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View Full Version : Alloy seat box strength for roll protection hoop.



voltron
11th November 2013, 10:16 PM
I was at the Mechanical Engineers today getting the roll cage cleared and legal.
When I last posted the pictures of the cage, there was concern about the strength of the alloy seat boxes and how much weight they could support. It didnt matter to much because the rear support bar is connected to the chassis, but I posted the question to the engineer about whether or not the seat boxes could support much weight as they don't look very strong.

After looking in the guards from outside the car under the boxes. Suprisingly he explained that if a rear hoop was tied into just the seat boxes and done correctly, those boxes would take quite alot of weight because of the design of the thin sheet metal that is attacked to the box and how it's tied into the body. I said that it looked thin and weak and didnt look very strong at all, but he was convinced that those boxes could support a roll over hoop just fine and having my cage tied into the chassis was not really needed but did provide added strength.

I said that I thought they could collapse easily to which he replied yes its likely probable, but not a great deal, and if they did collapse, the way the cage is designed , the front hoop should then raise upwards and provide more force upward into the roof keeping it off the passengers. At this stage my head began to spin.

I am no Engineer and don't argue things that are out of my league butI am curious at what everyone else thinks of his opinion and do they understand it better then me.

Cheers

newhue
12th November 2013, 06:03 AM
Just go and enjoy the car. You have had a crack, the engineer is happy, so you should be happy regardless of others opinions. You will never get all on one side, just be ecstatic the engineer is on yours.

voltron
12th November 2013, 06:39 AM
Just go and enjoy the car. You have had a crack, the engineer is happy, so you should be happy regardless of others opinions. You will never get all on one side, just be ecstatic the engineer is on yours.

The Defender seems to attract people from all demographics so I was hoping there was an engineer on here who could shed some light on the things he said without me paying for the knowledge, because I didn't totally understand, and that bugs me not understanding. The engineer was getting a little frustrated by my questioning so I let it rest as there time is money.s

I guess that is what 5 years at university is for.

Enjoying every second in the 'Truck' as my daughters like to call it.

Cheers