The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Is 500 reasonable for a cage
So I have a cage builder that will supply tube, bend it and help install (but not weld) for 500. Is that reasonable?
So I have a cage builder that will supply tube, bend it and help install (but not weld) for 500. Is that reasonable?
Absolutely reasonable. Does that quote figure him using DOM tubing?
Yes, he is very familiar with the Lemons rules
Yep, reasonable.
FYI, I'm not sure how much "help with the install" he would be if no welding is involved on his part.
It's my experience that if you or someone on your team can't cut, fit, and weld even a pre-fabbed caged you'd be better off having someone do the entire thing.
It's not rocket science, but I wouldn't call it easy either.
Welding is the "liability" part of a cage. It's also the most involved/worst part. I understand why the guy doesn't want to do that part of it.
Actually, sounds too good to be true... what's the catch? Its probably $400 for materials alone, not to mention labor to cut, bend and notch... Make sure its the right tube, for example 1.750"x.120 wall DOM....
Actually, sounds too good to be true... what's the catch? Its probably $400 for materials alone, not to mention labor to cut, bend and notch... Make sure its the right tube, for example 1.750"x.120 wall DOM....
Ours was right at $600 including tax, which we thought was "reasonable". I'm sure the fabricator gets a better deal on the DOM as he buys in bulk to reducing his cost.
We paid $1100 for our DOM cage. The cage guy tacked it all and then brought in a second guy to weld it. Your quote sounds about right without welding.
Welding isn't our problem. We have a professional shop where we are doing all of our car work. Life lesson: friends are good; rich friends with crazy ass expensive personal shop better equipped then a maaco, even better.
Ours was $1150 for DOM and Nascar-Style door bars
our's was $800 for ERW with X-bars. usually I'm seeing mid 500s-600 for most base materials. I think my dad spent closer to 600 for 1.75x.134 ERW for the vic, and we had cage steel left over. Sounds completely reasonable for the most part. bonus if that's for high-end spec DOM.
mine was $1100, with big door bars, 2 years ago, and well worth it. First race, wham, t-boned hard. really hard. Didn't even raise an eyebrow. The door now is *wrapped* around the bars.
Oh, and he cut out our cat.
We purchased a pre-bent cage, and added some extra members on our own. It took about 8 - 10 hours of time to get fitment correct and weld the cage. If we had to start from scratch it would have taken a week for us to do this correctly (measure, bend, notch, etc...
What price for safety?
We paid $1100 for our DOM cage. The cage guy tacked it all and then brought in a second guy to weld it. Your quote sounds about right without welding.
Who did your cage? (I'm from Lansing originally)
Jeff G 78 wrote:We paid $1100 for our DOM cage. The cage guy tacked it all and then brought in a second guy to weld it. Your quote sounds about right without welding.
Who did your cage? (I'm from Lansing originally)
I had it done by a friend who builds race cars and consults for various race teams. He only builds about a half dozen cages per year, but he does a wonderful job and there is zero doubt about passing tech.
I haven't chimed in yet... So yes $500 is a smoking deal. We spent almost $400 on materials alone for our cage work.
$500 almost seems too low. Everyone out in Colorado charges $700 or more. You get what you pay for and your life is at stake. Sounds like a good deal but ask to see some of his other work before you forkl over the cash.
Tube cost what it cost. I saw someone here paying $5/ft. Last year I as paying $2.33/ft (1.5"x.120"). So my cost per cage in materials is going to be less. I imagine that out in Colorado there are no steel plants so steel has to be shipped in.
yeah. he said for the cage itself and a hand setting it up, not the actual welding. Usually welding it up runs average around $200 to have someone else do it. More if they're going to do something fancy, but it's not a bad baseline.
Tube cost what it cost. I saw someone here paying $5/ft. Last year I as paying $2.33/ft (1.5"x.120"). So my cost per cage in materials is going to be less. I imagine that out in Colorado there are no steel plants so steel has to be shipped in.
So how much would 5 sticks of 1.5x.120 DOM cost you?
RobL wrote:Tube cost what it cost. I saw someone here paying $5/ft. Last year I as paying $2.33/ft (1.5"x.120"). So my cost per cage in materials is going to be less. I imagine that out in Colorado there are no steel plants so steel has to be shipped in.
So how much would 5 sticks of 1.5x.120 DOM cost you?
$42,000.
Email me for my address to send a check... 
Riktor wrote:RobL wrote:Tube cost what it cost. I saw someone here paying $5/ft. Last year I as paying $2.33/ft (1.5"x.120"). So my cost per cage in materials is going to be less. I imagine that out in Colorado there are no steel plants so steel has to be shipped in.
So how much would 5 sticks of 1.5x.120 DOM cost you?
$42,000.
Email me for my address to send a check...
Better be a happy ending the that cost in steel...
am I missing something?
sticks I get are 18-24' random length (don't know what I am going to get until it lands here) and I'm charged that per foot for what is delivered. so 5 sticks x 20'/stick x 2.33/foot = $233 + tax delivered.
rockwood wrote:Riktor wrote:So how much would 5 sticks of 1.5x.120 DOM cost you?
$42,000.
Email me for my address to send a check...
Better be a happy ending the that cost in steel...
Dude, steel went up because the Chinese are buying it all, didn't you know? I can get my dog to hump your leg, or give you some SR20s from my graveyard if you're looking for more...
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