Rollcage (1 Viewer)

[G-Cat]

I'm sure thi shas been covered here...but at ICBM '03, we had a built Cruiser do a front summersault. Driver had a front cage kit bolted to the factory rear roll bar.

The entire cage collapsed. The driver was okay, but a passenger would surely have been killed. :'(

I think it was discussed (at least on Pirate) thoroughly. Anyway, conclussions seemed to be:

1) The stock Cruiser cage is made out of old soda/pop/cola/coke cans that are bolted together. :-\ This (as admitedly distinctive and cool as it is) should be replaced.

2) Good welds beat good bolts anytime. Better to bet your life (and those of the family) on a cage that is high quality, with top-shelf welds, than a bolt-together, bolt-in job.

That said, my '77 stocker has a stock bar with no front cage. My '77 wheeler has a family cage, no funky bends, but bolted to the rig instead of welded in place. (My wheeler will be heading to jkcustoms (jkcustoms.com) for some upgrades to the cage.)

 

[AKFJ40]

dont forget frame tie in's they help a bunch.

 

[haystax]

Are you sure about the vertical welds on the frame side of the tie-in. Those will cause the frame to crack for sure in my experience. I'd rather go with horizontal welds and maybe some grade 8's for insurance. Just a thought.

 

[woody]

the welded plate "should" be eye-shaped, with no verticle welds....but the method shown is better than nuthin!

 

[Walking Eagle]

My only issue with that method of tie in is there is no more flex between the body and the frame. I'd prefure it be somewhat isolated like the body mounts are. Guess it's not as big a deal on a pure trail rig.

 

[AKFJ40]

What do you mean by "eye" shaped?

 

[green73]

Just got my Metaltech cage in yesterday. COMPLETE cage with a few extras. $670 to the door. Now I just gotta get a person to weld it in.

 

[70LCruiser]

Thanks everyone, I think im going to go with metal tech or make my own. Everyone seems to say good things about metaltech. I do have a machineshop that i can use, but dont know if its gunna be worth my time doing it myself.

My friend just rolled his j**p over when he T-Boned some ladies car. he went up in the air and came down on the roof. totaled both car and truck. it was BAD. but the passengers in the jep were fine thanks to a full rollcage and 6point racing harnesses.

 

[helocat]

[quote author=woody link=board=1;threadid=12257;start=msg118418#msg118418 date=1078924554]
the welded plate "should" be eye-shaped, with no verticle welds....but the method shown is better than nuthin!
[/quote]

Woody,

The frame scab plates currently included with the frame tie kits are these show here, rectangular in shape. For the last two years these have been in hard use w/o any indication of over stressing the frame on multiple rigs in the application of frame ties. Something to consider is they are the same shape as the scab plates Advanced Adapters provides for their motor mounts in their kits being used by 1000’s of rigs. Now this does not make it automatically the best way to go, but indicates they are doing their job. It always freaks me out to see mounting points for things (cage ties, sliders etc.) directly welded to any frame!

This is good input and sound suggestions, thanks guys. The next run of frame tie scab plates I will laser cut them in the eye shape as you have recommend/prefer. If anything they will look cool! 8)

Mark

 

[phlyfish]

Helocat,

Do you recomend bolting them to the frame then?

 

[helocat]

[quote author=phlyfish link=board=1;threadid=12257;start=msg118882#msg118882 date=1078963715]
Helocat,

Do you recomend bolting them to the frame then?
[/quote]

You could, but I would suggest welding them in place. I know of one rig with them bolted in place on the frame and to date it is working fine for him.

Side note: If you are putting frame scab plates on and you want them to be "eye" shaped one can easily accomplish this with a cut off disk and a grinder prior to install.

Mark