DSE Roll Cage Question

[FrankenChevy]

I just received my DSE roll cage for my '67 Camaro and everything looks pretty cut and dry except for one question. The instructions state that the removeable crossbar (behind the front seats) can be installed at any height and I'm not sure what height would be "optimal" or what all should be considered to locate the bar (other than the obvious things like clearing other interior items). I plan on reinstalling the seats that were in the car (the car had '69 Camaro seats) and using a 5 or 6 point harness. Hopefully someone has a similiar type set-up and can offer some advice and maybe even a vertical dimension.

[James OLC]

Most harness manufacturers specify that that mounting point for the harness straps be between 0 and more than 10° below your shoulders.

[DeepBlue68]

I would think that the closer you mount the cross bar to the bend in the uprights (the point of maximum distance between them), the more rigidity it will offer. Would that be correct?

EDIT: The picture on the DS&E website of their rollcage mounted in a car shows the crossbar mounted slightly above the bend, which leads me to believe that like reboot04 said, the correct angle between your shoulders and the bar is the most important factor.

[Steve1968LS2]

Most harness manufacturers specify that that mounting point for the harness straps be between 0 and more than 10° below your shoulders.

For safety this is exactly where you want it. If the bar is too low (with harnesses) then the laws of physics will compress your body into the seat (and hence compress your spine) if there's an accident. Not good.

Safety is more important than rigidity.

[FrankenChevy]

Thanks for the replies. Structural optimization and harness geometry optimization were the only two things that I could come up with in considering the location... but I needed to ask to make sure I wasn't overlooking something. Looking at the picture (which was very helpful) it seems that the two optimal locations are mutually exclusive. It looks like the bar will need to be located slightly above the bend in the exterior bar of the cage to be in the optimal harness location. It would be ideal to bolt in the seat and do a trial fit but my car is completely stripped (it will be loaded on a rotisserie soon) and the seats are also disassembled and buried in storage. I think I can locate it within the 0-10 degree zone by looking at other pics of '67 or '68's with standard interiors and gaging the location based on visual reference points (mainly the bottom of the window opening). Thanks again for the help.

[FrankenChevy]

I finally completed the install of my DSE rollcage in my '67 Camaro. Thanks for all the help/advice. I included a few pics of the installed cage. DSE makes nice components and this one fit like a glove. I did add some sidebars (generic units from Summit Racing) and fabbed the stiffener plate at the "kick" on the side bar for added stiffness. Hopefully I won't ever test the cage but you never know when you'll get the "shiney side down". Have a happy and safe 2007.

[mdprovee]

Good job, I like it, and the side bars.

[Steve68]

Nice cage set up, Now DITCH those seats, or for some real fun Armour All them in the hot sun, then take it to the track, weeeeeee

[nbecker]

yeah great job on the cage looks great

[Kenova]

...... or for some real fun Armour All them in the hot sun, then take it to the track, weeeeeee

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Ken