• trekkor
  • trekkor
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Topic: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Can I use 6 bends in my rear hoop?

This will better profile my roof line.

Is this legal?



KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • From: Greenville SC
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 62

Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

We put 5 bends in our main hoop trying to make it fit the b-pillar and roof line.  It turned out to be a good fit and was never questioned at tech.

Not all who wander are lost.
  • From: Toronto, Ontario
  • Registered: 2009-05-03
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

I figure that any additional clean bend that gets the hoop higher over your head is a safety plus...I'm guessing that overall workmanship will count more than the number of bends...

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....
  • trekkor
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Once the rear hoop is done, the rest should be pretty easy.

The clock is ticking...

I see some late nights in my future.


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • Riktor
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

As long as the main hoop is one continuous piece and is properly braced I doubt they will care. Make a donut hoop if you like. Just brace it properly.

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 526

Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Trekkor


There have been lots of discussions about how the cage needs to be built.
You can do a forum search, Nick has posted quite a bit on the topic.
You can also go to the SCCA rules http://cms.scca.com/documents/Club%20Ru … 009GCR.pdf  Look under cage rules 2007 to see how they do it.
Safety is the biggest concern when building your cage, do it right the first time and you will never have to do it again. These are all good places to start.

Team: V-Ram/Altamont Team: Knights of the Round Track/Reno/Buttonwillow/Thunderhill Team: Death Mobile/Sears 2010/Thunderhill/ChumpCar  Spokane/ MSR Houston/Buttonwillow/Sears. MRolla Project /Reno
http://stickfigureracing.blogspot.com/
  • From: Emeryville CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 572

Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Each time you add a bend, you're adding a point where the cage is slightly weaker, so the fewer the better. Ultimately, you want impacts to be directed through the hoops to the floor--you'll want to minimize weaknesses in that chain. If you need additional bends for a better fit, you can always back up those bends with additional bracing.

Backing up for a second--and this may be stating the obvious--you want the overall vibe of your roll cage to be more like this: http://www.monkey-boyracing.com/RollCagePainted004.jpg/RollCagePainted004-full.jpg

Than this:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/4078525242_f9b9bd6b9a_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2574/4077771337_339c88cff8_o.jpg

Nick_LemonsHQ's Website

  • trekkor
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Thanks for the replies.

I'm having my rear hoop fabbed up by a pro.

The rest I can handle.


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • Riktor
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

That pic brings up something... Square tubing for bracing? Yay or Nay?

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"
  • From: DF-Dubya
  • Registered: 2009-08-19
  • Posts: 820

Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

So long as it's not made out of PVC...

Summer's Eve Racing - '09 Yee-Haw; '10 Gator-O-Rama, NorDal Hooptie, Yee-Haw; '11 Gator-O-Rama, NorDal Hooptie (Winner, Class A!)
TARP Racing - '11 Yee-Haw, Heaps; '12 Gator-O-Rama (Winner, Class C ... Looking for a Class B Win to Complete the Trifecta!), Heaps; '13 NorDal Hooptie, Gator-O-Rama
  • RobL
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Riktor wrote:

That pic brings up something... Square tubing for bracing? Yay or Nay?

No.  Square tubing does not have the strength to be used in rollcages. 

"Can I use cardboard as firewall material?"

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

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  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

Riktor wrote:

That pic brings up something... Square tubing for bracing? Yay or Nay?

You should always try to use the same material throughout your design.
This will help transfer any impact across the whole cage and your cage will look a lot cleaner and more functional in the end.
A week link is always going to be a week link. 

Rob: I Loved the Cardboard comparison.

Team: V-Ram/Altamont Team: Knights of the Round Track/Reno/Buttonwillow/Thunderhill Team: Death Mobile/Sears 2010/Thunderhill/ChumpCar  Spokane/ MSR Houston/Buttonwillow/Sears. MRolla Project /Reno
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  • Troy
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

I recognize Nick's example of what NOT to do.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • Mulry
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

RobL wrote:

"Can I use cardboard as firewall material?"

Let's be honest: on some of these cars, cardboard might be an upgrade. smile

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.
  • ecniv
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

http://www.monkey-boyracing.com/RollCagePainted004.jpg/RollCagePainted004-full.jpg

Why is the dash bar so low? I would be worried about losing my legs in a crash. I understand that it's in plane with the door bar on the drivers side, but it's not in plane with the x-bars on the other side. It looks beautiful, and the workmanship is definitely top notch, but that dash bar bothers me.

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

ecniv wrote:

http://www.monkey-boyracing.com/RollCag … 4-full.jpg

Why is the dash bar so low? I would be worried about losing my legs in a crash. I understand that it's in plane with the door bar on the drivers side, but it's not in plane with the x-bars on the other side. It looks beautiful, and the workmanship is definitely top notch, but that dash bar bothers me.

I think you have worse problems if a dash bar like that one fails. Something like engine in your lap, steering wheel impaling your crotch. You will notice the bar is about three inches under the steering column. The car may have an adjustable steering column.  What you don't notice in the picture is the center hump from the floor console that  is directly below the bar in the center. That also helps prevent the dash bar from collapsing  onto your legs. We have an adjustable steering wheel in our MR2 and the dash bar sits lower than the one in Nicks picture so that the driver can adjust the steering for comfort. One other thing you can do is run a cross brace from the base of the passenger side pillar to the center of of the dash bar for extra support. There are all kinds of ways to make the cage safer, and even a lot more ways to make the cage a death trap. IMO

Team: V-Ram/Altamont Team: Knights of the Round Track/Reno/Buttonwillow/Thunderhill Team: Death Mobile/Sears 2010/Thunderhill/ChumpCar  Spokane/ MSR Houston/Buttonwillow/Sears. MRolla Project /Reno
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  • RobL
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

I'll throw $0.02 in on that cage.  I don't like doing "X" in the back.  Rear stays are there to keep the main hoop from bending backwards.  With an "X" arrangement in the back, the main hoop can bend to one side and can bend at the focal point of the "X."  A better arrangement is to run the rear stays straight back and then include a diagnal cross bar like the main hoop has.

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

RobL's Website

  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 526

Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

RobL wrote:

I'll throw $0.02 in on that cage.  I don't like doing "X" in the back.  Rear stays are there to keep the main hoop from bending backwards.  With an "X" arrangement in the back, the main hoop can bend to one side and can bend at the focal point of the "X."  A better arrangement is to run the rear stays straight back and then include a diagnal cross bar like the main hoop has.

+1  Good Point!

Team: V-Ram/Altamont Team: Knights of the Round Track/Reno/Buttonwillow/Thunderhill Team: Death Mobile/Sears 2010/Thunderhill/ChumpCar  Spokane/ MSR Houston/Buttonwillow/Sears. MRolla Project /Reno
http://stickfigureracing.blogspot.com/
  • Serj
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Re: Number of bends allowed in cage pieces?

RobL wrote:

I'll throw $0.02 in on that cage.  I don't like doing "X" in the back.  Rear stays are there to keep the main hoop from bending backwards.  With an "X" arrangement in the back, the main hoop can bend to one side and can bend at the focal point of the "X."  A better arrangement is to run the rear stays straight back and then include a diagnal cross bar like the main hoop has.

agree on that as well.


on the door bar in that picture, I typically see that bar as preventing the frontstays/hoop from being impacted inward, so having it along the same plane as the common entry point of an outside force (car T-boning or V intrusion) is a good thing imo. It supports and reinforces the door bars that way.

a few times I've fancied the idea of using 1.75x0.134 DOM for the main hoop and 1.75x0.120 ERW for the rest, just for maximum rollover protection. However, it seems like (based on other threads) that with properly bent and braced ERW, you start having to worry more about the gussets and the quality of the welds where they join the floor more than anything.