Modular cage design

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probable?

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3 votes were received.

dumb	2		67%
BACON!	1		33%

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The flame suit is already on, but i had to ask. we all know a significant investment in any rally build is the cage. Countless hours are involved with the bending, notching, welding etc. I had any idea though i am sure it is not my own. the idea is simple, a modular roll cage. the staring point would be the main hoop, with an X and belt bar. the front lateral and door bars would be an assembly similar to the main hoop. the lateral would start at the base of the main hoop, following the contour to the roof and down the a pillar line. the X and gusstes would be pre welded to the "latteral hoop". still follwoing me? the roof bar would be one complete rectangle with a V or X configuration.
These four "modules" would be assembled in car stiched together then welded to the floor. the customer would be on the hook for the remainder of the bars. in theory those bars require no bending, just cut, notch and weld.
The idea is that an average joe with a welder could assemble a cage in a weekend, the difficult bends and welds would be eliminated. therefore there is no excuse for incomplete/ birdshit welds, bad bends, piss poor design etc.
Discuss.

Judging by this i'd say you never built a cage before. It would never work on many levels.

Every car is completely different. You can't pre weld anything but the X in the main hoop. You won't be able to get it inside the car. If they are going to pay for this portion might as well just pay for the whole thing. The price probably won't be much different. Maybe I wasnt following that correctly....


Really though, just 'cut, notch, weld' is easier said than done. If you can do that, you can probably build the entire cage yourself. Bending in my opinion is pretty easy. Notching is the difficult part to make sure your seems are tight enough.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2014 09:45AM by czwalga.

the autopower subie rally cage ships like this. the main hoop comes prewelded and you assemble the rest. Not sure if they have sold many of them though.

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-KTurner
Stomp down on the exhilarator and hold on to the wheel.

steve, you assumption is correct i have never and do not plan to build a cage, I would rather compete and re-prep!
the idea is not a one kit fits all, modular in the sense that its all there, you just need to stitch it together and finish the easier stuff. besides i was thinking in regards to the only car "worth building" the 1982 240
i do not have the capacity to explain in better detail the layout. FAIL!

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BJosephD
steve, you assumption is correct i have never and do not plan to build a cage, I would rather compete and re-prep!
the idea is not a one kit fits all, modular in the sense that its all there, you just need to stitch it together and finish the easier stuff. besides i was thinking in regards to the only car "worth building" the 1982 240
i do not have the capacity to explain in better detail the layout. FAIL!

There's nothing wrong with that.

I guess what I'm saying is, if they are going to give you 60% of a cage for a certain price. Why wouldn't they just finsh off the template and give you a complete cage ready to weld in. For example custom cages. They are really expensive and UK, but i'm assuming you mean the same type of idea. Also, if it only fits one car its not really a modular cage then.

If the shop can make the hard stuff, why wouldn't they take the extra time to just knock out the easy stuff as well and give you a complete weld in cage.


In my opinion, you need to bend the main/lats/roof, at minimum. The hardest thing I have trouble with is notching the extreme angles. A-pillar bar is a good example. If you're doing X door bars that aren't bent, those ones can be changeling as well. At that point you just really have the back stays left, and small misc. bars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2014 11:41AM by czwalga.

I'd say 80% of the labor time involved in cages is getting the first six bars and feet into the car.

I haven't figured out a cost effective way to build a starter kit and not have people pissed off. Every cage I have done is slightly different.
I do have full bend instructions for Impreza GC, Impreza GD, Integra, and E36 2 door, 4 door, and Compact for use with a JD2 Model 3 bender that I would share with someone wanting to build one of those. I actually considered getting some cars to test fit and profile to build starter cage kits but it really is never cost effective when you factor time, materials, and shipping. I figured around $1500 plus shipping for a complete cage kit.

Profiling is by far the most time consuming part of cage construction.

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Grant Hughes

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KTurner
the autopower subie rally cage ships like this. the main hoop comes prewelded and you assemble the rest. Not sure if they have sold many of them though.

Autopower cages are shit and shouldn't be used for anything.

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Doivi Clarkinen

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KTurner
the autopower subie rally cage ships like this. the main hoop comes prewelded and you assemble the rest. Not sure if they have sold many of them though.

Autopower cages are shit and shouldn't be used for anything.

Maybe a lightbar in a 70s pick up bed.

With all the BS about concern for safet and risk mangament, kinda amazingly STUPID thsat 'they" obsess sop much about OMG must be FULL!!! 2007 FIA spec or we're all gonna DIE!!!!!!!!

And yet those piles of shit things OtterPower are allowed any where.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Heres a cool cage from Jim Pierce
http://www.piercemotorsport.com/servlet/Detail?no=27

He is working on toyoburu brz and Veloster as well.

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Clayto
Heres a cool cage from Jim Pierce
http://www.piercemotorsport.com/servlet/Detail?no=27

He is working on toyoburu brz and Veloster as well.

Vary close, but as i tried to describe above, the front lateral and door bars would be a complete assembly as the main hoop is. the rear section of the lateral would mimic the contour of the outermost section of the main hoop it sits perpendicular to. in short the, lateral/door hoops and main hoop with x and belt bar assembly would make 3 hoops. the roof section would be closer to a rectangle with the x or v completed before the installation. just a thought.

pretty crack influenced prices:
http://www.piercemotorsport.com/servlet/Detail?no=20

http://www.piercemotorsport.com/servlet/Detail?no=22

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

They've had ready to go cages in the UK for years..

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/roll-cages/car/ford/sierra-xr4i/1985/2-8

Just for JVL I picked the XR4i

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Yes, it's a Ranger.
Xr4Ti, it is rwd and was made in Germany.

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MattP
They've had ready to go cages in the UK for years..

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/roll-cages/car/ford/sierra-xr4i/1985/2-8

Just for JVL I picked the XR4i

I see ya and i raise ya this:
http://finess.se/rally-grupp-h
Everything but the straight bit--no point is air-freighting over straight steel when we have straight steel here--- for FOB $469 or $576 ink 25% tax..

Or whole kit for

Godkänd Byggsats Grupp H (artnr:200)
Godkänd Byggsats Grupp H
5 500:- per enhet

5500 SEK is $839, less tax $671

Plus frieght here

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Brian (OP)

Your idea is probably not far from how I had the Justy cage done except it was a one off. I'm sure others have done this same route. It works out as inexpensive as it can be if you don't have a bender or the experience there, but you can stick metal together with electric current.

I had local roundy round place do the main hoop (X, and seat bars completely welded); laterals welded to hoop, windshield bar and roof bar all welded.

I built the feet, welded in the door bars, rear stays, suspension pick ups etc.

So I paid for the bends, the welds in the main part of the cage, and I did the final fitting, gussets and welds.

In 2004 prices I paid $1600 for all that and all the steel I needed to complete the cage.