I am thinking of getting the 6 point Chromemolly weld in kit from Wolf Race Craft, since they have a sale going on this week. But I would like to hear from some people that has there kit and get there feedback. Is it a good kit? Did it fit well? Any problems with it?
Or is there something better that you would recommend?

 

I have the exact cage in my car... Fittment is awesome,... I really dont even notice that its there. I would do nothing else but wolfe craft for this car

 

Do you have details on their sale?

 

I've been looking also. Pfadt and Livermore have roll bars too. The Wolfe site confuses me. Where do the 6 points attach? I'd like to see a roll bar before install photo. Also, what are the pros and cons of a bolt in or weld in system?

 

I can post pictures of the install later this evening,... 2 points in the trunk before the targa top holders one bhind each seat these are bolted to the slides/brackets for the seat (outside one) and 1 on driver side floor and 1 on passenger floor. its a standard 6 point. Also bolt in is the only cage option you have in a vette. as the floor of our cars is made of composite matrial,.. hense nothing to weld to.... There is a plate on each point of the cage, and then there is a plate you install underneath the floor, and you tigthened the two plates together sandwhiching the floor. Trust me it doesnt move once installed. Fitment doesnt get any tighter with this cage, it hugs everything in your car but yet doesnt touch anything.

 

Just my opinion but I have never understood why the NHRA is willing to accept this setup. My guess is tech reps at the tracks are so accustomed to seeing this mounting method used on steel bodied cars that they just accept it as normal. They know nothing of how a Corvette is constructed. I believe that if they ever become aware of what is really under a Corvette they are going to start rejecting this mounting in our cars.

The front and rear bars sandwich the floor and the rear deck between 4 by 4 steel plates joined with four 3/8 bolts. In a roll over or severe accident involving speed I have no conficence that this setup will protect the driver because of the likely hood that the mounts will punch right through the floor or the rear deck. At say 80 MPH if you flip the car and the roll bar hits anything the pressure exerted on the mounting points is going to be huge.

I have however seen this system used where steel plates were welded to the frame under the car and extended out to the mounting points. The sandwich through the floor is still used but the lower plate is welded to the frame. I would call WolfCraft and speak to them about how to mount it this way. By all accounts (do a search) most of the people here on the forum who have used their product like it. IMO it's just a matter of getting it mounted in such a way that it will do what it was intended to do.

 

 

When i saw the install pics on their web site showing the "sandwiched" floorboard mounting points a HUGH red flag jumped up in my face saying is this roll cage for "looks" or "protection"???

Personally i'd want those points welded down to the frame by one means or another.

 

The bolt in is plenty good for a rollover. All the weight of the car is supported by the Main hoop via the crossbar that sits on the frame behind the seats...Here is where I installed my bolt in 6pt...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1802749

 

I'll second that.

After installing one, I decided to buy a tubing bender so we can make our own. If I do roll over, the last thing I want to kill me is the roll bar, and it will with that cheezy design. I guess most only worry about passing tech though, to each his own, but if it's in my car I want it to work!

 

Don't be misled by the terminology that Wolfe uses on their web site. Both of the bar styles are bolt in. The only difference is one you have to weld the tubes to the main hoop and with the bolt in one the tubes slip together and are held in place with a through-bolt. I just had one installed by George of Turbo Technology and he modified it to tie it in to the frame. Also with my weld in one the rear window had to be removed to properly weld the rear tubes. Go to the TTi web site and you can see some pics of the install.

 

I had a feeling thats what it was. I wonder if the bolt in version is just as strong at the joints? I am assuming it's sleeved slip fit that is welded to the main bar. If it had the bottom plates that was connected (welded) and gusseted to the frame rails, and all of the top roll bar bolted in onto that, then I could always take it out if I wanted to put the car back to stock to sell it.

 

That would be a good plan. Yes, it looked like the connection points are sleeved on the "bolt in" one so I imagine it's plenty strong.

 

I looked at the TTI site.

Which is your car?

 

I have the 6pt CrMb, weld combo from Wolfe. I got mine for cheap intrusion insurance mostly however, and my door bars are not removable.
The b pillar is more than sufficient to hold the car in a rollover, and you should be low and far enough back to enjoy its safety. Everybody thinks the composite is weak, but its actually quite strong.
You can weld some appropriate plates to the frame to tie it all together.
Wolfe does quite a few cars, they know a thing or two.

 

100%

This rule amazes me! It is not legal to have the rear bars bolted to the main hoop, they must be welded to be legal, but it is perfectly legal to bolt those rear bars to a 3/32 piece of fiberglass!!! Completely stupid rule!!!

Now for the original question. I bought the Wolfe chrome molly 6 point, removable bars, weld youself, notched, bolt-in kit. My bar is about 85% installed. When they say kit, they mean kit! While I'm fairly pleased with the kit it could have been much better. The problems I seen with the kit was, the main hoop was not bent enough making it very hard to install. Ended up having to use a chain hoist wrapped around the bottom of the main hoop to pull it in enough to weld the cross bar in place. Also the cross bar was no bent symmetrical, makes the bar cross the car at a slight angle. In the car behind the seat you will never notice it, but for the money this kit cost it should be bent better than that! Another problem was the main hoop mounting plates, they were not even close to being made correctly, they were obviously welded wrong, I had to make my own plates. Also the front bend in the front bar was not quite far enough, I had to take those to a shop and have them bent just a bit more. Other than that the kit was pretty good. Don't get me wrong, it is a kit, you expect to have to do some work. I would buy another Wolfe bar.

I think ECS has the best looking bar by far, they make a good looking bar. But their bar sits way too close (forward) for me. That was what I liked about the Wolfe bar and was the finial deciding factor on buying the Wolfe bar. The Wolfe bar sits behind the main hoop, a pretty good ways back from your head. And in a street car this is what you want. I normally don't drive on the street with a helmet, figure most of you don't either. Last thing I want is that bar getting me in the back of the head!

Wolfe mounting. The design of the Wolfe bar I bought has nothing more than two plates sandwiched on each side of plastic! Nothing more! Of course it is composite, fiberglass, SMC, balsa wood, or what ever you want to call it, it is no stronger than plastic! It is not easy to mount a roll bar in a C5 no matter how you do it. And there is no good way to mount one without tearing the car apart. Even welding a bar in a C5 is not a good design unless done correctly. <flame_suit> I have seen many people bring the bar down and weld it right on the C5 frame, this is probably weaker than bolting through the fiberglasss!</flame_suit> From experience pulling C5 frames I can tell you these frames are very thin, and when pulled on will rip like tinfoil. A bar welded to the frame would work pretty well for a compression impact, but any type of pull or side impact the bar will simply rip a hole right out of the frame. To weld a roll bar to a C5 frame you should weld a large 1/8" plate to a large section of the frame to spread the load across the thin frame, then weld the roll bar to that plate.

I used the bolt-in design but welded plates to the frame to bolt the bar to. In the rear I made a plate that is bolted under the upper front control arm bolt, welded to the frame, and also bolted under the front cross member bolt. For the front and main hoop I plan on welding a plate to the frame above and below the floor. While not super strong I hope it will stay attached even if it bends during an impact.

I can dig up some photos of my install if anyone wants to seen them.

Another point worth noting, if using chrome molly be sure it is properly welded. A chrome molly roll bar should only be TIG welded, never MIG welded. Should only be welded by an experienced welder familiar with chrome molly. If welded improperly or with the wrong filler chrome molly will become very brittle likely break in an impact.

 

Thanks for the info. I wonder if the bolt in kit would be easier fitting since it's already welded? That is the kit I am thinking of getting. And then welding the rear bars to the main bar at the splice. and weld the floor plates underneith to the frame for a little extra support. Hopefully I will never have to test it out. But you have to be prepaired. I want it to function, and not just pass tech inspection.

 

Curious is there anyone who has used the 4pt mounting style cages that mount behind the top of the seats? Actually mount to the cross frame and then have a 5th and or 6th bar attached to that? Doug Rippie Motorsports sells a 4pt bar that uses less tubing/not going the entire way to the floor and attaches to the point i mention. The rear are still attached to a not so thick area. I am curious of purchasing something like this and having a 5th point removable bar put on to that. The 5th point IMO should be mounted with a "L" bracket to the side of the frame for rigity and a solid mounting point. I refuse to drill holes in the floor.

 

Sounds like the bar you are describing is more or less a harness bar.

 

This seems to make sense. This is a great discussion, but I can't help but wonder if we are making too much of this. Don't get me wrong, I want to be safe. But are we not just augmenting the protection already provided by the roll hoop built into the car at the factory? My motivation for the roll bar is a proper attachment point for my harness and increased roof crush protection in case of a rollover at an HPDE.

I’d like to see photos of a 4 point that does not have the forward reaching bars. I can’t help but think that I would be wackin’ my elbows on them.