Roll cage street legal in CA???

[Guest 71rb240z]

Just wondering if anyone know about roll cage being street legal in CA, cuz i'm in the process of welding mine on my z and was worrying about getting pull over because of having a cage in my ride. Any reply would be great!

[SHO-Z]

One thing to think about installing a roll bar in your Z is padding. I had a friend killed in a roll over, hit his head on the roll bar and he was strapped in with a 4 point harness. I would sit in the seats and look at any area that I could hit my head on the roll bar and pad it.

[Tim240z]

I have not seen any mention in the CA vehicle or highway code regarding rollbars, so I don't believe you can get a ticket for them, but it may attract attention to other "racer" type issues.

Tim

[Hugh]

Be sure to tint your windows dark in the back if you have a roll cage. It hides it like 85% of the time, and will keep undue attention off of you.

 

I will be running a roll cage here in Cali, eventually.

[Turbo Meister]

Cage is not illegal, but like others have said "use padding". I've never been stopped (knock on wood) during 3 years of street driving. But I "generally" behave myself on the road and use thick padding on my cage. This negates the "sleeper" look but is worth it for safety's sake.

Hanns

[waynekarnes]

a roll cage is perfectly legal. you can even weld your doors shut and crawl hrough the windows if you wish ( had a friend with a 53 chrysler, did just that ).

 

pad the crap out of it .. heads, knees, shins, elbows all find a way to bang into it ( voice of experience ).

 

the issue with the law and the roll bar ... the cops tend to notice it and will act accordingly. kinda like waving a red flag to a bull.

 

another issue, check with your insurance company and see if they will still cover your car ...

 

another friend,17 years old, 1974, put a roll bar ( removed rear seat, 3 posts and roll bar behind the front seats ) in a 69 camaro. he was T-Boned, uninsured illegal alien hit him, his insurance company refused to pay, as he was driving a vehicle modified for racing or competition. would have been a tragedy had he been at fault, the insurance company would have just cut and run ... as it was, camaro was towed to wrecking yard, he lost all the money he put into it, ended up driving his mother's pinto ...

[Drftn280zxt]

I'll havbe to remember that when I move to Cali. I plan on running a cage in my 280zx, for safety and for strength. The window tint thing seems like a good idea but remember too dark will get you in trouble too, just FYI. Some cops are really picky about dark tint, especially tint less than 15% in translucency all around. But if you have radar who cares, paint your windows black if its in your best interest .

[240Z_Master]

another friend,17 years old, 1974, put a roll bar ( removed rear seat, 3 posts and roll bar behind the front seats ) in a 69 camaro. he was T-Boned, uninsured illegal alien hit him, his insurance company refused to pay, as he was driving a vehicle modified for racing or competition. would have been a tragedy had he been at fault, the insurance company would have just cut and run ... as it was, camaro was towed to wrecking yard, he lost all the money he put into it, ended up driving his mother's pinto ...

 

I wonder if you can getaway with modifying it for safety instead of racing?

[240Z_Master]

I'll havbe to remember that when I move to Cali. I plan on running a cage in my 280zx, for safety and for strength. The window tint thing seems like a good idea but remember too dark will get you in trouble too, just FYI. Some cops are really picky about dark tint, especially tint less than 15% in translucency all around. But if you have radar who cares, paint your windows black if its in your best interest .

 

I don't think the back window matters, just as long as your sides and front are within the rules. I mean what about trucks that can't see out of the back? They won't tag you for the rear, but sides and front is a definate.

[Gollum]

I've been told two different things by 2 different cops.

 

One said all windows could be tinted up to 15%.

 

The second I know personally and trust a little more said any window other than the front side windows and windshield can be tinted, and to any amount of tint.

 

And even if a cage is illegal in CA i know people with cages that have been pulled over without issues. But the insurance is definatelly something to look into.

[Phantom]

It obviously must vary by company or else that guys insurance company was just looking for an out. Mine has no problem with it - they figure it will reduce bodily injury in a car that essentially originally has no structural protection, air bags, etc. I've had my 4-pt roll bar for 2 years now in Texas and never even gotten a second look from the law enforcement folks. The recommendations to put some heavy pads on it are sound - or else wear a helmet all the time. soehow I think the helmet might attract more attention that the roll bar, though.

[Dragonfly]

I run a 10 point cage in my Z and I have been pulled over once in it (in socal). The cop did not even seem to notice the cage, he gave me a fix-it ticket for my back tires sticking out past the fenders. As for insurance I use AAA and what they told me when I asked was that the only time my car would not be covered is when it is on a track, or if I put perminent numbers (ie a non-removable race number) on the car.

 

BTW when I was pulled over (above) it was when some ricer was trying to get me to race him on the freeway, after ignoring the ricer long enough he cut in front of me with a good 6" to spare then less than 5 seconds later we go past the cop and he thinks I am tailgating and trying to instigate a race (he told me that when he pulled me over). After looking at me (late 30's, shirt and tie etc.) my car and not seeming to care or notice the full and padded cage he decided what I told him was probably true so he just hit me with the fix-it ticket.

[240hoke]

Tinting issue is different for each state.

 

Here in NC windows in CARS can be tinted up to 35% all the way around, thats the max for any window on the car. ON trucks and SUV's the rear windows can be whatever you want and the front two can be 35%. How this makes sense I have no idea, more people could be hiding in the back of an SUV with guns then in a car. Oh well, cops...

 

But i have expirence, i tinted my BMW 5% all the way around. And yeah the radar thing wont help. I got "pulled over" while filling up my car with gas. I was soooo pissed off. I didnt have any trouble with it in charlotte/davidson/huntersville but the first day i moved to mooresville this tint nazi gave me a ticket. The reason I say tint nazi is because it is this lady's sole mission, she has given everyone i know with tint a ticket and is known at the tint places. But alas cant blame them and nobody really needs tint..... I rock hte 100% now.

 

But that kinda off topic, cage it! I went with a half cage for the street, i think its a smart thing to keep bars away from your head when your not wearing a helmet.

[Pop N Wood]

Many years ago I went to traffic court in California and heard the judge explain to some guy with a window tint ticket that there are different tint rules for factory tint vs. aftermarket tint. Essentially a car can be made with darker tint than can be applied afterwards.

 

BTW, this judge also threw out every window tint ticket that came before him. He felt it was more a case of racial profiling than a safety thing. Since every quy in the south bay court that day with a window tint ticket was hispanic, it sure looked like he was onto something.

 

And on the whole roll bar padding thing, your head is going to be just as busted if you hit sheet metal as if you hit a roll bar. So as long as your cage is tucked up tight to the body parts I don't see where an inch of padding here or there is going to make much of a difference in any type of serious wreck. But I realize I am in the minority on that opinion.

[JMortensen]

And on the whole roll bar padding thing, your head is going to be just as busted if you hit sheet metal as if you hit a roll bar. So as long as your cage is tucked up tight to the body parts I don't see where an inch of padding here or there is going to make much of a difference in any type of serious wreck. But I realize I am in the minority on that opinion.

I've seen sheet metal bend around sombody's head. Never seen a roll bar pipe bend for somebody's head. But really the problem isn't the material that your head is hitting, it's how much space is encroached upon by the design of the rollbar. So your much more likely to hit your head at all with a roll bar than without. Have you noticed how tall cars are these days? Ever wonder why? Might have something to do with hitting your head in the case of an accident...

[buZy]

My windows are all very illegal tinted. Car was in Florida originally where I would imagine the tint grade was legal there. It does vary from state to state. The rear, all sides and even the windshield has a has a 5 inch strip along the top. Have not been busted yet though I usually have the windows rolled down anyways. Unless the passenger is burning something...hehe Add to that race flowmaster mufflers which sound cool but are too loud and no front license plate. Its a matter of time before I go down hard.

As far cages I dont know the laws or insurance issues. Why push it then. For the street a back half would seem more reasonable. I have weighed this full cage idea many times. If you are not racing why have one. After all for the street it's just extra weight. Full cage looks WAY cool. Hitting your head evertime you get in and out of the car not cool. Roll bar padding still hurts. Loosing leg room not good too. Z cars have a tremendous amount of leg room to the pedals. A reason why they sold so well taller drivers could be comfortable in them. Something about smoking the competion with your head in the rear side window is way stealth.

[240hoke]

if that your car in the picture then its perfectly legal here, looks like about 35%.

 

On the roll cage thing, the sheetmetal can flex and also it disperses the force over a larger area where when you hit a tube all the force is gonna be pin pointed on one part of your skull... not good.

 

Heres what i got pulled over for. Picture of the car is old, ive done some suspension work since then. This will be sure to hide your cage.

 

 

-Austin

[johnc]

This from my insurance agent...

 

Each insurance company handles vehicle modifications differently but its not for reasons that most people think. Underwriters look at risk and try to determine a rate that will cover the risk and allow the insurance company to make a profit. The claims side of the company generally tries to reduce the cost of claims.

 

Depending on the financial situation of the insurance company, there are often added pressures on the claims side to reduce claim costs. Claims management sometimes tries to spread the cost of a claim outside of the insurance company. When claim adjusters find vehicle modifications that can be argued as contributing to the injury or damage, insurance companies often hold the installer and the manufacturer of the modification responsible for some part of the claim cost. Its a way of reducing the cost of the claim to the insurance company while not upsetting the customer by reducing the total claim amount.

[Phantom]

I installed a 4-pt. roll bar in my car for the following reasons:

1) If my car gets any quicker it would be an NHRA requirement.

2) It adds some structural rigidity.

3) Because of it's close proximity to my sitting position (I'm 6'-4") it adds additional roll-over AND side impact protection.

 

All that being said it still needs the 1-1 1/2" thick head pad to keep from caving the back of my head in if I get rear-ended.

[tube80z]

I've seen sheet metal bend around sombody's head. Never seen a roll bar pipe bend for somebody's head. But really the problem isn't the material that your head is hitting, it's how much space is encroached upon by the design of the rollbar. So your much more likely to hit your head at all with a roll bar than without. Have you noticed how tall cars are these days? Ever wonder why? Might have something to do with hitting your head in the case of an accident...

 

You all should really listen to Jon. There are two types of padding I see on cages all the time. The first, often called pool noodles, really should stay near the water. The second is SFI approved and is a more rigid foam. It, HOWEVER, is intended to be hit by your helmet, not your skull. I know of no foam that is designed to deal with your head hitting a bar.

 

Cary