Petty strut bar for standard SEIW roll bar - SORTED

[Kas]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking to add a petty strut bar to the standard roll bar for some additional protection rather than upgrading the whole roll bar.

 

I know the RAC bar comes with a removable petty strut but does anyone have this for the standard roll bar or know who can make one close to the Edinburgh area? 

 

Thanks! 

[Pco]

20 hours ago, Kas said:

Hi all,

 

I'm looking to add a petty strut bar to the standard roll bar for some additional protection rather than upgrading the whole roll bar.

 

I know the RAC bar comes with a removable petty strut but does anyone have this for the standard roll bar or know who can make one close to the Edinburgh area? 

 

Thanks! 

Personally I wouldn't bother. That bars about as useful as a pack of Tesco own cheddar

[Kas]

I know what you mean but thought it would be better than nothing before I go down the full RAC bar route 

[Pco]

48 minutes ago, Kas said:

I know what you mean but thought it would be better than nothing before I go down the full RAC bar route 

I changed to fill bar. £400 I think it was and it's much better and makes the rear of the car stiffer

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

1 hour ago, Kas said:

I know what you mean but thought it would be better than nothing before I go down the full RAC bar route 

without a diagonal brace across the bar itself it’s probably more dangerous with a petty strut than without with one, it pretty much guarantees in a collapse the bar will be aimed at your head. Without, they generally collapse backwards away from you.

[stephenh]

Does the O/P actually mean a petty strut? The RAC bar has to rear brace bars, one each side. The MSA don't like them if fitted to modified cars, for competition because of the rose joints used to fix them to the main bar, but they are certainly much better than the plain single hoop which is as much use as a chocolate teapot.

A petty strut is a single brace, which comes from the main hoop in a forward direction, down to the floor, usually on the front of the passenger footwell. Like Dave says, a petty strut on its own, with no back braces, could be lethal, as it could very well cause the main hoop to twist around the point where the petty strut attaches to the hoop, giving at least a 50/50 chance of the hoop decapitating the driver in the event of a roll-over. 😢 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I’d say way greater than 50% chance of encroachment in the drivers side, as the petty strut is already angled in that direction, if fitted as normal from the lateral tube in the passenger footwell, to the centre, (or near centre) of the “roll” hoop.

 

BUT. As Stephen suggest, re-reading the last paragraph, makes me think there’s some confusion here? If you mean fitting a pair of back struts, like on an RAC bar, then yes, that would help a small bit, but without a diagonal fitted to the main hoop, it’s only going to be a small amount. The hoop can still easily collapse sideways.

 

I have seen someone brace up a standard hoop though, fairly effectively, I’m just trying to recall who.

 

[Kas]

I had meant what you said here for a petty bar from the middle of the original roll hoop down to the passenger footwell.

 

Didn't realise they were so bad as I'd seen some pics and know the RAC bar comes with this option so thought it was a good idea at the time.

 

Looks like a proper roll bar is next for the car then as I don't need a full cage but just something better than the standard roll hoop.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

RAC bars do come up every so often, a second hand one, will probably be less expensive than the cost of trying to get and fit a petty bar to a standard hoop; it would have to be made as a one off. Then, as previously said, it would most likely fair worse in a serious crash.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Don't forget, if the standard hoop is in good condition, it will fetch a reasonable amount second hand, for those with touring spec cars wishing to (easily) use full roof's. (Despite it being cosmetic only) Even in tatty cosmetic condition, it's still worth something.

[Kas]

Yeah I'm not too bothered about cost but rather the hassle of fitting a new roll bar as it looks like a big job. Plus I've got a lockable boot box which will need the lid cut as I use my boot box regularly and need to see how that will work.

[Pco]

3 minutes ago, Kas said:

Yeah I'm not too bothered about cost but rather the hassle of fitting a new roll bar as it looks like a big job. Plus I've got a lockable boot box which will need the lid cut as I use my boot box regularly and need to see how that will work.

It's not a big job hardest not is cutting the boot box to make it fit. But that's fairly straight forward just time consuming

[Kas]

Thanks everyone for the info and suggestions. 

 

I'll close this post and start a new one for RAC roll over protection as it looks like that's the best route forward.

[Kingster]

6 minutes ago, Kas said:

best route forward.

Would be an FIA roll bar surely?

[Kas]

Isn't the FIA roll bar almost the same as the RAC roll bar? Or do you mean a full FIA cage as I don't want a full cage since it's mainly a road car?.