Loebs Crash in Greece

[C.J. Hutchins]

Hey what does everyone think about the cage failure on his car? The crash didn't look like the car took a hard hit on the roof. Yes it rolled 8 times but they didnt seem too violent.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1n3f340yqI&feature=related

[Matt D]

I dont know much about the rally world but I have seen way more cage failures in rally than off road. The only bad failure I have seen in offroad was Caso's at the more 500

Can someone explain it to me? Are they built more for front or rear impacts than rolls?

[dirtyimpreza]

where do you see a cage failure here? It looks intact to me, and the driver / co-driver walked away so it seems to have done its job.

[JPBart]

The A-pillar looks like a Z now. You obviously can't build a car that will look perfect after a terrible crash like that, but if I were the builder I would be looking at the A-Pillar to make sure it behaved the way I intended.

[tim_krueger]

I dont know much about the rally world but I have seen way more cage failures in rally than off road. The only bad failure I have seen in offroad was Caso's at the more 500

Can someone explain it to me? Are they built more for front or rear impacts than rolls?

hay that's NickTDGAF

[5racer]

looks like o-2 thin to me .

[randy s]

aren't the cages built out aluminum? i heard that some time ago.

[y2kbaja]

The A pillar on Loebs car is built as a "Z" to begin with. Also, with the low windshield lines the A pillar is at a very low angle. I do agree both that there looks to be failure in the cage but also that they walked away so the cage did it's job.
Latvala's crash at Cypress? (where he rolled off the cliff for days) was just as violent and the roof bar was detached after that crash but once again they both walked away.

[JPBart]

yes, they walked away but I have no idea if the cage held up as intended. Lots of guys have been killed in race cars by A-pillar failures. Only the builder/designer knows if it worked as intended. I am not second guessing them by saying it failed, but don't know enough to say it didn't either.

I have to agree they worked good enough so everybody walked away. Not bashing, I'm just ill informed and curious.

Seriously? Loebs A pillar starts off as a Z? I have to ask why? It would seem to be super weak if it is.....

[mike.t]

i think that fim requires dom tubing. so i think its designed to be a little forgiving(bend instead of break) i saw both crashes on tv. and i'd be suprised to see anything hold up, and the head room in those cars is plentifull, some cars look to have a foot, especially on the navigator side.

[cusico]

ALL, yes ALL of the cages I have seen from Europe (UK mainly) are made out of .065" for the B-pillar hoop, and .035-.040" for the remainder of the tubes.
Custom Cages manufactures most all of the rally cages in Europe, including some WRC Works teams. The do the dynamic testing to receive FIA Homologation, and then they can be made into a kit.

The US rally rules allow these FIA cages, but if the cage is not one of these listed cages you must go with 1.75" x .095" main tubes and 1.5" x .065" secondary tubes, I believe is the current rule book.

Weight is a huge factor, save a ton with an oh2thin cage. Not for me.

Also that not the A-pillar, it's the support tube that goes from the cage "floor" up to the top if the windscreen. All the ones in Europe rally kits are .035"-.038"ish, as they are a straight tube. Crazy.

[C.J. Hutchins]

Holy crap!! That's scary those guys go that fast with that size tubing holding thier lives in its hand. Wow! I dont really know what to say about that. Thanks for the info cusico, thats what i was looking for. The crash was violent but it didnt seem to take any really bad impacts on that part of the vehicle, which is why i started this thread, I cant believe they use 02thin on those cars.

[la2baja]

I DVR all the races and on my big screen paused it is clear that the a pillar did completely fail. It pinched together and folded in. Hard to tell on youtube but I stared at the still frame in 1080p and there is no doubt the tube failed. A far worse failure that Latvila's cage after his cliff dive.

[C.J. Hutchins]

I DVR all the races and on my big screen paused it is clear that the a pillar did completely fail. It pinched together and folded in. Hard to tell on youtube but I stared at the still frame in 1080p and there is no doubt the tube failed. A far worse failure that Latvila's cage after his cliff dive.

ha ha that is exactly what I did, which is why i started this thread. I love HD.