Zero Chassis Brace Removal?

[Andi]

Ello,

As per title can I remove or reposition this brace on the drivers side?

[tractor]

that shouldn't be in your way your a short arse

[Andi]

Oh but it is....

I have no movement in my right ankle (40 tons of truck seen to that) so i have to move my leg up and down to stop and go.

So it is banging against that bleeping bar all the time.

 

Andi

[tractor]

I thought you were buying a hole car unless you got spanners out soon as you got home

[keith kelly]

Prob best speak to gbs as they designed the chassis may be able to advise about relocating it and keeping the strength. I beleive it there for side impact strength.

[agent_zed]

as per above. but if you look at the locost chassis i believe that bar is not there and it is essentially the same chassis. I'd personally look to replace it though with a redesigned brace.

 

Just thinking outloud but perhaps you could make that same bar but with a curve in it so it is out of the way. But as a curved bar will be weaker you could add an additional curved bar the other way creating a cross. The new brace bar would hit the tunnel where the short bar is between the tunnel tubes, so anyside impact should transfer the force into a strong part of the chassis.

 

This is just my thinking and i am far from experienced in chassis design so make sure you get this checked if you do this.

 

hth

[Bob Tucker]

Just my view....no guarantees..

but is that the race chassis with a full blown race cage that you have?

If so I would have thought the extra stiffness from the cage would compensate.

 

But +1 for the idea to speak to GBS

[Andi]

Bob. Sorry, no I dont have the roll cage version (it was just a clear chassis photo I found on t web.)

Agent Zed. I did think of the curve bar idea and also the point that it would be weaker, but I like the idea of the additional bar.

But as most have said I shall talk to GBS before Mr Angry G Rinder comes out.

 

Andi

[philshelton]

As far as I can remember that bar was added after Richard gOT hit in the side on a roundabout, whilst taking a customer out. They both walked away and the car was repaired. Richard added that tube to both sides to increase side impact strength, so it is a added brace from the original design

[Guest tom-zero]

Whilst on the subject of chassis strength. As my build nears completion it has been playing on my mind that this type of car is decades behind modern vehicles when it comes to safety design. Has anyone had a crash In a kit and how bad was the outcome. When. I brought the kit a few years ago this didn't even come into thought maybe I'm getting more sensible and thinking about consequences of things. I learnt first hand this summer how it can all go from very good to very bad in a split second on a moutain pass and at that point all you have left to save you is the strength of the car luckily me and driver where unharmed but it's definatly shaken me up enough to consider not taking the zero to those roads. So any experience of a crash in a seven hopefully I can regain faith In the fact a strong chassis with roll bar won't need crumple zones and air bags lol.

[speedtripledan]

i was rear ended in my 2b by a jag doing 40 when i was doing approx 5mph over a speed bump, the car squshed a bit, i got knocked out and had a massive swelling on the back of my head ,i was wearing a crash helmet thank god i may well not be here now if i hadnt been. the car was put back on the rd and is still out there. the 2b is made of scaffold tubes so is probably stronger than the a zero. but that does then transfer the impact through you.

[Andi]

Tom, I think your change in thinking is probably down to your recent nasty experience.

I rolled an X19 multiple times with the roof off down some country lanes. I was not injured, but the car was unrecognisable. And after that I was terrified to go over 40 mph

for a good 6 months. A couple of years later and I was back to my old self.

 

And not to take a kit to the mountains would be sacrilege, based on air bags and safety. Our cars enjoy the most dangerous routes out there, this is where they and the driver benefit most. Country lanes, mountains, along rivers, around lakes, single tracks and most of all bendy roads.

There are thousands of us doing millions of miles every weekend and TBH its very rare you hear of any serious incidents.

 

Andi

Edited November 23, 2014 by Andi

[philshelton]

Tom

just stay on your side of the road DONT overtake on bends and remember round every bend could be a articulated lorry or a horse both higher up than you and likely to make you come off worse. other than that common sense just enjoy

[agent_zed]

My brothers call me captain safety as i'm the first one in a hi-vis and safety specs but ironically i'm the one with the car i built in the garage. I do share your thinking though and i keep that in mine when im driving. I know i am not in a 7 airbag, abs, ESP car and drive accordingly. I have loads of fun but i don't push the limits as i know it will not be nice when it goes wrong. I think people in general have forgotten how dangerous cars are due to the safety features.

 

I saw on 5th gear a few years back a 10yr old espace crashed into a new espace and the new one totalled the old one and didn't even fire it's airbags as it was so strong. So even driving a normal 10yr old car isn't 'safe'.

 

I like the 2b as it is big tubing which i hope will help in an accident but hopefully i will never find out.

 

Either way it is far safer than a motorbike.

[Jez Morton]

Oh but it is....

I have no movement in my right ankle (40 tons of truck seen to that) so i have to move my leg up and down to stop and go.

So it is banging against that bleeping bar all the time.

 

Andi

Andi, can you not put some padding around the tube a bit of pipe insulation should do the trick.

 

Jez