Mk2 Golf Custom Cages Cage Owners

I Received my custom cages kit for the golf track car this week, came to test fit it in the car and it don't fit!

Seems that the main hoop is too wide.

I pulled the legs in with a ratchet strap so I could stand it up and even with the legs on the actual floor pan, a few inches lower than it should sit there was no way it was going between the b pillars.


As you can see it only just fits between the door seal lips. So I figure it's at least an inch too wide.

Has anyone got one fitted who can take a quick measurement for me?
I guess the gap between the lowest part of the legs would be the easiest to measure.

Just want to know for certain how much it's out by for when I phone them next week.
Apparently they made another kit along with mine so I wonder if the other persons is out too.

 

get them rung up and explain the situation. they are usually pretty good with customer service.

 

I am just fitting one in My dads 16v.
..Am only one step in front of you.

Managed to get the rear hoop to fit with some trimming. They supply some pictures, and there are some on this thread: search Custom cages.
You need to ratchet strap it quite tight.

http://www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187561&highlight="custom+cages"

and here;
http://www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229378&highlight="custom+cages"

Its a bit awkward to be honest. We are making it bolt-in. Not sure why they haven't provided towers to stitch together with captive nuts (for bolt in) - like safety devices do.
Towers will also allow the feet to spread out closer to the b-pillar too. At the moment (and in the pictures) they tuck up inside the sill with a pull from a ratchet, and sit a little way from the pillars - think thats what we will do. Although it may affect the 'main hoop cross'.

If your just welding it in, towers may not be worth the bother, just keep trimming off the bottom until it fits TIGHT

hope that helps
Sam

 

Whats wrong with that fitment? Looks perfectly snug to me. Build the spreader plates from the sill level.

I see Samfish above notched his feet. But you could just as easily have it at a higher level.

Notch like this?

 

Yeah, nice and snug. Nothing wrong at all. Well, apart from the amount of trimming needed. Had to take 25mm off the base, and profile the sides - and its still RAMMED against the roof. And its a bit awkward if your making it bolt-in - as per GTi regs.

the main hoop could be a bit closer to the B-pillar base if it sat on-top of the sill, or a tower. That would in-turn move the door bars away from the driver - and make it a bit safer.
Probably not a HUGE difference though.

...Just used to stitching a tower in that has captive nuts ontop.

 

Thats a nice job isnt it. Im not far off that at the moment. Easy enough to weld in. But getting 3x m8 (as minimum) around that, and a base plate with captive nuts under it....

I know some are using this in the GTi Championship as Bolt-in. Any pictures?

 

Is this car intended for the GTI Champ though? Not just a track car? If so, who cares?

 

Indeed, thats mine above. I can't say I'm overly impressed for the custom cages kit, well, not for the money anyways, still, I'm happy with how it fits now! Just takes some though to work round it.

Main hoop is beyond snug. You have two options:

- Cut the main hoop like 90% of the ones I've seen have done and have it sitting 2" or so from the roof!!

- put it into the b-pillar. Mark and run a slice down and slightly flare it out then persuade the hoop into the pillar. You will then get a snug fit! You don't need to remove any length from the main hoop.





Be warned though, I also discovered the rear bars to the struts were too short on my kit too. Didn't affect me though as I have raised my rear turrets which then allowed it to work. I also found the dash bar comes up too short. Every notch needs grinding out also to ensure a good fit.

 

It's the width of the top of the hoop that seems out. Only just fits in the width of where the door seals go. Where it's supposed to sit between the b pillars is about an inch narrower.

Have just noticed on the threads above that they've had to remove the inner skin of the b posts at the top to allow for the hoop to sit in.

Suppose if I did that it would fit. And be nice and tight. Just wasn't expecting to have too.

 

Now that's what I love about this forum. My question was answered as I was posting it. Lol

Cheers for the help.
Looks like I'll be attacking the b pillars tomorrow then.

 

Ah right, thought you were just talking about the feet. Ok, nice point to tag it to the shell as well.

 

????
Its a roll cage, and you would expect it to fit a bit better. To get the right place on the B-posts, it seem like you have to modify the post, or trim from the bottom until it fits - and have a big gap on top.
And im giving it some criticism. Maybe the next person that is going to buy one to bolt-in will care...?

mlloyd2000, yeah, thats exactly what I found. Like Squible says, two options it seems.

 

Squible, did you get two roof diagonals in your kit?

I seem to have one to go each way.

 

I'm going to wait on unleashing a storm on them till its certified as I've not used their shocking rear turret mounts, or b-pillar plate so, going from dealings with them, they could be arsey about it.

Another thing to mention to both of you too is the front a pillar bars also if you haven't noticed yet!

Custom cages don't fit the bars next to the door straight. They fit them at a slight angle and shouldn't be like this. If you run the plate along the sill, it won't go any further than in the picture. You have to beat the floor to get it to sit further into the foot well. Picture paints a 1000 words:



There really are many problems with it, but with work, modification and some extra tube (to replace the dash bar) you can get it to fit very nicely!

Oh, one more thing, the roof diagonal needs bending back straight too . towards the NS that is.

These are all problems that come of it fitting tight to the roof though. If you cut length off the bottom of the main hoop and have it sitting an inch or so off the roof, then it would naturally fit better. Have both of yours come with the cage diagram that shows a different golf cage too? Main hoop doesn't fit on the sill and lower front strut supports have a bend in them? I found that funny too

Finally worth noting mine is a T45 cage too, not a CDS, but, effectively, they are (well, should be) the same.

 

Yes I did actually!! I just assumed one of the monkeys notched it the wrong way and just threw it in! Oh well, thats another one to re do then (lol)

 

Yeah noticed that with the diagram having different floor plates. Bends in the front lower triangulation bars and also the a post bars that go along across the top of the doors. Don't have a kink in near the main hoop end on the diagram. Where as the ones in my kit do.

As for yours being T45 rather than CDS. I'm pretty sure the weld test sample bits they sent me were T45. Will see if it passes mean as I've used the standard a18 filler wire on them.

 

Yeah, Just noticed that. Wrong diagram etc.
Thats annoying about the front plates.....

Great feedback and helpful pictures. Thanks.

 

Just a thought: Squibble's is a T45 cage. I'd have thought the process identical to make them though...

 

On the Mk2 championship cars we have fitted cages to, the correct way to get it all welded up all the way round the main hoop sections is to hole saw the floor and drop the main hoop down.

This is time consuming, however if a marshal ever puts his finger around the top of the hoop he wont send you home for 'space welding' the other hoops to the main hoop!

 

did you mount the cage on towers?

Im thinking that If we build towers, the cage will have enough room to drop low enough - before the towers are welded in. Fingers crossed!