AE86 Cage Update?

how's this look for a-pillar support bars and more door bars?

That'll work. And holy cow, completely necessary. Look at the tight radius on the bend at the A-pillar. I don't think that's even a legal radius bend.

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Doivi Clarkinen
That'll work. And holy cow, completely necessary. Look at the tight radius on the bend at the A-pillar. I don't think that's even a legal radius bend.

Wow! I just saw that bend..how do you do that? I wonder if it is notchesd and welded back together?

I would fit in another brace, maybe a foot long or so across that bend. Or a taco gusset.

Yeah that bend prompted us to put in the supports, Villy was trying to kill us! It is one continuous tube no notching. we can put in a taco gusset, do I need to put any gussets on the a-pillar support bar?

I would ask for one on the A pillar to upper door bar, either front or back, but not required as this is just a voluntary upgrade.

Curious how this has turned out. What did you guys do about that crazy tight bend?

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heymagic

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Doivi Clarkinen
That'll work. And holy cow, completely necessary. Look at the tight radius on the bend at the A-pillar. I don't think that's even a legal radius bend.

Wow! I just saw that bend..how do you do that? I wonder if it is notchesd and welded back together?

I would fit in another brace, maybe a foot long or so across that bend. Or a taco gusset.

I had not followed this thread but I saw the bend this AM and read all the comments, Gene et al are right. This tight bend will result in buckling of the A-pillar tube on a hard load (flip over onto roof). This will put all of the load on the A-pillar support; that is not the intent of the design behind this; the load needs to be shared between A-pillar and A-pillar support.

The only way to fix this is to put a brace across this bend, as in Gene's first suggestion. A gusset will not do, as gussets are neither intended for, nor capable of, preventing structural bending.

The gusset idea on the A-pillar support is good; that support is in a place that is subject to side impacts, and that lower joint could break like any side bar joint.

Mark B.

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Greg Donovan
Curious how this has turned out. What did you guys do about that crazy tight bend?

We put in a taco gusset, Gene and Mike Hurst both looked at it closely at Olympus and sort shook there heads and laughed, but they passed us right through.

the car has been rolled two times already without the a-pillar support bar, the first time was a pretty good hit right at the top of the windshield and it survived.

Good report there. Was the 'pretty good hit' stright down onto the roof or more form the side? That makes quite a difference on what is bracing what and where the loads go. I did not notice before, but with it welded to the shell right at the bend, plus with the strut supports (visible on the far side), the shell kept it from bending...! A different kind of A-pillar support, and good interconnection of strengths......but not what is intended in the designs on which the rules are based, and not a good general thing.

BTW a tube across the gap between the A-pillar support and the A-pillar would brace it too.

Mark B.

Have any new pictures to share?

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Greg Donovan
Have any new pictures to share?

Any?
Youse leaving the door mighty wide open there considering where youse be writing!

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john vanlandingham

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Greg Donovan
Have any new pictures to share?

Any?
Youse leaving the door mighty wide open there considering where youse be writing!

you make that sound like a bad thing. Could be cars or it could be more stuff like zimmer's avatar. Of course it could be something unpleasant too but I am willing to take that chance.

this is the only one I had all loaded up