how many people are running mig welded cages in their cars? what an actual weight number be between a tigged cage and migged cage, meaning by rule books how you are allowed to run thinner walled tubing if the cage is tig welded. i know the wall thickness on that much linear footage added up would be a little bit but can anyone give me a semi precise lb. for lb. comparison? just kinda curious to see if there is that many people keeping the weight in their cars and their pockets.

 

Nothing wrong with mig welded mild steel.I've seen some real destruction with out any cracking or weld failure.Chromemoly requires tig welding (by the rules) but is stronger per pound so they let you run thinner wall tubing.It's is also a lot more expensive.Depending on the style (complexity) I've heard 40#'s and up.

 

40 lb. difference between mild steel and chrmo!!!!! thats pretty amazing. now are you referring to mild steel as dom non chrmo or seamed steel tubing?

 

as long as it is DOM, if you are skinney it does not matter about weight

 

it depends on the difference of tubing sizes (obviously)

i will say that on a nascar cage (which is basically the entire car) they start with .095 wall tubing and grind it down to .090 wall thickness and they save 15 lbs in the entire car

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MajorPayne &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it depends on the difference of tubing sizes (obviously)

i will say that on a nascar cage (which is basically the entire car) they start with .095 wall tubing and grind it down to .090 wall thickness and they save 15 lbs in the entire car</TD></TR></TABLE>

Really ? How do they " grind" it down ?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by opticnerv &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Really ? How do they " grind" it down ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

they have a special machine (looks like a lathe) that grinds down the tubing in full 20 foot sticks...its pretty cool

 

that doesnt sound legal to do, unless your talking about a nascar team cheating. i would assume they drill the tube after its in the cage to check thickness. most nascar teams use mig welded mild steel for their cages, i think only one team is currenly running molly/tig. the weight between molly and mild is pretty sufficent upwards of 60lbs in 12 point cages.

 

ok so the weight thing really shouldnt be an issue for me cuz im skinny and i will only be going for an 8pt cage. what about this mild steel situation? im a welder by trade and worked part time in a race car shop. im used to calling mild steel regular seam welded steel tubing, dom was the least we would use for any kind of cage app. even if it was mig welded. we never called dom tubing mild steel though, we just called it dom.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by terr1bleone &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">that doesnt sound legal to do, unless your talking about a nascar team cheating. i would assume they drill the tube after its in the cage to check thickness. most nascar teams use mig welded mild steel for their cages, i think only one team is currenly running molly/tig. the weight between molly and mild is pretty sufficent upwards of 60lbs in 12 point cages. </TD></TR></TABLE>

umm no, i think you either didnt read what i said, or are assuming something

the nascar rules allow .090 tubing,.,,but no tubing company makes tubing that size, so they grind it down

i was merely stating how losing .005" in all the tubing in a full tube chassis car saves approx 15-20 lbs.

 

my bad i miss interpreted what you had said.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by terr1bleone &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my bad i miss interpreted what you had said. </TD></TR></TABLE>

its cool

 

In NHRA and IHRA it is a savings of 32% on the main cage.
That can add up on even the smaller cages.
Just think of how hard it is to buy weight reduction later on...($$$)

 

There is a good reason Nascar mainly uses mild steel, it soaks up energy in a crash. You could use a stiffer, thinner wall steel to save some weight in the cage but if your car ever flips you won't be thinking about weight. Build the car as safe as possible.

 

not primarily thinking about weight just a thought in general. safety is always key in a vehicle that requires a cage.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by crx12 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There is a good reason Nascar mainly uses mild steel, it soaks up energy in a crash. You could use a stiffer, thinner wall steel to save some weight in the cage but if your car ever flips you won't be thinking about weight. Build the car as safe as possible. </TD></TR></TABLE>
for the ductility of mild steel

 

Just make sure that you check the rule books. Most updated rules do not allow for a thinner wall thickness or smaller tube because it is chrom. anymore. DOM tubing is seamless tube and leagal in cage making were as seam welded tube is not legal in most rule books anymore. As for mig an tig welded cages it is up to how well it is done there is always a debate about what one is stronger and better of a weld and safer in a cage.

 

im pretty sure nascar also uses mig welded mild steel cages for quicker turnaround in repairing their race cars. the faster they can get the backup cars back to use the better. just imagine forfeiting a race or losing valuable points/position due to having to wait on the repair of a backup car or possibly even the car they are racing. on site repairs trying to rush a tig welding job .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jeffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im pretty sure nascar also uses mig welded mild steel cages for quicker turnaround in repairing their race cars. the faster they can get the backup cars back to use the better. just imagine forfeiting a race or losing valuable points/position due to having to wait on the repair of a backup car or possibly even the car they are racing. on site repairs trying to rush a tig welding job .</TD></TR></TABLE>

this is correct, they mig weld them still

 

oh and you gotta believe this guy ^^^^ he lives in the home of nascar shop country!!! NC is where all the major nascar teams are based, i was considering taking up residence and trying to get employed there as a welder for a nascar team.

 

Does any one on this forum work for a nascar team?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tucker3113 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does any one on this forum work for a nascar team? </TD></TR></TABLE>

i have a lot of close friends that work for nascar teams and i work for a porsche race team, we work closely with a few nascar teams as well

 

thats awesome!! its gotta be a fun job. i would be more into the porsche thing, but working on 1000hp v8s would be the ****!! can you get me a job? no seriously though. i am a damn fine welder, ase cert. mechanic and gearhead in general. hook me up.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jeffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats awesome!! its gotta be a fun job. i would be more into the porsche thing, but working on 1000hp v8s would be the ****!! can you get me a job? no seriously though. i am a damn fine welder, ase cert. mechanic and gearhead in general. hook me up. </TD></TR></TABLE>

ill see if i can get you some names of people to talk to

 

that would be great man. thanks.