welding a roll cage

[RICK]

CAGE,  and that's exactly what it should be, a cage to keep you in. And in a unibody car, if not properly attached, could separate and you simply fall out the bottom.
 Midget,,,,, I like the added frame rail,  Now you just have to add bars  that attach to rail/cage to mount your seat, and NOT to the floor pan.

   lookin good,   RICK

[Rex Schimmer]

M Midget,
I absolutely agree with Rick, you have done a great job of reinforcing the door sill now run some tube below the seat to make the cage completely enclose you, and as Rick said, make that tube part of your seat mounting bracketing then you will be part of the strongest part of the car.

Rex

[Milwaukee Midget]

M Midget,
I absolutely agree with Rick, you have done a great job of reinforcing the door sill now run some tube below the seat to make the cage completely enclose you, and as Rick said, make that tube part of your seat mounting bracketing then you will be part of the strongest part of the car.

Rex

Already done - I'd show a pic, but the seat's in place, "and I have miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep . . ."*


* Robert Frost

[ZanderJay]

You might that you can take a scrap pieces weld them together so that you can study how it done. However, if we talk about it, the roll cages must be defended on the classification on an MIG welder. Thus, it was the preparing for making a feature roll cage.

[gearheadeh]

You might that you can take a scrap pieces weld them together so that you can study how it done. However, if we talk about it, the roll cages must be defended on the classification on an MIG welder. Thus, it was the preparing for making a feature roll cage.

I smell SPAM cooking!!!!!!

[floydjer]

I trust we`ve all seen this ? Note halo bar/a-pillar intersection. Yikes

[Rex Schimmer]

Floydjer,
Doesn't look like it was welded all around the joint. Pretty standard thing to happen on this type of cage, you get the halo bar in and then add the front down tube and find out that you can't weld the upper part of the joint. The fix to pass tech is some bondo and paint to make it look like a weld, of course you are only betting your life on it!! I have done cages with this design and once I get every thing tacked together I mark the floor where the front down tube rests, then I remove the down tube, and cut a hole in the floor where I marked, then tack the down tube back on to the halo bar, and drop cage forward so the down tubes go thru the holes, now you can get at the top of the joint and completely weld it. A bit more expensive and effort than the bondo  method but it lets you sleep at night!

Rex

[Peter Jack]

It's also a common problem with an inexperienced operator using a mig welder. You can lay the bead up right against the tube without getting any penetration. The weld has to be directed into the joint properly and often a little manipulation helps.

Pete

[Anvil*]

Flooder,
Doesn't look like it was welded all around the joint. Pretty standard thing to happen on this type of cage, you get the halo bar in and then add the front down tube and find out that you can't weld the upper part of the joint. The fix to pass tech is some bondo and paint to make it look like a weld, of course you are only betting your life on it!! I have done cages with this design and once I get every thing tacked together I mark the floor where the front down tube rests, then I remove the down tube, and cut a hole in the floor where I marked, then tack the down tube back on to the halo bar, and drop cage forward so the down tubes go thru the holes, now you can get at the top of the joint and completely weld it. A bit more expensive and effort than the bondo method but it lets you sleep at night!

Rex

I've had this style of cage in my dirt-track stock car, but with good welds all around. All six points tied directly to the frame but instead of pealing the roof the body was unbolted and lifted to complete the upper welds and frame tie-in. Door bars, dashboard loop, and forward tie-ins added after the body was dropped back down.  It was a limited class - cast iron intake, no limited-slip, and 78 series tires but much safer than many of the bomber classes I've seen where flameable materials (seat/dash) must be left in and a the full cage is considered illegal.

[Freud]

Build to the level that your a s _ can take the impact.

That way it's your call.

FREUD

[Fheckro]

It's also a common problem with an inexperienced operator using a mig welder. You can lay the bead up right against the tube without getting any penetration. The weld has to be directed into the joint properly and often a little manipulation helps.

Pete

Also... aren't mig welds brittle? I mean Tig welds bend, Mig welds snap. ( the reason i started this )

I am almost ready to start on my cage (funny thing, as soon as i clear out my schedule to make time...something else always seems to clear out my bank account! WTF?)
Has anyone ever purchased cage material from Competition Engineering ?   www.go-fast-parts.com/5709255

[jl222]

I trust we`ve all seen this ? Note halo bar/a-pillar intersection. Yikes

  On our 222 Camaro [ Alston chassis] there's a diagonal bar welded between the A pillar bar and halo bar.

            JL222

[Gwillard]

It's also a common problem with an inexperienced operator using a mig welder. You can lay the bead up right against the tube without getting any penetration. The weld has to be directed into the joint properly and often a little manipulation helps.

Pete

Also... aren't mig welds brittle? I mean Tig welds bend, Mig welds snap. ( the reason i started this )

I am almost ready to start on my cage (funny thing, as soon as i clear out my schedule to make time...something else always seems to clear out my bank account! WTF?)
Has anyone ever purchased cage material from Competition Engineering ?   www.go-fast-parts.com/5709255

Mig welds can be brittle. Tig welds can be brittle. It depends upon base material, filler material, dilution rates, etc.

[Peter Jack]

Using DOM or mild steel tubing I'd be happy using either mig or tig providing the weld was properly applied. If the cage material was 4130 I'd then prefer either tig or oxy-acetylene, again using the proper procedures.

Pete

[Gwillard]

Using DOM or mild steel tubing I'd be happy using either mig or tig providing the weld was properly applied. If the cage material was 4130 I'd then prefer either tig or oxy-acetylene, again using the proper procedures.

Pete

I concur. General precaution with Mig is to have an experienced person set up the equipment and make certain the welds are made properly. Very easy to get great looking Mig welds that lack fusion.
When Tig or oxy-acetylene welding 4130, an ER80S-2 filler is recommended. If not available then  ER70S-2 or ER70S-6 can be used. DO NOT USE 4130 FILLER!!