• From: Brookfield, WI
  • Registered: 2009-12-15
  • Posts: 222

Topic: Door bars

Do door bars have to be 1 continous tube.  The rule states major cage components have to be one piece, is a door bar a major component?  I am thinking no because the 'X' design is allowed therfore making one door bar two pieces.  My problem is, to make nascar style door bars i can't bend a tight enough radius.  Would it be allowed to miter 2 45's in the tube and weld it back together as a sharp 90? 
-AJ-

If it doesn't have 2 doors, 3 pedals, and 5 lug nuts per wheel - It isn't a real race car
  • From: Craphole, NJ
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 517

Re: Door bars

Anarchyjet wrote:

Do door bars have to be 1 continous tube.  The rule states major cage components have to be one piece, is a door bar a major component?  I am thinking no because the 'X' design is allowed therfore making one door bar two pieces.  My problem is, to make nascar style door bars i can't bend a tight enough radius.  Would it be allowed to miter 2 45's in the tube and weld it back together as a sharp 90? 
-AJ-

No tech worth his weight in bent Iron Duke connecting rods will pass door bars built like that.  If you cannot make bends tight enough, bend/hammer/notch the offending sheetmetal that prevents you from installing the desired door bars.

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  • From: Wheaton IL
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 408

Re: Door bars

Or don't do nascar bars.

You are only entitled to the space you occupy.
  • sergio
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
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  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,185

Re: Door bars

We have X bars. One of them is 2 pieces welded to the one piece bar.

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

Re: Door bars

Anarchyjet wrote:

Do door bars have to be 1 continous tube.  The rule states major cage components have to be one piece, is a door bar a major component?  I am thinking no because the 'X' design is allowed therfore making one door bar two pieces.  My problem is, to make nascar style door bars i can't bend a tight enough radius.  Would it be allowed to miter 2 45's in the tube and weld it back together as a sharp 90? 
-AJ-

I don't see a problem with what you are doing. I would only suggest if you what your saying keep the joints to a minimum. you should be able to bend one end of the bar complete and only have one weld at the other end. I would have the weld on the top bar at the front and the weld on the bottom bar towards the rear. This way in an impact both bars will not fail at the same point. Also I would run vertical support bars at the intersecting weld joint so that this not only ties in the upper and lower bar but it also ties in the intersecting joint between your butt weld and the notch weld of the vertical support. I would ask John with Evil Genius Racing his opinion. He is one of the main inspectors and knows cages.

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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  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Door bars

An X design counts as 2 bars,  event though one of the bars is pieced through the X.   That is only if its an X, other than that every tube has to be one piece.  the X is an exception.  Your idea of notching and welding is an instant fail.       Tubing should never be bent at a tighter radius than 3 times the diameter.    So if your tubing is 1.5", your minimum center line radius would be 4.5"   Your bender's die should have the radius marked on it. If you have a bender without such a die, then you are using the wrong kind of bender.   

-John

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

Re: Door bars

See I told you John would know.

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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8 Reply by Crab Spirits (edited by Crab Spirits 2010-08-04 10:57 AM)

  • From: Romeoville, IL
  • Registered: 2009-12-12
  • Posts: 1,117

Re: Door bars

Why not just make it nascar style, but straight across with no bends?

Since we're on the topic, am I to understand there is no specifics in the rules to the height or spread of the door bars like in Chumpcar?

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  • Serj
  • Serj
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,601

Re: Door bars

Crab Spirits wrote:

Why not just make it nascar style, but straight across with no bends?

Since we're on the topic, am I to understand there is no specifics in the rules to the height or spread of the door bars like in Chumpcar?

the point to doing nascar bars is to get them out further away from the driver and tuck them into the sheetmetal of the door. this helps with safety as a side impact has a lower chance of intruding on the driver, and allows easier ingress/ergress if laid out correctly. single-piece nascar bars shouldn't be this hard.

  • From: INDIANAPOLIS
  • Registered: 2010-01-31
  • Posts: 85

Re: Door bars

Serj wrote:
Crab Spirits wrote:

Why not just make it nascar style, but straight across with no bends?

Since we're on the topic, am I to understand there is no specifics in the rules to the height or spread of the door bars like in Chumpcar?

the point to doing nascar bars is to get them out further away from the driver and tuck them into the sheetmetal of the door. this helps with safety as a side impact has a lower chance of intruding on the driver, and allows easier ingress/ergress if laid out correctly. single-piece nascar bars shouldn't be this hard.

X2. If you have a bender that will bend tight enough to do the main hoop it should be able to do the door bars.

Eric Subliminal racing #711 e30
11 detroit dnf, 11 autobahn 4th, 12 detroit 2nd, 12 autobahn 1st
Rip #71 crx killed at autobahn 2010. 10 smt pt, 10 bull gp,10 rod b. smashed
  • From: Brookfield, WI
  • Registered: 2009-12-15
  • Posts: 222

Re: Door bars

The problem is I don't have a bender.  The cage i'm looking at is pre-bent but has single straight door bars.  I can cut, notch and weld a cage but can't do the bending.  Anyone in SE Wisconsin have a bender they can lend me?

If it doesn't have 2 doors, 3 pedals, and 5 lug nuts per wheel - It isn't a real race car
  • RobL
  • RobL
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  • From: Philly area
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 2,721

Re: Door bars

Most racefab shops have one.  The one I go to charges $20/bend.

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  • From: Highland, MI
  • Registered: 2009-08-30
  • Posts: 93

Re: Door bars

Dave Wheeler at Advanced Autosport supposedly bends, sells & installs cages, so I'm guessing he could do some bends for you.   He's somewhere near Blackhawk Farms...  Eric