.120" wall DOM tubing is your best bet. The bender you speak of has a nasty habit of squeezing the tube down at the bends. A rotary draw bender is more what you need. I have heard that if you don't try to make the radius too tight with the hydraulic, it will bend ok. Schedule 40 would be strong enough though.
woody
Staff member
Admin
Bull bars, sliders, yes.
ROLL bars, NEVER
Schedule 40/80 pipe is designed for pressurized liquids, not for the impact properties required of material for safety cages. The material does work for non-critical items, like sliders and brush guards tho. Use either HREW or DOM for cages...
unfortunately, these require a "real" bender, not the $100 HF jobbie you have now. The HF bender "can" work for bending the pipe, but it's notorious for kinking the pipe.
ROLL bars, NEVER
Schedule 40/80 pipe is designed for pressurized liquids, not for the impact properties required of material for safety cages. The material does work for non-critical items, like sliders and brush guards tho. Use either HREW or DOM for cages...
unfortunately, these require a "real" bender, not the $100 HF jobbie you have now. The HF bender "can" work for bending the pipe, but it's notorious for kinking the pipe.
rusmannx
- Thread starter
- #4
this bender was recommended to me by some my boss and his crew (jeep people).
they have done all of there own cages, sliders, gaurds, bullbars with this bender.
i have heard that it bends "tube" being that it is measured from inside diameters rather than outside (pipe) diameters.
however, i'm not sure what kind of pipe/tubing they have used, but they do have some nice looking stuff on there heeps.
they have done all of there own cages, sliders, gaurds, bullbars with this bender.
i have heard that it bends "tube" being that it is measured from inside diameters rather than outside (pipe) diameters.
however, i'm not sure what kind of pipe/tubing they have used, but they do have some nice looking stuff on there heeps.
woody
Staff member
Admin
My first cage was Sched 80 for the front hoop-spreaders and the main hoop was a Confer-bar. It took two of us to struggle it out of my truck...NOT an easy process at all. It also had a handful of dents in it, plus the "poor quality-looking" bends you get from using a pipe-type bender (albeit a professional shop-type one...)
My current cage was done on a ProTools with all DOM tubing. It's withstood many harder flops than the previous cage, yet has no dents or structural issues. Additionally, despite there being more footage in this cage, I can lift it by myself, pretty easily.
The added expense of the higher quality material and the professional bending/installation were well worth it when it comes to safety, weight savings, and asthetics. As many times as I flop/roll my junk (lately, every trip), I can't afford "vegetable" status because I skrimped on the cage.
My current cage was done on a ProTools with all DOM tubing. It's withstood many harder flops than the previous cage, yet has no dents or structural issues. Additionally, despite there being more footage in this cage, I can lift it by myself, pretty easily.
The added expense of the higher quality material and the professional bending/installation were well worth it when it comes to safety, weight savings, and asthetics. As many times as I flop/roll my junk (lately, every trip), I can't afford "vegetable" status because I skrimped on the cage.
Chef
Woody speaks it real. Water pipe is for plumbing, not for saving your skull. Go ahead and build it out of schedule 40, and weed yourself out of the genepool
Just kidding there man, but trying to impress you that if you want a real cage, build it right, it's worth it. Alan at rockbuggysuppy.com can hook you up with the bender you need. It ain't cheap, but good tools aren't, and they do hold their value. Just to pour more gas on the fire, it doesn't surprise me that jeep guys are telling you to build your cage out of water pipe...hehe...Flame on brothers, Chefout
Just kidding there man, but trying to impress you that if you want a real cage, build it right, it's worth it. Alan at rockbuggysuppy.com can hook you up with the bender you need. It ain't cheap, but good tools aren't, and they do hold their value. Just to pour more gas on the fire, it doesn't surprise me that jeep guys are telling you to build your cage out of water pipe...hehe...Flame on brothers, Chefout
rusmannx
- Thread starter
- #8
i was right.
pipe is measured by outside diameter where tubing is measured by inside diameter.
this is why "Pipe Benders" will tend to kink tubing. it may be possible to use a slightly smaller pipe die (ie. 1 3/4") to bend 2" tubing.
also, i've learned (from tubing manufac) that in any attempt to bend tubing
i read this at the following location. thought you would all like to know a little more
http://www.sanborntube.com/htmdocs/news/tubing_are_you_getting.html
pipe is measured by outside diameter where tubing is measured by inside diameter.
this is why "Pipe Benders" will tend to kink tubing. it may be possible to use a slightly smaller pipe die (ie. 1 3/4") to bend 2" tubing.
also, i've learned (from tubing manufac) that in any attempt to bend tubing
i read this at the following location. thought you would all like to know a little more
http://www.sanborntube.com/htmdocs/news/tubing_are_you_getting.html
Alan can hook you up with the meanest BBQ this side of the Rocky Mountains. He's sold RBS and will be selling RiBS
:G Dave
Medusa
Nope, you are wrong :
It is just the opposite -- tubing is measured by outside diameter and pipe by inner diameter.I support the claim that DOM is best for roll cages, but I would modify that claim by emphasizing that holds especially for thinner tube. For the kinds of protection most of us need, 2", 0.120 wall HREW is more than adequate if the cage is designed properly. If the same cage is to be built with 1.75" tube, I think it needs to be DOM.
residualboulders
Coupla questions for you guys all knowing about the cages:
1. what does a typical cage run for a 40? ($) using the DOM stuff.
2. I'm assuming that you mount the cage directly to the frame with bolts to provide adequate protection? Is it sufficient/safe to bolt on a bracket to the frame and then bolt the roll bar to the bracket? Do bolts need to be of special size and material?
I'm working on a cage/rack combo that I would like to bolt to brackets that would extend under the running board in the front, then a bracket with an integrated slider on the rear quarter panel. I'd like to use lighter weight material if possible so it isn't miserable to remove to put the top back on.
Am I nuts?
1. what does a typical cage run for a 40? ($) using the DOM stuff.
2. I'm assuming that you mount the cage directly to the frame with bolts to provide adequate protection? Is it sufficient/safe to bolt on a bracket to the frame and then bolt the roll bar to the bracket? Do bolts need to be of special size and material?
I'm working on a cage/rack combo that I would like to bolt to brackets that would extend under the running board in the front, then a bracket with an integrated slider on the rear quarter panel. I'd like to use lighter weight material if possible so it isn't miserable to remove to put the top back on.
Am I nuts?
woody
Staff member
Admin
a good quality DOM FJ40 cage with custom install will run anywhere from $600-1000. Tubing ALONE is over $350....add in someone experienced with a bender and that can do quality welds and they aren't necessarily cheap.
HOWEVER, since it's custom, you can get most any adjustments you want. My cage was custom, with lots of little adjustments that I needed for seats, safety, etc. I spent over a year studying design prior to having mine made.
Mine bolts in with grade 5 bolts....there are welded supports on the frame.
One key in cage design is access....mine is easy to swing in-out of, versus a straight "A" hoop design which is a knee knocker or the side/seat bars which you have to lift your feet over.
Another key...triangulation.
HOWEVER, since it's custom, you can get most any adjustments you want. My cage was custom, with lots of little adjustments that I needed for seats, safety, etc. I spent over a year studying design prior to having mine made.
Mine bolts in with grade 5 bolts....there are welded supports on the frame.
One key in cage design is access....mine is easy to swing in-out of, versus a straight "A" hoop design which is a knee knocker or the side/seat bars which you have to lift your feet over.
Another key...triangulation.
So am I suffering from a pipe dream (er, tube dream) for wanting a cage AND the hard top installed for winter???
It all depends on how you design your cage
Stew
Stew
Medusa
Contact Mark Hawley http://www.metaltechcage.com/ He makes a very nice cage kit that fits an FJ40 with the top on.
Thanks, Jack. I had seen that web site before, but I'll take a closer look now that it comes with an endorsement!!
