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AMg GTR Black Series (incoming), 2006 Ford GT, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Performante
AMG GT Black Series Cage Install
I figured I’d post up a few pics of my factory roll cage install on my Mercedes BS. Came out amazing. I don’t know why the US Spec didn’t come with the cage and belts but it makes the car look so much better.
I will start a thread about my cage. I just finished it this morning and installed it a few hours ago.
After the RSR debacle I decided to build my own.. which I should have done in the first place as I have the resources to do it.
My cage is based on the pictures of the Black Series cage we saw in the promo video
This is my prototype cage as there are some minor fitment issues to work out. But I built a jig and lots of templates so the next one will be much better and easier too.
Not entirely happy with the hoop. But my industrial pipe bending vendor is not set up to bend anything this small. Final parts will look more professional.
I see that MB tilted their main hoop back, but with my seats reclined all the way back I still have over 3" of clearance from the seat back to the bar.
I also made my cage main hoop about 8 inches wider than the MB version. As you can see the verticals on my main hoop are now in the seat belt mounting location and I have built a bracket to retain the factory belts.
Next on the list is to build proper seat brackets for my Recaro Profi SPG seats and 6 point harness, I have something already in mind.
When the car was last in the shop I had the mechanic test fit the seats, but the temp brackets he built are no good, but at least the seats bolt in for fitting.
The major issue is deactivating the air bags, hooking back up the factory seat belt receiver and deactivating the memory seats.
with the seats unplugged I have no control over my steering column and cannot move it.
How were you able to get the cage? That cage does not look like the BS cage that was pictured on this forum. It looks like the euro version available for the R and Pro series cars.
I figured I’d post up a few pics of my factory roll cage install on my Mercedes BS. Came out amazing. I don’t know why the US Spec didn’t come with the cage and belts but it makes the car look so much better.
I was actually looking into this and wasn't sure if it was bolt in. I just called the dealer and they can order it with BS VIN, and it comes color coded to your car.
The cage looks good! We should be offered this setup in the US from the factory.
I hate to be the one to bring this up but you should not use those seats and those belts. Those seats are not made for this setup and would be seriously dangerous in an accident on the road or even worse on track.
Last edited by AMG GTR Pro; 08-05-2021 at 04:14 PM.
I hate to be the one to bring this up but you should not use those seats and those belts. Those seats are not made for this setup and would be seriously dangerous in an accident on the road or even worse on track.
Please explain. Outside of the US the BS comes with the cage and harnesses from the factory. Also the same seats as the US cars. Not like MB to sell something that is unsafe for use. Especially these parts in their flagship performance car.
It has to do with a legal issue for the United States. I think most US Spec cars do not have the option for roll cages. Off the top of my head maybe McLaren 765 has the option, BMW M4 GTS.
Please explain. Outside of the US the BS comes with the cage and harnesses from the factory. Also the same seats as the US cars. Not like MB to sell something that is unsafe for use. Especially these parts in their flagship performance car.
The Euro car with the cage doesn't use the performance seats but the bucket seats. Same as the GTR Pro. Not available in the US...MB only installs standard seat belts as well.
It has to do with a legal issue for the United States. I think most US Spec cars do not have the option for roll cages. Off the top of my head maybe McLaren 765 has the option, BMW M4 GTS.
I'm sure someone here has the correct answer
YOU, are correct. Liability....Funny that someone would take a track-focused car and actually race it,lol......
Please explain. Outside of the US the BS comes with the cage and harnesses from the factory. Also the same seats as the US cars. Not like MB to sell something that is unsafe for use. Especially these parts in their flagship performance car.
The track package that's not available in the US includes the roll bar and race seats. I think in ROW you might be able to get the race seats without the roll bar as an individual option but you can't get the roll bar without getting the full track package that includes the race seats.
My guess is that you need the race seats to make the roll bar setup safe. Otherwise the reclining seats can fold forward at impact.
I'm not sure why the regular seats would make it more dangerous than not having a roll bar at all, after all being fully strapped with a Hans and a roll bar in regular seats would seem preferable than schlepping around the track with a three point and crossed fingers, so AMG GTR Pro maybe can explain it, but the whole thing would certainly be safer with full race seats.
Please explain. Outside of the US the BS comes with the cage and harnesses from the factory. Also the same seats as the US cars. Not like MB to sell something that is unsafe for use. Especially these parts in their flagship performance car.
Outside the US the Black Series is offered with a track package that includes the cage, harnesses and race seats, not the US seats. It's not that the seats are not safe. The issue is that those seats are designed to be used with regular belts, not racing harnesses. The direction of forces with the mounting points of regular seatbelts are very different than harnessed that are fixed to the cage. Just look at the seats closely in any GT, the holes in those seats that the belts are running through are decorative and not designed to support the forces that would be exerted on them in any kind of accident. Then think about that compounded by the fact that that is a folding seat.
In a race car, the mounting of the harnesses is a big deal. They literally measure all of the angles of the harnesses so that in an impact the forces are delivered to the Hans and the body in the safest way possible.
If you are going to seriously track your Black Series, get a proper 5 pt harness to prevent submarining and a proper race bucket. It's the mixing and matching that becomes the issue.
I believe The problem is that the US seats can default forward in a crash, due to the additional weight, and then the drivers body would subject to whipping back into Roll bar.
I'm not sure why the regular seats would make it more dangerous than not having a roll bar at all, after all being fully strapped with a Hans and a roll bar in regular seats would seem preferable than schlepping around the track with a three point and crossed fingers, so AMG GTR Pro maybe can explain it, but the whole thing would certainly be safer with full race seats.
Across the board a cage (with what is being offered here being more like a 1/4 cage...) would be better in a rollover. You can see my explanation of why it is more dangerous in my other response. I would do the full track package first, second would be regular seat, regular belts and cage or just run it as is. Where this gets dangerous is the mixing.
I will start a thread about my cage. I just finished it this morning and installed it a few hours ago.
After the RSR debacle I decided to build my own.. which I should have done in the first place as I have the resources to do it.
My cage is based on the pictures of the Black Series cage we saw in the promo video
This is my prototype cage as there are some minor fitment issues to work out. But I built a jig and lots of templates so the next one will be much better and easier too.
Not entirely happy with the hoop. But my industrial pipe bending vendor is not set up to bend anything this small. Final parts will look more professional.
I see that MB tilted their main hoop back, but with my seats reclined all the way back I still have over 3" of clearance from the seat back to the bar.
I also made my cage main hoop about 8 inches wider than the MB version. As you can see the verticals on my main hoop are now in the seat belt mounting location and I have built a bracket to retain the factory belts.
Next on the list is to build proper seat brackets for my Recaro Profi SPG seats and 6 point harness, I have something already in mind.
When the car was last in the shop I had the mechanic test fit the seats, but the temp brackets he built are no good, but at least the seats bolt in for fitting.
The major issue is deactivating the air bags, hooking back up the factory seat belt receiver and deactivating the memory seats.
with the seats unplugged I have no control over my steering column and cannot move it.
Last edited by canucklehead; 08-06-2021 at 05:24 PM.
I will start a thread about my cage. I just finished it this morning and installed it a few hours ago.
After the RSR debacle I decided to build my own.. which I should have done in the first place as I have the resources to do it.
My cage is based on the pictures of the Black Series cage we saw in the promo video
This is my prototype cage as there are some minor fitment issues to work out. But I built a jig and lots of templates so the next one will be much better and easier too.
Not entirely happy with the hoop. But my industrial pipe bending vendor is not set up to bend anything this small. Final parts will look more professional.
I see that MB tilted their main hoop back, but with my seats reclined all the way back I still have over 3" of clearance from the seat back to the bar.
I also made my cage main hoop about 8 inches wider than the MB version. As you can see the verticals on my main hoop are now in the seat belt mounting location and I have built a bracket to retain the factory belts.
Next on the list is to build proper seat brackets for my Recaro Profi SPG seats and 6 point harness, I have something already in mind.
When the car was last in the shop I had the mechanic test fit the seats, but the temp brackets he built are no good, but at least the seats bolt in for fitting.
The major issue is deactivating the air bags, hooking back up the factory seat belt receiver and deactivating the memory seats.
with the seats unplugged I have no control over my steering column and cannot move it.
When I look at the picture, it seems as if you have used the threads of the cargo cover for the rear triangular plate as a front, inner fixed point.
Wouldn't the thread behind not be more suitable?
Recommendation:
When you've dismantled the vehicle that far. It is advisable to remove the the big upper aluminum cover plate and cut out the round surface.
Underneath is the access to the tank sender, the low pressure gasoline feed pump, and the gasoline filter.
If you have to go there, you can dismantle the whole vehicle again. Including removal of the roll cage.
Cut out the sheet metal, then all you have to do, is remove the trunk carpet. Fast and Easy.
You will be very happy then.
Here's an example:
At the top, this opening is covered by the cargo cover. Under the sheet metal is a U-shaped cut insulation board.
This can also be cut off completely and simply completely removed later. If necessary.
The inserted cutout is not even necessary. The small strut is sufficient.
Want to make a half-moon cover, but had no matching thin aluminum sheet left.
When I look at the picture, it seems as if you have used the threads of the cargo cover for the rear triangular plate as a front, inner fixed point.
Wouldn't the thread behind not be more suitable?
Recommendation:
When you've dismantled the vehicle that far. It is advisable to remove the the big upper aluminum cover plate and cut out the round surface.
Underneath is the access to the tank sender, the low pressure gasoline feed pump, and the gasoline filter.
If you have to go there, you can dismantle the whole vehicle again. Including removal of the roll cage.
Cut out the sheet metal, then all you have to do, is remove the trunk carpet. Fast and Easy.
You will be very happy then.
Here's an example:
At the top, this opening is covered by the cargo cover. Under the sheet metal is a U-shaped cut insulation board.
This can also be cut off completely and simply completely removed later. If necessary.
The inserted cutout is not even necessary. The small strut is sufficient.
Want to make a half-moon cover, but had no matching thin aluminum sheet left.
Kind Regards
Stenzel
I tried to mimic the attachment points that MB used for their cage. I think I used the same points.
IMO none of the locations are that great, very small bolts. The the two points that use the socket head screws are decent.
These points are tapped directly into the aluminum frame of the car. There is a lot of meat there and first thought is to tap bigger holes. But I wanted a solution that avoided cutting up the car.
Forgive that janky screw as that is an odd thread pitch and that was the only faster my very large supplier had. It is better than the factory screw that was in that location. Also I will make my own hardware for that one.
I am going to make a new cage this winter to improve on a few things, so we will see.
I will start a thread soon on this, with more detail for others that want to take this route.
Search a pic. Sorry, have no better one. Stock roll cage use realy the tread behind.
It makes sense to me, what you're doing. The original rear attachment also seemed weak to me.
But the front one is quite stable, especially since its screwed on different axes.
But you may have problems completing the interior. Of course it's a prototype.
Just want to help you, because it seemed wrong to me.
Which it doesn't necessarily have to be.
Kind Regards
Stenzel
Last edited by Stenzel-Germany; 08-16-2021 at 05:47 PM.
Search a pic. Sorry, have no better one. Stock roll cage use realy the tread behind.
It makes sense to me, what you're doing. The original rear attachment also seemed weak to me.
But the front one is quite stable, especially since its screwed on different axes.
But you may have problems completing the interior. Of course it's a prototype.
Just want to help you, because it seemed wrong to me.
Which it doesn't necessarily have to be.
Kind Regards
Stenzel
Mmm, yes. That one MB used is actually a smaller diameter than the one I used.
Yeah, originally I had no intention of putting the interior back in as I was intent on shaving off weight and I was going to potentially 'clubsport' the interior.
It is surprising how much all the panels and carpet weighs.
I have mocked the pieces back up and I can re-install the panels with some trimming.
If I move my braces just a slight bit, then things would go back together a lot easier.
08-03-2021, 12:33 AM
