Building my own rollbar....good idea or bad idea?

[team39763]

I've been trying to avoid having to put a cage in my truck, but it looks like I need to do it. I have access to 2 shops that said they would bend the tubes for me and I have an experienced welder buddy that will do the welding for me(he's also installed a few rollbars in other cars). I know I could buy a kit, but the initial cost and shipping are a little to much for me to swing right now. I just figured it would be simple to make a main hoop and add some rear bars and door bars. The head automotive instructor at the local college is a good friend of mine and he offered to help me with it too.

Here's the plan:
buy some properly sized chromoly tubing from cousin at metal supply co.
have it bent and notched at the college(with input from experienced pros)
have a professional welder to Tig weld it in for me

Is there any good reason why I shouldn't try this? Keep in mind my truck is slow and won't need to be certified or anything. I don't class race, this is just a grudge racing/test-n-tune truck. I'm only looking to put in a 6point or 8point rollbar. My [truck] money is tight and I wouldn't be able to afford the cage I want for several more months(if not longer).

[cableguy0]

I would get in contact with some shops. You might be surprised at the cost of having a cage put in. Theres no point in putting a cage in just for looks. If your going to have the cage in the truck it might as well be safe and functional. The tie ins need to be done properly. How fast is the truck that you think you need a cage?

[team39763]

It's in the mid 11's range right now, but should run high 10's after being tuned and aligned. I'm hoping it'll run low 10's if I decide to spray it. There's one shop in San Antonio that offered to do the cage for me $1200 for labor on mild steel, but I'd have to supply the cage myself.

[Hottrucks]

keep in mind if your going to do it ..do it right..I know there are specs for height and distance from your head and supports....I think?? its 5" from the top of the helmet??

[68GMCCustom]

Just make sure of their work before you let them start.

A friend of mine had a cage put in a 2nd gen Camaro and thought it was fine. Later found out it wouldn't pass cert. so he had to have it fixed...which wound up being a rip it all out and start from scratch ordeal.

[team39763]

I did my research on the rules for the rollbar as far as length from drivers head and anchoring the cage to the frame with outriggers(I think that's what they're called). I also know the chromoly cage has to be professionally Tig welded with no grinding on the welds. I know about the rear seat support and mounting points for the harness too.
Has anybody on here done their own rollbar? If you were to go with a prebent rollbar, which would you go with and why? I'm looking for something not so expensive.
Edit - I just did some calculations and it looks like for a 6 or 8 point rollbar the mild steel is only 10-20lbs more. I can offset that by putting myself on a diet. So maybe I can just buy a cheap cage and have my buddy to weld it in for me with less hassle than a chromoly cage + all the bending and whatever. Is there a reason to pick a regular mild steel bar over a DOM bar?

[Captainfab]

For what you're doing a cage built from either HREW or DOM should be just fine. The DOM would be a better choice between the two. There's no sense going with 4130 (cromoly) if you don't have to. The HREW and DOM doesn't have to be TIG welded, it can be MIG welded which typically means less hours of labor which means less $$.

[cableguy0]

I dont want to sound like a jerk but I might. So bear with me. A roll cage is one of those things that you dont want to decide to try and cut costs on. Theres a really good chance you will never need it and it wont matter but theres always the possibility of something happening. Axles break,tires blow etc etc. You dont want to find out your cage isnt good enough when you end up on the roof at 100+ mph. I agree on not needing chromoly tubing but It would be a good idea to wait until the funds are there to do it properly. Some of the kits dont always fit the vehicle as good as a cage will that a shop bends and installs themselves. 10.xx in the 1/4 is definately territory for a good cage. If you go to a test and tune at any decent track and run a 10.xx without a cage you will get straight thrown out and told not to come back. The safety stuff is a pain in the @ss but its not a place to skimp. Its kinda like buying a helmet if you have a 50 dollar head buy a 50 dollar helmet if not buy the best you can get because you never know what might happen.

[Hottrucks]

^^^^^ very well said^^^^^^

I saw a car break a pass side axle ( lucky he was in the right lane) it shot the car directly into the wall before he could even hit the breaks...he was only 30 feet from the lights

[team39763]

You didn't come off like a jerk cableguy0. I don't mean to be so cheap, but from what I had been reading, most rollbars are about the same as far as functionality...where they differ is fitment(and cost). I initially thought I could just bend my own cage and have it fit how I want it and come out cheaper. I agree, if I'm going to do it I should do it right. I just can't see myself spending $1500 on a local shop's rollbar right now(1200 for labor and 300 for the metal) so I have to go prebent.
Hottrucks, that's exactly what I'm worried about. That's where a good chunk of my extra cash is going...to axles, spool, etc. I can get by without a cage at my local track(airstrip), but I would like to go to a real track to get a real timeslip and that's why I was trying to see if I could throw in a cage sooner rather than later.

[Marv D]

Of all the tools you use to build the bar,, a current rule book is the MOST IMPORTANT.

[Hottrucks]

something else to consider is that MOST rule books will want some sort of bar going to the rear which is kinda hard unless you have a small window cab and don't mind ounching a hole in the cab???

I was looking ofr a pic and stumbled across this website and the prices seem good??

http://autoweldchassis.com/rbc.ivnu

[Keith Seymore]

I was trying to avoid weighing in, but must make a couple comments -

You may already know this, but there is a difference between a roll cage and a roll bar. The bar is typically just the main hoops, side bar(s) and any additional down braces; a full cage includes those plus the halo bar (high around the front), bars down the a pillar and possibly braces inside the engine compartment.

The requirements for the cage are more stringent - and - you should be aware that usually once you go for a cage the sanctioning body (NHRA or IHRA) will require you to have all ancilliary equipment (window net, full fire suit, etc) - even if you don't really need it based on your current ET and speed. Similarly, once you put a bar in they will probably want the 5 point harness and fire jacket, again even if it is not required based on your current performance level.


So - we tend to throw the terms around interchangibly in informal speech, but there is a difference.

K

[Hottrucks]

here is some good reading

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...legal_roll_bar

[cableguy0]

At 10.99 or faster with a full frame you need a 5 point cage. Most people use a 6 point instead of only running one door bar though. You should be able to get the tubing for between 2-300 bucks.Personally I would just do a full cage with bars through the firewall to the front frame. The importance of those bars only shows up when the cars rolls end over end so the frame doesnt fold and the engine crush you.Its one place overkill isnt a bad thing. The difference in money in materials isnt that much. Heres some decent prices http://autoweldchassis.com/rbc.ivnu .. just from a quick google search. Personally I would run a 12 point just because. If you do crash with the full cage the damage to the vehicle will likely be a lot less as far as structure.

[rjs53]

found this place their prices arent bad autoweldchassis.com

[Hottrucks]

Seems like we all found the same website...now has anyone used them??

[HEAVY METAL]

i owe my life too a properly built cage.

[team39763]

Yeah, I knew about the difference between a cage and a bar. Sometimes I slip up though. I know a full 12pt cage would be the safest, but in order for me to hit my current goal, I can't have all that extra weight on there. I think I'll just go with either a 6 or 8pt rollbar for now. Is there any reason to choose the 8 over the 6? I'll give autoweld a call.
Heavy Metal, were you racing? If so, what happened?

[HEAVY METAL]

no not racing.. well not legally anyways. I was tryin too catch up too my buddies on a nite run, " enjoying" my big block in 3 rd gear round a corner and came across a bunch of kids in civcs hangin out in the middle of the road....hitting the ditch was my only option. hit it at approx 40 mph. the cage impacted the rock wall and stopped the truck dead.i wasnt wearing a belt and ended up seperating the cartlige in my rib cage and messin my hand up pretty good. i learned alot that nite and didnt touch my truck for 2 months after.







video of pullin her back up. the vid starts with her back on three wheels...

http://www.youtube.com/user/HEAVYMET.../1/4EawlZVUmn0

[71chevytruckguy]

As said before, don't skip on the cage. I got mine for S&W race cars. I am very happy with the price and fit. See link below for pics. Can get more if you'd like. Chris.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=390887&page=2

[team39763]

Originally Posted by 71chevytruckguy

As said before, don't skip on the cage. I got mine for S&W race cars. I am very happy with the price and fit. See link below for pics. Can get more if you'd like. Chris.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=390887&page=2

Do you have a pic of how the main hoop is tied into the frame under the cab? That's the part that I'm kinda worried about doing. The guy that was going to weld in my rollbar has only done them on unibody cars so he's only familiar with using floor plates. I checked out S&W and I like there stuff too.

[mbrund]

Originally Posted by team39763

Do you have a pic of how the main hoop is tied into the frame under the cab? That's the part that I'm kinda worried about doing. The guy that was going to weld in my rollbar has only done them on unibody cars so he's only familiar with using floor plates. I checked out S&W and I like there stuff too.

Late to the thread

I plan to weld gusseted rectangular tubing from the frame to the outside main hoop mount points. And then weld the main hoop to the new rectangular tubing. The angled down bars that intersect the main hoop at the seat bar will be welded directly to the OEM frame. I have the full floor cut out of mine so I can fab around the rectangular tubing once I get it in place.

In prior drag car, when back halfed, welded the tubing across the full width of the car at the main hoop location. So will just simulate that in the truck by welding outriggers to the frame and gusseting them.



If the single outrigger wont pass tech, then I will add a forward brace as follows:

[team39763]

Thanks for the reply Michael. You might want to check out the other rollbar/cage thread in this section, there's some good info posted in that one too.

Just an update, I went with a S&W 8pt rollbar. I was thinking about going with Autoweld, but I've heard their customer service sucked. I don't know about all that, but I will say that they[autoweld] aren't a very friendly bunch on the phone...even after having your money.

[Wild83C10]

Keep us updated on how th install goes. I have been checking out the S&W cages.