alistairolsen
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posted on 3/3/09 at 10:18 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by MikeR
Matt, in your opinion (note folks, i'm asking for his view - not what is written down or what the MSA will say).
Do you think if I as a racer bought a cage manufactured by someone else to the home builder standards that would be deemed as acceptable?
I didnt think that was under discussion, any cage made from the large tube sizes is ok, its the smaller diameter tube based designs, where analysis
has been done, which are only certified if constructed and fitted by the manufacturer or other authorised (and certified) fitting agent?
Apologies if Ive misunderstood!
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TMC Motorsport
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posted on 3/3/09 at 11:29 PM |
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I have to say what I find a little bemusing about all this is that there are no regulations on home built chassis' at all.
So in theory a badly manufactured chassis that someone has built at home (the original Locost idea, remember) could fold up like a piece of paper in a
heavy frontal impact, but because their ROPS was MSA/FIA certified they were supposed to be safe...
There seems to be no section in the Blue Book referring to the manufacture of roll cage kits, and who can fit them to cars, so the supplementary
regulations would have to be made public, and sufficient warning given before any systems were required to be changed, all in my opinion, of
course.
Cheers,
Matt
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procomp
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posted on 4/3/09 at 11:19 AM |
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Hi
First of. Any one can make and fit a roll cage that complies with the relevant drawings and material specs in the Blue book. CC26 and CC27. Assuming
it is to a good standard of manufacture.
Re regulations regarding certificated cages. Where the design and material size fall out side of the blue book should refer to CC28 CC29 CC30. Once a
manufacturer has applied for a ROPS certificate ALL the relevant regulations will be made available to them. Re space frame chassis and poor
manufacture. When ROPS are tested by MIRA they include the chassis.
Cheers Matt
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alistairolsen
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posted on 4/3/09 at 12:18 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by procomp
Re space frame chassis and poor manufacture. When ROPS are tested by MIRA they include the chassis.
Cheers Matt
So in that case, part of the certification is an assumption that any chassis to which the cage is fitted will be at least as good as the one used for
the tests?
Surely that places an onus on the certified cage supplier and fitter to ensure this is the case (practically impossible without being the manufacturer
of the chassis as well?)
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Rob Palin
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posted on 4/3/09 at 01:14 PM |
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That was a point I made earlier on - it's illogical to apply strict rules to one part of an inseparable safety system. To enforce this detail
over the roll cage logically requires them to do the same for the chassis too, which then effectively requires professionally built chassis with
accompanying structural & crash engineering certification. I'm not against that, far from it, but it's surely not a step to take
lightly.
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TMC Motorsport
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posted on 4/3/09 at 02:59 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by procomp
ROnce a manufacturer has applied for a ROPS certificate ALL the relevant regulations will be made available to them. Re space frame chassis and poor
manufacture. When ROPS are tested by MIRA they include the chassis.
Matt,
I dont doubt the validity of what you are saying at all, but what I can't fathom is why companies like Caged, Safety Devices etc etc will offer
ROPS kits for sale when their fitting by the person who has bought it is illegal in the eyes of the MSA/FIA?
Surely that is going to render a huge amount of club level cars in this country illegal, not just in Locost but in almost every class outside of
single seaters?
Also, how is the average competitor supposed to know he is not allowed to fit the kit he has just bought if these regs are not in the Blue Book?
Especially when the kits come with the relevant paperwork and approval stickers...
Cheers,
Matt
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