Do rollcages and bucket seats have a lifespan for racing

[bob the builder]

All this talk with the new race series has got me very interested so i am looking at converting my 182 over the next year ready for 2015 ,as this will give me plenty of time to do the car/save for the series costs and get some practice in.
So i was wondering if the cage and seat have a lifespan or are they ok to use indefinetly as long as they are in good conditon?
cheers rob

 

[Paprika123]

Seats and harness are dated. Not sure about cages. If building a car then buy your seat last.

 

[bob the builder]

thanks that what i was thinking but wanted to make sure.

 

[sonny172cup]

A seat will normally have a 5 year date from when purchased (not made).

 

[Hoofy]

Seats and harness are dated. Not sure about cages. If building a car then buy your seat last.

Not so sure I would advise buying the seat after you've built the car.... because fabricating everything to fit properly is key, especially when it comes to driving position.

As said above, seats and belts have 5 years on them (from date of manufacture) and race suits have 10. Cages, boots, gloves, shoes don't have dates on them, but the clothing has to meet the 8856-2000 standard.

 

[mark123]

Although seats have a date, they don't have to be in date for racing unless you're doing FIA events, not club racing.

They have to be in date for stage rallying from January 2014.

Not sure if harnesses need to be in date or not.

 

[Darren S]

Interesting. I've never even give something like this a thought?

Surely the 5 years are just a guideline though? If a 5'1" skinny woman did two track days a year, sure she wouldn't need the seats replacing in the same time frame as a lard ass bloke doing twenty races a year? Or is it that the material simply degrades over time?

D.

 

[MG cup]

What Hoofy and Mark said.

You have to have an in date harness to do any MSA event or FIA for that matter.

Cages don't have a life other than rust, MSA/FIA might change a ruling like they done circa 2 years ago where if your 'A' pillar bar of the cage had more than two bends in it then you needed to add another vertical bar which then made 90% of dash dodger cages no use.

 

[Paprika123]

Not so sure I would advise buying the seat after you've built the car.... because fabricating everything to fit properly is key, especially when it comes to driving position.

I meant buy a brand new in date seat but yeah you got me there....

 

[bob the builder]

thanks everyone for your help , lots for me to think about.
i think i will strip the car first and get the roll cage in, then work out how to put the fire extingusher in and the 2 battery cut offs.

 

[Adam G]

Here you go Rob:
http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/msa_forms/bluebooks/11/152-190 Competitor Safety.pdf

 

[bob the builder]

cheers adam that helps a bit, i think i will need to check out other peoples cars that have them just to be sure i get it right.
cheers rob