Discussion topic - roll cage padding

[Avanteone]

SO, I've kinda had a few discussions about this /w a few friends lately and thought I'd see what y'all thought. In reading the magazines lately (and yes, mostly CRAWL cuz I don't regularly get others).... I see a TON of rigs being wheeled, and wheeled hard... with only lap belts being worn, no helmets, and no roll bar padding. Now I know we've seen a few accidents recently /w fatalities due to major head trauma because of hitting the steel cage, so my question I guess it this.... do you have your cage padded?

For instance, in this latest issue, there are at least a couple of pics on trail runs of rigs wheels up, bouncing or whatever... and the driver has a lap belt, no helmet, and no padded cage... that just seems fawking stupid to me.

I'll add this, yes my rig was just photographed for the magazine /w NO cage padding, as I think it looked better that way and showed off Dean's work better, but I have no intention of EVER wheeling it that way. Also, I use real roll bar padding, SFI approved or whatever, no cheap pipe insulation.

Discuss.

John

 

[Mark m.]

I use a 5 point harness and just started to wear a helmet. Only padding on my cage is right behind my head.

 

[briejer]

the helmet is looking like a must

 

[JOOP]

the helmet is looking like a must

x2, the padding would just get shredded.

 

[Nuzzy]

I see the helmet route as the option of choice. Seems like padding would get chewed way too quick.

 

[Hip]

i tried roll bar padding and over time it did get shredded. i started wearing a snowboard helmet on big dog days a couple years ago. of course i dont need it now as i never get out anymore.

i was even amazed at the fact that all the kids that rode in my jeep had absolutly no problem wearing a helmut. in fact they thought it was kinda cool.

 

[Not Jobless]

It doesn't matter what you use for rollbar padding...SFI Approved or pipe insulation or whatever...

Take a piece of 4' length of tube and add whatever pad you want to it.

Then have your friend bash you up side the head with it. This pretty much mimics your head hitting the bar in a hard rollover.

Do you serisously think that the pipe insulation vs. SFI Approved padding is going to show any difference to your head injury.


You're better off just wearing a helmet, roll bar padding adds a minimal amount of protection.

or better yet,

Design your cage so that your head doesn't hit it.

 

[03 CON]

The helmet of course is to protect your noggin, the padding is designed to slow down the impact of your helmet to the cage.
Tires get shredded every trip out to some extent, padding (real stuff) is tougher then you think....



Only Crusty would wheel without a full belt.....:haha:

Oh come on, it was a joke, we all ride sometimes without when wheeling, but I would hope we all are smart enough to use them when we need them.
Just a lap belt helps in a front/rear roll, but does very little in a side roll, so if your gunna roll sideways, wear it all....:;

 

[82toyomud]

I see the helmet route as the option of choice. Seems like padding would get chewed way too quick.

There's some really trick padding we use on our Baja and our forumla team uses that only sticks to half the tube... I think we got it from summit or RJS racing supply... Really good stuff, it came with the sticky stuff already on it, and i think it was 2" thick...

 

[AMJ]

Most of the accidents with fatalities were caused by their heads smacking the ground not the tube.:; The only thing that would have made a difference was if they were wearing a 5 point harness. A harness with out the crotch strap is pretty much worthless because the lap and shoulder belts come loose.

I agree with Jobless. The padding really isn't going to do much and you should design your cage so that if you are "properly" belted in you won't smack you head on the cage. The padding will help soften the blow, but I still wouldn't want to smack my noggin on it.

 

[Nuzzy]

Design your cage so that your head doesn't hit it.

:haha: :haha:

 

[pokey]

Good seats and proper cage design go a long way. Thats why I had my cage designed the way it is on the new rig (thanks Andy) for the average wheeler a decent lap belt is just fine. For those that like to push the edge a bit then you cant have to much protection. (padding harness, seats) best thing to do is keep yourself from hitting anything hard if you do take a tumble. I dont plan on putting any padding on the new rig as its not needed :awesomework:

 

[Freeride]

or better yet,

Design your cage so that your head doesn't hit it.

I'm 5' 7" - pretty easy to do!

 

[Avanteone]

I'm 5' 7" - pretty easy to do!

I'm 6'4".... a little more difficult

 

[briejer]

I'm 6'5" head hit once as the tube came crashing down on my head(If I had added sheer strenth to it, it would have held). I did have my 5 point harness on. Then the roof was re-designed and sheer strength added. I roll and tip over now and then without issue. A helmet will be worn from now on to protect my small brain from hitting rocks if I ever roll again.

 

[bigiron]

If or when I do somthing stupid I have my helmet on along with my 5 point harness and my cage is well padded.

 

[AMJ]

If or when I do somthing stupid I have my helmet on along with my 5 point harness and my cage is well padded.

Would you consider ripping a donut being something stupid?

 

[Cascade_Crawler]

To be honest I rarely wear my shoulder harness, I probably should.

 

[KarlVP]

I put my full harness on when I am about to do something stupid. But I built my cage so my head hopefully won't hit it. I look like a midget in my Jeep.

 

[bigiron]

Would you consider ripping a donut being something stupid?

That would depend on the condition of the ground....If it was mud I would go for it with just my lap belt...If it was real tacky I would wear my helmet at all restraints....I only run 2-3 psi so it hooks very easy.