SUVs and Rollovers

Here's an article in this morning's Washington Post about the danger of
SUV rollover accidents (especially involving teens.) There's a
gruesome picture of a Ford Explorer with its passenger compartment
completely mashed in:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6760241/

Now, here's my dumb question: Wouldn't a single CJ-size roll bar
inside the passenger compartment of most SUVs dramatically reduce the
likelihood of a fatality or horrible injury from a rollover crash?
Looking at the Ford Explorer photo, it's easy to picture the passenger
compartment staying intact if it had been supported by a single bar of
thick steel between the front and second row of seats.

I've been lucky enough never to roll, but I've either directly seen or
observed the aftermath of several CJ, YJ, and TJ rollovers, and in
every case, the driver was fine, except for some minor bruising and
scratches. Admittedly this was at low off-road speeds, but it was
also over much nastier terrain than you find on the road (big, sharp
boulders, 30+ degree inclines, etc.)

I see lots of folks shelling out thousands of dollars for gizmos like
side curtain airbags, dynamic stability control, ABS, etc., in their
expensive luxury SUVs. Wouldn't $600 worth of steel and welding work
be a much better investment? I can't believe that the SUV
manufacturers with the sterling safety records, such as Volvo and BMW,
haven't put a simple roll bar in their passenger compartments.

Ok, sure, an interior roll bar would be a bit unsightly in your $40,000
luxury ego-feeding chariot. So wrap the damn thing in leather and wood
paneling and call it an "elegant interior appointment."

A J**P is NOT a suvee.

Snow...

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Here's an article in this morning's Washington Post about the danger of
> SUV rollover accidents (especially involving teens.) There's a
> gruesome picture of a Ford Explorer with its passenger compartment
> completely mashed in:
>
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6760241/
>
> Now, here's my dumb question: Wouldn't a single CJ-size roll bar
> inside the passenger compartment of most SUVs dramatically reduce the
> likelihood of a fatality or horrible injury from a rollover crash?
> Looking at the Ford Explorer photo, it's easy to picture the passenger
> compartment staying intact if it had been supported by a single bar of
> thick steel between the front and second row of seats.
>
> I've been lucky enough never to roll, but I've either directly seen or
> observed the aftermath of several CJ, YJ, and TJ rollovers, and in
> every case, the driver was fine, except for some minor bruising and
> scratches. Admittedly this was at low off-road speeds, but it was
> also over much nastier terrain than you find on the road (big, sharp
> boulders, 30+ degree inclines, etc.)
>
> I see lots of folks shelling out thousands of dollars for gizmos like
> side curtain airbags, dynamic stability control, ABS, etc., in their
> expensive luxury SUVs. Wouldn't $600 worth of steel and welding work
> be a much better investment? I can't believe that the SUV
> manufacturers with the sterling safety records, such as Volvo and BMW,
> haven't put a simple roll bar in their passenger compartments.
>
> Ok, sure, an interior roll bar would be a bit unsightly in your $40,000
> luxury ego-feeding chariot. So wrap the damn thing in leather and wood
> paneling and call it an "elegant interior appointment."
>

>I've been lucky enough never to roll, but I've either directly seen or
>observed the aftermath of several CJ, YJ, and TJ rollovers, and in
>every case, the driver was fine, except for some minor bruising and
>scratches. Admittedly this was at low off-road speeds, but it was
>also over much nastier terrain than you find on the road (big, sharp
>boulders, 30+ degree inclines, etc.)

http://www.wcelectric.com/images/jan04sale12.jpg
http://www.wcelectric.com/images/jan04sale12.jpg

I wouldn't rely on any stock Jeep CJ, YJ, or TJ roll bars to protect
me in a highspeed rollover...

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 15:27:19 GMT, Cliff > wrote:

>>I've been lucky enough never to roll, but I've either directly seen or
>>observed the aftermath of several CJ, YJ, and TJ rollovers, and in
>>every case, the driver was fine, except for some minor bruising and
>>scratches. Admittedly this was at low off-road speeds, but it was
>>also over much nastier terrain than you find on the road (big, sharp
>>boulders, 30+ degree inclines, etc.)
>
>http://www.wcelectric.com/images/jan04sale12.jpg
>http://www.wcelectric.com/images/jan04sale12.jpg

er opps second link should have been:

http://www.wcelectric.com/images/jan04sale14.jpg

>I wouldn't rely on any stock Jeep CJ, YJ, or TJ roll bars to protect
>me in a highspeed rollover...

It would probably cut the fatal and serious injury count by quite a high
margin though. Rollbars are a wonderful thing.

> >I wouldn't rely on any stock Jeep CJ, YJ, or TJ roll bars to protect
> >me in a highspeed rollover...
>

>It would probably cut the fatal and serious injury count by quite a high
>margin though. Rollbars are a wonderful thing.

With the stock bars I have serious doubts...

I would point out that the pix of the Explorer shows that the roof
structure behind the driver is intact. This is the same area that would
have the rollbar protecting you in the Jeep. Cliff pulled up a pix of a
flattened Jeep, it has the same characteristic flattened windshield area
as the Explorer. Both are typical of a rollover.

My point is that unless you have the full front windshield rollbar and
proper diagonal bracing, you are still at high risk in a rollover.

wrote:
> Here's an article in this morning's Washington Post about the danger of
> SUV rollover accidents (especially involving teens.) There's a
> gruesome picture of a Ford Explorer with its passenger compartment
> completely mashed in:
>
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6760241/
>
> Now, here's my dumb question: Wouldn't a single CJ-size roll bar
> inside the passenger compartment of most SUVs dramatically reduce the
> likelihood of a fatality or horrible injury from a rollover crash?
> Looking at the Ford Explorer photo, it's easy to picture the passenger
> compartment staying intact if it had been supported by a single bar of
> thick steel between the front and second row of seats.
>
> I've been lucky enough never to roll, but I've either directly seen or
> observed the aftermath of several CJ, YJ, and TJ rollovers, and in
> every case, the driver was fine, except for some minor bruising and
> scratches. Admittedly this was at low off-road speeds, but it was
> also over much nastier terrain than you find on the road (big, sharp
> boulders, 30+ degree inclines, etc.)
>
> I see lots of folks shelling out thousands of dollars for gizmos like
> side curtain airbags, dynamic stability control, ABS, etc., in their
> expensive luxury SUVs. Wouldn't $600 worth of steel and welding work
> be a much better investment? I can't believe that the SUV
> manufacturers with the sterling safety records, such as Volvo and BMW,
> haven't put a simple roll bar in their passenger compartments.
>
> Ok, sure, an interior roll bar would be a bit unsightly in your $40,000
> luxury ego-feeding chariot. So wrap the damn thing in leather and wood
> paneling and call it an "elegant interior appointment."
>

It is against the law to drive drunk.
The roll bar adds weight, the Environmental Protection Agency would
rather you get better mileage than protect your life.
The ABS on the Explorer releases the axles on turns where the
inside wheel comes off the ground, and inertial pushes if over, as with
all the Ford rollovers blamed on tire separation caused by low air
pressure.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

wrote:
>
> Here's an article in this morning's Washington Post about the danger of
> SUV rollover accidents (especially involving teens.) There's a
> gruesome picture of a Ford Explorer with its passenger compartment
> completely mashed in:
>
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6760241/
>
> Now, here's my dumb question: Wouldn't a single CJ-size roll bar
> inside the passenger compartment of most SUVs dramatically reduce the
> likelihood of a fatality or horrible injury from a rollover crash?
> Looking at the Ford Explorer photo, it's easy to picture the passenger
> compartment staying intact if it had been supported by a single bar of
> thick steel between the front and second row of seats.
>
> I've been lucky enough never to roll, but I've either directly seen or
> observed the aftermath of several CJ, YJ, and TJ rollovers, and in
> every case, the driver was fine, except for some minor bruising and
> scratches. Admittedly this was at low off-road speeds, but it was
> also over much nastier terrain than you find on the road (big, sharp
> boulders, 30+ degree inclines, etc.)
>
> I see lots of folks shelling out thousands of dollars for gizmos like
> side curtain airbags, dynamic stability control, ABS, etc., in their
> expensive luxury SUVs. Wouldn't $600 worth of steel and welding work
> be a much better investment? I can't believe that the SUV
> manufacturers with the sterling safety records, such as Volvo and BMW,
> haven't put a simple roll bar in their passenger compartments.
>
> Ok, sure, an interior roll bar would be a bit unsightly in your $40,000
> luxury ego-feeding chariot. So wrap the damn thing in leather and wood
> paneling and call it an "elegant interior appointment."

That's why we ALL add full cages:
http://www.stu-offroad.com/rollcage/roll-4.htm
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Cliff wrote:
>
> >It would probably cut the fatal and serious injury count by quite a high
> >margin though. Rollbars are a wonderful thing.
>
> With the stock bars I have serious doubts...

Now THAT is a well-built cage. Either way, any properly mounted rollbar is
better than no rollbar, especially given the relatively low cost of install.

Thanks for the link, Bill ...when I get my welder I might take on a job like
that.

"L.W. (ßill) Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
> That's why we ALL add full cages:
> http://www.stu-offroad.com/rollcage/roll-4.htm
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> http://www.billhughes.com/