Share and discuss mod ideas here that make your Isuzu safer, faster, more homely, more user friendly or just crazier! The best from here will be made into a full DIY write up for the FAQ and DIY mod section.
Has anyone fitted a roll cage to thier MU. We are looking into an internal roll cage for our MU and would love to see some pics to see how others have tackled this mod. Any links to websites would be cool too, or any info on regs etc. for NZ road use or winch comps. Thanks.
www.4x4bits.co.nz have a link to the winch challenge rules which includes a large amount on roll bars. Have a talk to your local LVV certifier about how to make this road Legal. Its unlikly you will be allowed to keep your rear seat. If you have trouble with the local certifier hunt down Ken McKadam from the LVV website. Hes in Wellington and specialises in 4wd mod certification. Hes finicky but if he say its right it is
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
Thanks. I'll look at that site. I've heard it doesn't need to be certified if the seatbelts are not attached to it, but haven't checked this out myself. We have young kids who are even more obsessed with 4WDing then we are, so the back seats have to stay. Trying to make it safer for them though.
I "think" they have to be certified if they extend infront of the drivers/front passengers head, hence you can have a internal "roll bar" which would possibly let you keep your seats. But for the north island winch comps I think you have to have a full roll cage. they have to be welded by a certified welder and be from minimum size pipe. They are alot of work but better to be safe than sorry. Another option would be to look at an external cage?? would be easier to fit and you don't have to cut your dash up, and you would keep all your seats.
Theres some very definate rules regaurding head clearance that in a Mu might be hard to corelate to the very strong cross braced cage you need for winch chalenge and keep the back seats.
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
I would recommend doing a Exo, as an internal is useess to exteria panels, plus, from what iv heard, having a Internal in NZ you have to get it to 3 or 4 (is it maanz Specifed races, eg hill climbs, targa to got it checked and signed off etc. exo is easier to certify, build, look cool and do more for your protection.
Quite a debate on the whole exo vs internal cage. I'm not sure I like the look of a exo and it will decrease economy as this will be a daily driver -though you could make it removable. While it will protect panels in a soft rollover an internal cage provides better protection for anything more serious as it can be diagonally braced. On the plus side lots of people get away with not certifying an exo cage as it is a 'roof rack'. So lots to think about.
If you do an exo make sur you have nice flowing bends and no sharp corners as mr wof man will pull it up as a pedestrian hazard. I hate that set of rules!!!