Coldo

http://www.oakleydesign.eu/carbon-fibre-roll-cage

... Will that get FIA approved?

Surely carbon fibre doesnt have the properties required to keep its shape in a big impact? Wont it just shatter/crack etc?

Either way, expensive i bet.

mk3matt

TUV Approval - FIA approval pending 2009

i wouldnt have thought it suitable either tbh

J1mbo

iTrader: (1)

im not sure if id fancy that in my rally/race car !

blacky.

if they can make F1 safty cell's out of the stuf im sure it will do the job

McGoo 69

shame they dont do anything for fords

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

Carbon is 10 times stronger than steel, why wont it?

Luca

iTrader: (2)

Agreed im sure the company in question would not have even considered putting it up for test with the FIA if they didnt think it would pass.

You can buy wheels etc that are carbon fibre so i cant see an issue for strength or safety with that cage.

If you have a crash the cage has only got to save you once. Even with a steel cage if that is damaged in any way from a crash its game over new shell new cage..

You will be amazed at how strong carbon fibre actually can be, I sell bicycle frames made from solely carbon fibre and handle bars etc. These can withstand the forces put through them from professional racers.

With a crash damaged set which had a 2cm split in the weave we did a little test at work to see if we could snap them.
One pair of handle bars clamped in the workshop stand, and myself on one end and the tech guy on the other end, all our weight on either end and it would not budge..
Jumped in the air and both yanked down on each air and they snapped BUT nowhere near the split!!!
Amazing material

craigos

carbons tuff,and would take a impact beter than steel

JTECH James

iTrader: (13)

because it shatters on impact....its very very strong as long as you dont hit it....ie f1 nosecones explode on impact....weird making a cage from it

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

most of the new generation of aircraft are made with big lumps of carbon fibre, it is a stunningly good material, the only place it really suffers is in sharp impact situations, but even now the technology that goes into making it damage resistant is immense compared to 10 years ago..

Luca

iTrader: (2)

Not when you read the spec of the material, it has qualities that make it " ANTI SPLINTER"

JTECH James

iTrader: (13)

the f1 teams must forget that bit...

they get loads splinters in tyres

Luca

iTrader: (2)

But the F1 panels are designed to be light and aerodynamic not to be crash efficient.

GARETH T

very wrong

Jay,

iTrader: (4)

maclaren made the first carbon fiber car , the nose and tub was and still is made from a carbon inner and outer skin with a alloy honercombe center

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/disc...cars-video.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLaren_MP4/1

Luca

iTrader: (2)

Agreed, I stand corrected

Chip

iTrader: (3)

At the moment people wanting to save weight often go for an ally cage which really isnt up to the job, carbon done correctly should offer the best of both worlds.

Rich_w

Well the "shards" they always bang on about its not actually the Cf its the glue used in the manufacture.

HTH.

Oh and someone said Nose cones shatter. In fairness they are a controlled failure. i.e. in an impact they are designed to distort to absorb the forces.

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

Ally cages are no longer FIA approved.