The choice between a bolt-in or weld-in roll cage is the first you make when you want to safely get your car on the track. Both are full roll cages, both can be FIA/KNAF certified, and both are custom-built by us for your specific car. The difference is not "good or better", but rather what you are building and how much you want to invest in stiffness and customisation.
On this page, we will explain the difference in one minute, so you know which option suits you before you click further.
Choose a bolt-in roll cage if you want to install it yourself, minimally modify your car, or be able to remove the cage later. Ideal for track days, club sport, and most competitions.
Choose a weld-in roll cage if you're building a serious race car and want to maximize stiffness, minimize weight, and achieve a perfect fit. This is the top choice for those who make no compromises.
A bolt-in cage is bolted to the chassis instead of welded. You bolt it into your existing car, drive your season, and unbolt it again when you change cars. That's the freedom that makes this line so attractive.
The major practical advantage: you don't have to completely strip your car, and the interior doesn't need to go to the paint shop. Our bolt-in cages are delivered painted, so much of the work involved in stripping, painting, and rebuilding is eliminated. This saves a significant amount of time, hassle, and cost. The cage is also detachable, so it can move with you to your next project as long as it fits.
What doesn't make a bolt-in cage inferior: every model in this line is developed for one specific car model and measured with 3D scanning, made from 25CrMo4 chrome-molybdenum, with the same precise welding that VA is known for. You're buying a ready-made cage that is correct for your car, not a design that still needs to be thought out. The only welding required during installation is the welding of a few reinforcement plates in the floor, where the footplates are secured. Otherwise, it's a matter of bolting.
A weld-in roll cage is constructed entirely from tubes and welded to the chassis. It literally becomes one with your car, and that's precisely where its strength lies. No bolted connections that can move minimally under load, but a continuous structure that stiffens the bodywork to the millimeter.
This yields the maximum achievable: the highest chassis stiffness, the sharpest steering feel, and thanks to the absence of all those bolts and footplates, often even a lower weight than a comparable bolt-in cage. For those who race seriously and want to get the most out of it, this is the construction method that leaves the rest behind.
On the other hand, it demands more. The car is delivered fully stripped, the cage is installed in our workshop with ISO-qualified welding, and the interior goes to the painter after installation. More work, more preparation, but also the stiffest and best-documented roll cage we can deliver. From clubsport to internationally homologated, always FIA/KNAF-certified and built to the regulations you race under.
Opt for a bolt-in roll cage if you want to work on it yourself, don't want to completely dismantle your car, budget and convenience are important factors, or if you want to be able to sell or transfer the cage later. For most track day drivers and club racers, this is more than enough cage, and with the correct installation, it can also be competition-certified.
Opt for a weld-in roll cage if you are building a true race car and prioritize stiffness, weight, and fit over ease of installation. If your car is already being stripped down, if you're racing at the highest level, or if stiffness plays a major role, then this is your cage. This is the choice for those who put in the work to get the most out of it.
A common assumption is that a bolt-in cage can never be certified. This is not true, but there is a technical condition. When installed, a few reinforcing plates must be welded into the floor, and it is precisely this welding work that certification revolves around. If you want your bolt-in cage to be FIA/KNAF certified, this welding must be done by one of our installation partners, so that the welding work meets the certified requirements. If you do the installation yourself, the cage is perfectly suitable for track days and non-homologated classes, but it will not be eligible for a certificate. Certification applies to selected models; the status is listed per model on the product page. Our weld-in cages are standard FIA/KNAF certified, provided they are built according to the regulations of your class.
Do you want to be sure whether your car and desired cage are certifiable? The certification status per model is listed on each product page, and if in doubt, we are happy to help you further. Our weld-in cages are standard FIA/KNAF certified, provided they are built according to the regulations of your class.
Still in doubt after reading, or want to be sure what the best choice is for your car and class? Contact us, and we'll help you figure it out.
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