Andy G Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 I am 6'2" and with my crash helmet on my head is level with the top of my FIA Roll Bar. According to the Blue Book I need 5cm clearance between the top of the roll Bar and my helmet, how do I achieve this? Bespoke Roll Bar? A Hoop welded on to the existing Roll Bar? Major Surgery? Give up the idea of entering the club Sprint? All ideas welcome. Andy G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 A number of options: > Bespoke Roll Bar? Do-able but not cheap and may compromise weather equipment, if you're that way inclined. > A Hoop welded on to the existing Roll Bar? Probably cheaper but still a concern for hoods. Probably not strictly legal as the roll bar is homologated and any mods would also need testing. Almost certainly you'd get away with this though. I think the most fruitful approach would be to look at your seat, what are you running? Can you lower it at all? The adjustable seats have a complex runner system that lifts the seat well above the floor. Lose this and you've dropped yourself a couple of inches, either bolt it directly to the floor or just remove it for the sprint and run something else. One of the scholarship people last year just put a layer of foam on the floor panels and sat direct on that. Oh and the most important thing, slump well down in the car when the scrutineer checks helmet to roll bar gaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix.klauser Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 There's always the tall DeDion bar, 2" higher than the standard. Does preclude use of the hood though unless you get Oxted to alter it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted April 14, 2002 Author Share Posted April 14, 2002 Thanks for the information, unfortunately i have recently bought a racing seat and that is bolted to straight to the floor, so there is no way I can get it any lower! Looks like the purchase of another Roll Bar, this sprinting lark is turning out to be more expensive than I thought. Andy G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix.klauser Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 What race seat is it? Depending on the type of seat you might be able to get yourself lower in the car by mounting the seat further forward and reclining it further. This does bend your knees more and move your hands slightly closer to the wheel but you can adjust the wheel and pedal positions to help offset this. I went to a tall full cage last year for peace of mind and found that the seat that worked best for me was a foam seat. This got me well under the bar and turned out very comfy and cheap to boot. I think materials were in the range of £30 or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dent Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 I'm 6'4" and use the tillet seat. As part of the winter program, I fitted teh extra height roll bar, and with my lid on, there is now some roll bar over teh top of my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted April 14, 2002 Author Share Posted April 14, 2002 Andrew, Who did you get the extra height roll bar from and what was the cost? Andy G Edited by - Andy G on 14 Apr 2002 19:15:03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dent Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 Special order from Caterham. Took about 2 weeks to arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ward Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 A v.timely thread... Just did the CCC Speed sprint at Lydden today and one of the officials pointed out the short distance between the top of my lid and the top of the rollbar! I'm 6'2"(almost..) and have also gone over to a Tillet mounted as low as it can go. Andrew- is the extra height bar more than just a hoop? Anybody know who can do a hoop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix.klauser Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 The 2" higher bar is a standard Caterham part (availability varies) and looks just like the normal FIA bar but it's (surprise!) 2" taller by virtue of the main hoop being longer. Whover makes the FIA bar (is it Arch or Safety Devices?) should be able to add a hoop but as Chelspeed points out that may negate its FIA approval. Having said that, isn't the FIA standard a function of the material used and number and type of mounting points rather than any actual testing? The Caterham bars have been submitted for and received approval against a paper spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelspeed Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 The regs specify material but say (or used to, not checked recently) that the design should be tested, or demonstrated by calculation, that they would withstand X force at Y angle for Z secs. I'm sure the normal roll bar / cage makers do the latter and the former is just a cop out for MSA to reject home made bars. The bars were made for Caterham by Aleybars, now part of Safety Devices. If safety devices also make the extra height FIA bar, which I'm sure they do, then it will have also been tested or otherwise FIA approved. I don't think you'll find it too hard to flog your standard height bar to offset the cost of the new higher one, there are always people looking for them on the wanted list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arnold Posted April 15, 2002 Share Posted April 15, 2002 I was just about to order an FIA bar, so I have a couple of questions. I am nervous that I will not have the required clearance either. Is this a requirement for club track days? I have a bench seat and my head nearly touches the hood (lo-viz), will a tillet seat lower me? If so how much? I don't like the idea of the higher roll bar due the hood mods, which sound expensive and ugly! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted April 15, 2002 Share Posted April 15, 2002 I bought my FIA bar direct from Arch (about five years ago?) and asked them to add a bolt-on hoop to increase the height above my head. Because the hoop bolts on, I don't have any hood trouble and can just add the hoop when on the track. I did once have a scrutineer pick up on it, he reckoned that the hoop wasn't substantial enough, but he let me through, and no-one else has ever mentioned it. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterS Posted April 15, 2002 Share Posted April 15, 2002 I have been using the tall Caterham bar for a couple of years, with a suitably designed roof to fit. The heightened roof line makes it look more like a Morgan from some angles (which may be the ugly that JA refers to), but the sense of space insided when the roof is up is surprising. I would suggest that a plane of weakness (by bolting an extension onto the top of a roll bar) would not provide effective resistance if you are still travelling forward whilst inverted. The bolts are likely to bend, and you end up with only the original bar to protect you. It depends how important your head is to you. If getting past the scrutineer is the be-all-and-end-all, it sounds like the hoop extension may get you by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted April 15, 2002 Author Share Posted April 15, 2002 Note the advice and it is much appreciated, can you tell me does the standard Petty Strut fit the higher FIA Roll Bar or have I got to get a new one of those as well? Andy G Edited by - Andy G on 15 Apr 2002 16:50:07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix.klauser Posted April 16, 2002 Share Posted April 16, 2002 It's the same Petty strut but you'll probably need to drill a new hole where the two sections join together to suit the taller bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted April 17, 2002 Share Posted April 17, 2002 I faced a similar problem 4 years ago, new bar or new seat. in the end I made a bagged foam seat with more rake on it which lowered my head an inch or so. This means that my knees are slightly more bent but there is plenty of room under the dash for them, It only cost about £70 to do, which is cheaper than a new bar and weather kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted April 17, 2002 Author Share Posted April 17, 2002 Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread, the advice has been invaluable. On the basis that the solution might help others, here is what I have done.I followed Felix's advice and tried to rake the seat more. I achieved this by redrilling the front mounting plate so the front of the seat is further forward and higher, this pushes my knees up under the dash a bit but the position is suprisingly comfortable (had to go for a quick blat when I finished to test it!)and puts me some 5.3cms below the Roll Bar. Thus saving extra height roll Bar, hoops, redesigned wet weather gear etc. All I need to do now is cut down my bench seat so the passenger has somewhere to sit when I am not sprinting and I am ready to go. Thanks Lads Andy G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted April 17, 2002 Share Posted April 17, 2002 Does the more reclined attitude of the seat mean you are more prone to "submarining" under the seatbelt if you hit something? If so, make sure you have a crotch strap for your harness. Just a thought. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted April 17, 2002 Author Share Posted April 17, 2002 Anthony, I think it probably does, part of my "sprinting upgrade" included new seat belts, and I now intend to make sure I get a crotch strap, presumably it is marginally less painfull than sharing the front end of the cockpit with the pedals in the event of a shunt! Andy G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New7er Posted April 17, 2002 Share Posted April 17, 2002 Andy, I guess that means you are retaining the current Rollbar? New7er Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G Posted April 18, 2002 Author Share Posted April 18, 2002 Sorry new7er it does. Andy G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan T Posted April 28, 2002 Share Posted April 28, 2002 I am 6/4 and have an SV with an FIA bar but even with the seat squab removed I do not have sufficient clearance ( for L7C trackday purposes) from the top of my helmet ( must be long body, short leg syndrome ). Does this mean I need a new taller bar and likely modified roof or has anyone got any brilliant ideas? Help greatly appreciated. Thanks Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted April 28, 2002 Share Posted April 28, 2002 Andrew, I can't help you with your main problem, I'm afraid (being a mere 5'10"), but I'm keen to learn about your sprint experiences. Something to discuss over dinner during our Folembray adventure perhaps? Re the Petty strut: all you need to do (IMHO) is to extend the adjustable section and drill another hole. JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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