Roll Bar Padding & Window Nets

What Roll Bar Padding Does and Where to Install It

Roll bar padding absorbs energy when your helmet, arms, or knees hit the cage in a crash. The SFI 45.1 spec defines padding as material on roll bars that provides energy absorption. Sanctioning bodies commonly require SFI 45.1 padding anywhere your helmet can contact the cage.

That usually means the main hoop behind your head, the halo or door bars beside it, and tubes near your shoulders. Whether you're padding a Jr. Dragster cage or a door car, sit in the seat fully strapped in and check every tube you can reach.

Padding works alongside your racing seat belts and harnesses, which hold you in place while the pad takes the hit. If you're building out a car for tech inspection, browse our full lineup of racing safety equipment to cover helmets, seats, and fire protection too.

SFI 45.1 Roll Cage Padding vs. Non-SFI Roll Cage Covers

SFI 45.1 roll cage padding is tested for energy absorption, while a non-SFI roll cage cover mainly protects the tube and dresses up the cage. For sanctioned racing, buy padding labeled SFI 45.1 for helmet-contact areas.

SFI 45.1 testing uses 1.5 in. and 1.75 in. O.D. bar, so measure your tubing before you buy. QuickCar Racing Fire Resistant SFI Roll Bar Padding fits 1-1/4 in. to 1-3/4 in. roll bar. That fire-resistant padding suits race cars where heat and fuel are part of the risk.

Grant Carbon Fiber Tube/Roll Cage Protectors cover and protect exposed tubing. Sport bar covers for Jeep Wrangler models give your sport bar a finished look on the street or trail. If a listing doesn't call out SFI 45.1, treat it as a cover, and don't count on it to pass tech.

Choosing the Right Size Roll Bar Padding for Your Tubing

Match the padding to the outside diameter of your tubing, because a loose pad can slide or spin on impact. Measure the O.D. at each tube, since cages often mix sizes.

Here's how the sizes in this category line up:

• QuickCar Racing SFI padding fits 1-1/4 in. to 1-3/4 in. roll bar.
• Grant carbon fiber protectors fit 1-1/4 in. to 1-1/2 in. tube and run 59 in. long.
• Larger Grant protectors fit 1-5/8 in. to 2 in. tube and run 48 in. long.
• Other carbon fiber roll bar protectors fit 1.250 in. to 1.500 in. tube.

SFI padding typically comes in 3 ft sticks, so plan your count around that length. Allstar Performance sells padding in 3-packs and several colors, including purple, so you can match your car's paint. Check the listed diameter range before you order.

Race Car Window Nets: Ribbon vs. Mesh and SFI 27.1

A window net keeps your hands, arms, and head inside the cage in a crash or rollover, and SFI 27.1 is its spec. Nets come in ribbon and mesh styles. Check your sanctioning body's current rulebook to see whether your class requires a certified net.

Ribbon nets use woven straps, while mesh nets use a tighter grid pattern. Allstar Performance offers an Angular Mesh Window Net SFI 27.1, an Oblong Window Net SFI 27.1, and a Square Ribbon Window Net.

RJS Racing Equipment makes a Grand National Window Ribbon Net that's SFI 27.1 certified. RJS also offers non-SFI mesh nets, like the Mesh Window Net 24 x 24 and Mesh Oblong Grand National 32 x 23 x 18.

G-Force Angle Ribbon Window Nets come in silver, yellow, and orange. Shop all race car window nets to compare shapes, sizes, and SFI ratings.

Window Net Mounting Kits and Hardware

A window net mounting kit attaches the net to your cage and lets it release when you or a safety worker needs to get out. Match the kit to your cage and to how you want the net to release.

Common mounting options include:

• Spring-loaded pin kits for quick removal of the net.
• Latch-and-link kits that lock the net to a fixed point.
• GM buckle-type kits with a seat-belt-style release.
• Clamp-on kits for 1-1/2 in. and 1-3/4 in. tubing.
• Weld-on mounting tabs for a permanent attachment point.
• Replacement latches and buckles for worn or damaged hardware.

The G-Force Safety Net 5 Point Mounting System gives you a complete setup in one package. Clamp-on kits let you mount a net without welding, while weld-on tabs suit fabricated cages. Shop window net mounts to finish your install.