot nicer than having to hop into my car.

Turbotalon-not buying a cage so I can have cool seatbelts, haha, just mentioned it would be nice to rid of the auto belts.

Thanks for the feedback, and keep it coming please!

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X2, I have a thing for symmetry, bugs the crap out of me when they're not the same, but should be. My passenger will have to deal with a swingout lol.

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^ Just go with a lap belt :)

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We put the cage in the evo and it is my d.d. and it helped make the mirage body nice and stiff. I also have a 4pt cage in the talon and even that helped out some.

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I'll have to pm john (pushit2.0) and see what he has to say on the subject. At this point, Im most likely gonna cage it while it's all apart.

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Like was said already, make sure it is something that you really want. Like was stated earlier, anything in a 6pt in a dsm that wants to run high 10s is kind of a waste. Most of us here that have ran fast enough this summer to need a 6pt have trapped high enough to need a full 10/8pt cage. Also as you use different material and get different pt cages, the regulations on the bar thickness change. So to get the lightest cage and only do things once, really think about what you want and go for it!

If you do get a cage, I'd also opt for the swing outs. It would make it a lot less of a pain in the ass for a daily driver. I'd still say just drive/race your car until you actually get the boot for running too fast then decide if its what you really want to do. You only go the track once or twice a year, street drive it a lot more than that.

While we are all talking about our own cars, my car is getting less and less of a street car, but I still don't want to take the car that "extra" step and get it cagged. Its mighty expensive for a moly one and it seems like a 100 time bigger pain in the ass than even my Kirkey.

Local places to check out:
John (pushit...) - pm him
TNT in Blaine - http://www.tntraceshop.com/
Mean Street - http://www.meanstreetperformance.com/index.html

Sure there are a couple more, but those are the only places I would take my car to get cagged. Mean Street did Map's car, fast mark's cage, and a few others. I would also not get one of those kits. I'd rather pay the extra money and get a custom one that is super tight.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

^word, super tight baby.

For me, the dream is to finish a setup on the car run it a few times (CFR is cool about no cages I heard) and then leave it because its main purpose is a street car.
If I had to cage for racing, then I guess I would but I don't see that happening.

If you haven't figured it out, a cage is a pretty big step.
You still haven't told us your setup? Going to be making some big powaz?

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

John did a 6pt in my friends 1g last year. Looks good and I really didnt think it was that bad getting into/out of the car. He got it with swingouts and has just left them in. Another thing to consider is what seats your going to be using. You will most likely need to have your seats in then build the cage around them.

I will most likely try to get my 2g caged this summer. But, I'm sick of jacking it up on the front and watching the entire car sag in the middle. That and when running a track this summer I will feel a little safer if it goes horrible wrong. And a guy I know will weld one in for a good price. So tough to pass up, and he has plenty of experience from welding tube frame chassis dragsters in his garage.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

Sent out a pm to john, he said he will get back to me later tonight. Thanks for the input Celica.

As for the setup this year, I plan to be in the 450-500hp range (db).
Scm6152e (purchased)
FIC 1450cc injectors (getting at the end of the week)
Dsmlink lite or v3 (have a feeling I'll go over the limits that lite has)
Light head porting
Kelford 272 cams (maybe a regrind variant, haven't heard anything bad about them, and already talked to the guys at delta cams)
Built 2.0....maayybe a 2.3 (really can't make up my mind on that one)
New bigger fmic
Different less restrictive exhaust (pretty sure my downpipe is 2.5", not positive), plus I just don't like my exhaust.
Exhaust manifold mega porting
Fuel system upgrade. Either dual walbros, or maybe just add an inline Bosch to my current 255
Maybes-fp race manifold, 2.3l stroker, smim (only if I find a deal on one)

So my mind isn't completely made up on my set up. That's why I'm getting all of the planning done ahead of time, and gathering parts for once the snow starts to melt. I'm still stuck between selling the scm, and going with an evo 3 16g for some insta spool at track. That'd be where the 2.3l comes into play, that could help to spool the scm quite a bit.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

Nice, I would say a 50 trim sized turbo. Thats what I rock. A lot of guys that have been around for a while say that the 3052 is the best turbo for street strip and thats mostly on a 2.0.

If i make any big changes it would be to rock an FP setup.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

I bought the scm61 super cheap, which is why I got it. Ideally, I'd like to bump it down to a 50 trim, cause I'm not a huge fan of lag. I'm inpacient when it comes to boost.

I'm kinda in the market for a shell right now, really like gnarkill's, would be pretty easy to do a cage setup since his is stripped in the back, and has racing seats. But sales pending on that one. I'll be looking around, if anyone sees a black 1ga/b or a white 1ga, pm me!!!! Haha. Black 1gb talon is with a sunroof is my dream 1g pretty much, but I've had 5 1gb's now, and they're getting boring to look at.

That was a bit of a OT post haha, my bad.

Re: Roll cage feedback
 

I got a black 1gb..want it Dan? There's also another on dsmtalk, stripped and gutted for sale, with a 10 point cage done on it..

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I've got a black 1gb. It's an Eclipse, but it has talon tail lights and bumpers. And it even has a sunroof! ;)

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Ya, that's also what I have..though, I wish it didn't.

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Does this mean your trying to sell it again? I was interested when you had it forsale before

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I've been itching to get another S14 240sx lately, so if an offer comes my way, I may not turn it down...

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pmed. sorry for being off topic in your thread bertbert, dont let it discourage you from getting your 500hp 1g.

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So now you're buying another dsm eric? Hahaha, you change your mind more than I do.

Kevin1gdrummer-if I were to buy one, I'd just get a shell, and do what I want to it. Half the fun is making it run (sometimes).

Swifty, no, I don't want your car lol. I will go check out dsmtalk, think I'm a member there. You should post a link.

Again, sorry for the OT.

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Ah, mine's not good enough? Fine then! The owner on talk is someone named pinder91?

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Never said I was buying one. Just always liked/wanted his. no matter how much I dont want to buy another or probably shouldnt buy another, I more than likely will buy another.

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No, I just don't have those sort of funds lol. I'll give you $1000 cash, deal?