Carpets & Seats

[Purple AK]

Originally Posted by Iain

I've just had a look through the SVA manual I have and I couldn't find anything regarding the triangulation of the upper mounts. If you have any further info on this or maybe you could point me in the direction of the section of the manual that you found this in it would be helpful. This may be a serious issue for me to resolve if this is true...

Cheers...

Iain. Sorry Mate
http://www.rootpeg.net/SVAMarch2004.pdf Standard Requirements, Section 5, Annex 1, Page 3.
"Upper anchorage must be adequately braced from near the anchorage to strong areas of the chassis"

[Deck]

Nice work Iain! It's looking great! You really must be putting in the hours...

Would be nice to be able to view the pics without having to log in each time but that's me and computers for you!

Was there a problem with using the upper seatbelt mounting points fitted to the chassis? I was planning to use them...

That SVA discription sound pretty loose. Can you strongly secure the hoops to the chassis and point to those bolts!?

Did you do what Howard did and make up internal fibreglass panels for the door areas?
Keep up the good work and best of luck with the authorities!
Cheers
Dec

[ldtopham]

Iain, extracted from the draft manual and the closest I could find to the requirements that may affect you. Annex 1 of Section 5. I have highlighted in bold what I would suspect to b cause for concern. I am no authority on this just my opinion.

Steel Chassis With Anchorages on Roll
Cage (take this as your steel roll hoop mounted to the chassis).

Fig. 4
Sould be a picture here see manual as I don't know how to paste the pic!

Shaded Areas Show
Important Structure.
Pay Particular
Attention to Joints
(Examples Circled).

What to look for:

• Triangulation and bracing which will provide
strength and spread the loads effectively into
the chassis.
• The joint where the roll cage joins the chassis
and the chassis itself must be sufficiently
strong to withstand the loads from the
anchorages.
• Upper anchorage must be adequately braced
from near the anchorage to strong areas of
the chassis.
• Threaded seatbelt anchorage fastening should
be welded into tubes or onto plates of
sufficient thickness.
• Bolted joints joining the cage to the chassis
and parts of the cage to each other should be
of sufficient strength.

Note:

For guidance roll cages should ideally be

manufactured of CDS steel tube dia 45mm x
2.5mm wall thickness OR dia 50mm x 2.0mm
wall thickness. Bend radii should exceed 3 times
the tube diameter. Where tubes are ovalised
during bending, the ratio d/D should not be less
than 0.9 (d=small diameter, D=larger diameter).

Cause for concern:
• Roll cage manufactured using aluminium.
• Poor bolted joints, or joints that could
separate due to loads in anchorages.
• Insufficient bracing or bracing to upper
anchorage too low.
• Roll cage material cracked or badly creased.
• Cage-to-chassis mounting plates of smaller
thickness than cage wall thickness.
• Cage not attached to chassis, or insufficient
joint strength.

You may be able to get it thorugh the SVA but I would be surprised if they didn't pick up on it. From a point of safety I would seriously think of adding triangulation.

Sorry if it's not what you need to hear at this stage but without proper testing I would hate to think that the hoop could fold forwards/ break its mounts in the event of an accident.

Best of luck.

[kevchard]

Hi Iain
At Nottingham they were questioning as to whether our top mount was suitable ( i made a frame with an nut welded into it below the rear deck), in the end afte lots of thought he let it go. We do not have any rear triangulation, just the original welded upright. Does your roll hoop have any movement if you pull on it?
The best thing to do is phone SVA as they are nice friendly people. Before panicing (like i normally do), contact SVA for their experience.
Cheers
Kevin

[Iain]

I have to take my car to the SVA test centre in Watnall (Nottingham) this coming Friday as that is where the DVLA will be inspecting my car (re: age related plate stuff). I am going to see if I can ask the question to the examiner while I'm there and see what he says.

At this point the one and only solution is to rip out the boot inner and try to fabricate a brace that goes over the fuel tank. Then try to make a mount off the brace so that I can triangulate the Roll hoop to it. I'm not sure how easy (or even if it's possible) to do but other than that I'm pretty much out of ideas.

[Deck]

Iain
Had another one of my foolish thoughts...

Why don't you call your manufacturer and ask them how they do it and if they can make something nice to fix it for you?

Ok Seriously, foolish thought...
Use a piece of flat bar say 50 x 5mm, chromed of course, bolted onto the tunnel wall near the pasenger seat and bolted through the hoop near or at the belt anchor, triangulating from the front?

Could be a easy SVA fix? or maybe not...

Any tips on the interior sill panelling prior laying down that lovely carpet? B)
Cheers
Dec

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Deck

Any tips on the interior sill panelling prior laying down that lovely carpet?

Hi Dec,

I made up my panelling myself. I used a flat surface and some furniture polish (that contains wax - for a release agent) and then layered up fibreglass to meet my needs. I also made the shaped piece to go round the door hinges but that was made from a cardboard frame, covered in brown packing tape (colour is not important ) and then the polish again.

There are two images to show the drivers side before I fibreglassed the whole lot in and there are three images to show the passenger side after I fibreglassed the whole lot in.

Where the seatbelt anchor is on the outside of the car, you need to keep that area free from fibreglass otherwise the seatbelt will not fit.

Hope this helps!

[Iain]

Update on the Roll bar issue


I had my car inspected today by the DVLA (for the registration etc.) at the Watnall SVA test centre. While I was there I managed to ask the question regarding the seatbelt mountings to an actual SVA test examiner. This guy was extremely helpful and managed to put my mind at ease. I took some photos with me of the mounting of the Roll hoops and he gave them a good look over. He inspected the top mounting and confirmed that the boss I had used to screw my harness eyebolt into was solid throughout the rollbar and that it was welded both sides which it was. He then said that I would not have a problem with the SVA.

He then (completely free of charge) gave the car the quick once over on the outside and in the cockpit and gave me a few pointers that would otherwise have caused me problems during the SVA. I cannot emphasise how helpful this guy was. I am now much more relaxed about taking my car for the SVA.

I will be getting my age related plate which means that the plate I have on retention will go straight onto the car after the SVA.

All in all... today was a good day!


Thanks Tinka for coming along for the moral support too!

[Purple AK]

Good News Iain Do I sense a beer or two going down tonight??

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Purple AK

Good News Iain Do I sense a beer or two going down tonight??

Oh Yes!

I have a distinct feeling that a few beers may be going down tonight....

Cheers Chris!