Mk2 cage info/advice

I'm looking to cage a mk2 gti, I've done some searching and found a few pics of NASA/RA approved cages but there are still a few details I'd like to clear up. Any pics or details on mounting points, building base plates would be appreciated. I'm planning on going with a main hoop and half lateral bars up from, but I was wondering, when joining the half laterals to the main hoop, is it okay to join them to the top bend in the main hoop? Or do they need to join in-board of the bend?

-Corey

Hey Corey.
Check out the roll cage advise thread in the General Discussion forum. There was a ton of stuff discussed there involving everything important in cage design!

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Ckgtimk2
I'm looking to cage a mk2 gti, I've done some searching and found a few pics of NASA/RA approved cages but there are still a few details I'd like to clear up. Any pics or details on mounting points, building base plates would be appreciated. I'm planning on going with a main hoop and half lateral bars up from, but I was wondering, when joining the half laterals to the main hoop, is it okay to join them to the top bend in the main hoop? Or do they need to join in-board of the bend?

-Corey

What you might think about is how the backstays are fixed to the shell.
Evidently way back in the mid 90s I pioneered in North America the idea of a plate on the top of the shock towers then a stubby tub that sticks up and intersects the round bit the bushes sit in.
The back stays, and any diagonals then intersect this stubby tube which serves double duty: mounting foot that is strong---and obviously stronger than the side of the shock tower---and a path to resolve loads from the shock which are dispersed INTO the cage..

There are several Golves out there that have followed this rather than the "give it no thought cause everybody else does it that way" method of right to the side of the tower.
Tom Machnik in Alberta springs to mind as one.

As for boxes, I've bought square tube and then trimmed it to fit the spreader plate which fits the floor. Then us a simple plate on top...
Try and think of the concept of "involve 2 planes", in other words not just a flat plate but a flat plate with a horisontal element, and edge turned up.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

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john vanlandingham

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Ckgtimk2
I'm looking to cage a mk2 gti, I've done some searching and found a few pics of NASA/RA approved cages but there are still a few details I'd like to clear up. Any pics or details on mounting points, building base plates would be appreciated. I'm planning on going with a main hoop and half lateral bars up from, but I was wondering, when joining the half laterals to the main hoop, is it okay to join them to the top bend in the main hoop? Or do they need to join in-board of the bend?

-Corey

What you might think about is how the backstays are fixed to the shell.
Evidently way back in the mid 90s I pioneered in North America the idea of a plate on the top of the shock towers then a stubby tub that sticks up and intersects the round bit the bushes sit in.
The back stays, and any diagonals then intersect this stubby tube which serves double duty: mounting foot that is strong---and obviously stronger than the side of the shock tower---and a path to resolve loads from the shock which are dispersed INTO the cage..

I thought of possibly boxing the the rear towers then mounting the backstays. But that's something else to consider. So I assume that's and acceptable mounting option, rather than having the backstays mount to a flat base plate?

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Ckgtimk2

I thought of possibly boxing the the rear towers then mounting the backstays. But that's something else to consider. So I assume that's and acceptable mounting option, rather than having the backstays mount to a flat base plate?

stand on a beer can. Works in straight compression up and down. touch the side with the free foot. It collapses.
The top is strong, you make the top stronger---theres your plate..

Find piccies of Tomachick cage.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Like this:

I don't know about John inventing that attaching method but if he says so I guess it must be true.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/2011 03:07AM by Doivi Clarkinen.

A 2" band of steel welded around the strut top does the same thing also.

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Doivi Clarkinen
Like this:

I don't know about John inventing that attaching method but if he says so I guess it must be true.

Introduced to , pioneered North America, Dave, evidently.

I'm not very smart but one strength is recognising good ideas and concepts and at least thinking of where one can apply them, rather than 99.5% just doing things from dogma.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

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heymagic
A 2" band of steel welded around the strut top does the same thing also.

I've used medium truck driveshaft

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

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john vanlandingham

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heymagic
A 2" band of steel welded around the strut top does the same thing also.

I've used medium truck driveshaft

Could be..I meant around the strut at the top, not on top btw.

i wish i had taken some pics but the last time i was at Team O's, there was a MK2 with the inner rockers "Boxed" in with the main hop and door bars welded to it. the rocker panel pinch to floor was covered with 1"x1" u channel. My research indicates using MK3 front suspension and steering components as well as rear axle is more sustainable. plenty of 94-98 jettas for $400 on cl.

Thanks for the pic. Yea mk3 stuff is becoming alot easier to find, too bad it's nearly impossible to find a solid shell where I live, floors aren't a big deal, but I've seen holes in strut tower seams I could stick my hand through. I swear VW got their metal from recycled subarus...

I belive this is the one John was referring to, not as purdy as the one above, but same idea. I used sch40 pipe, perfect fit around the strut mount in a mk2 golf, and yes, John did suggest this to me back in the day, around the turn of the century. Credit where credit is due. If I did it again, I'd put a reinforcing plate on the top of the strut tower before adding the pipe. I think someone else did it that way, Blakely I think?



Gratuitous lonely rally car in the garage shot, hasn't been used since 2008, may not ever see a rally stage again... makes me sad... Suzuki DR650 gives me my gravel fix now





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/2011 12:03AM by tmachnik.

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john vanlandingham

Introduced to , pioneered North America, Dave, evidently.

No, I never claimed that. Now you're jumping to conclusions. I'm pretty sure I stole it from someone else, though I don't remember where.

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Doivi Clarkinen

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john vanlandingham

Introduced to , pioneered North America, Dave, evidently.

No, I never claimed that. Now you're jumping to conclusions. I'm pretty sure I stole it from someone else, though I don't remember where.

More misunderstanding. never mind.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.