My buddy, Paul, and I are attempting to build a rollcage of our own. We've got the tools and can get the materials, we just need some ideas and knowlegde from some experienced guys. The car the cage is going in is my '91 Civic Lx sedan. Everything from the back of the front seats is gutted. Back seats, carpet, spare tire, etc., it's all gone. We are attempting to build a "light-weight" cage for the back. We were going to use 2 inch exhaust pipe, but figured it wouldn't hold up because it's hollow. We are not sure what to use, but all we need is a support cage. If anyone has any pics of a rear cage in a 4th gen sedan, please post. All comments are welcome.

 

These links should help:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=790887

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=768178

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=766840

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=755982

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=755982

Please do not make it out of exhaust tubing. Make it out of chromoly or dom steel tubing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiRex91 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">These links should help:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=790887

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=768178

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=766840

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=755982

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=755982

Please do not make it out of exhaust tubing. Make it out of chromoly or dom steel tubing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanx, great cages but none for a sedan (4-door). Guess I'll just have to design something myself. Which is lighter chromoly or dom steel tubing? and what is the difference between the two? It's going down this weekend. I'll send pics when it happens. And why not exhaust tubing? (Just wondering) Probably a dumb question, but oh well.

Yeah, I thought of saving money to have one done but they want a grand or more to make one for my car. I don't have that kinda money. I live paycheck to paycheck and have a hard time saving money. I spend it on the next best thing I can buy or need for my car. Like right now I need a new trans and a clutch.


Modified by DPR001 at 11:08 PM 4/19/2004

 

Chromoly is lighter and stronger because you can use thinner tubing than DOM tubing and still get the same strength. Exhaust tubing is really weak and illegal in all sanctioning bodies (drag and road race)

 

Do not halfass your cage, make it out of 1 1/2 .125 thick wall steel. If you used exhaust tubing and your rolled your car it would do no help, if anything it might do more harm then help you.

 

Have you ever thought about just saving up the money and letting a professional do it? Or even buying a bolt-in cage like a Kirk or Auto??? I'm not a fan of bolt-in cages, but the fact that you even considered using exhaust tubing or SOLID tubing for that matter kinda scares me a little. I mean this is your own personal saftey we are talking about here.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DPR001 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
And why not exhaust tubing? (Just wondering) Probably a dumb question, but oh well.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

amazingly dumb question.

 

Please have a professional build your cage....we don't want you to be impaled with tubing because your welds didn't hold...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jisu009 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Please have a professional build your cage....we don't want you to be impaled with tubing because your welds didn't hold...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why not build the whole thing out of roll bar padding?

 

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

Why not build the whole thing out of roll bar padding?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Pre-colored, easy to work with and lightweight to boot!! Genius I say!

 

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

Why not build the whole thing out of roll bar padding?</TD></TR></TABLE>


ha ha you guys are messed up !!! LOL

 

chromoly will crack if you dont know what your doing when welding, have someone with experience show you how its done before going crazy with it. just play it safe

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1point5CRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">chromoly will crack if you dont know what your doing when welding, have someone with experience show you how its done before going crazy with it. just play it safe</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds good to me. I think I'll just have someone with experience build it for me.

 

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

Why not build the whole thing out of roll bar padding?</TD></TR></TABLE>
I needed that laugh.

 

NHRA rules concerning tubing size:

Mild steel cage: 1 3/4" diameter .118" wall thickness
Chromoly : 1 3/4" diameter .083" wall thickness

A chromoly cage will end up being lighter because of the thinner wall thickness you are allowed to run, this is because the material is much stronger than regular mild steel. BUT, due to the steel shortage recently prices have gone up A LOT!!!!
This weekend I bought some 1 3/4" moly tubing and before my discount the list was 16.95/foot.

All chromoly welding must be done by approved TIG process, all mild steel welding must be done by approved MIG or TIG process. No grinding of the welds at all is permitted. Bars must be welded to 6"x6"x.125" plates that are welded all the way around to the floor or bolted with 4 3/8" nuts and bolts with plates on top and bottom of the floor.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DPR001 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, I thought of saving money to have one done but they want a grand or more to make one for my car. I don't have that kinda money.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can have a cage bent up but not welded in the car for much less than that, You can buy a prebent cage for a lot of applications from places like S&W race cars, kens custom chassis, chassis engineering.... They may not have your specific application but they may have something that will work. All you really need to get started is a main hoop and a cross brace for the hoop. For the rear supports and door bars you can just use straight tubing cut to appropriate lengths and welded in place. All this is assuming you have the facilities to weld.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DPR001 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">We were going to use 2 inch exhaust pipe</TD></TR></TABLE>

bro just take it to a shop and get it done

 

anyone know where to get chromemoly from online?

 

First thing-you do not ever use exhaust tubing for a cage. No sanctioning body even considers the stuff. Next-if you insist on building your own use DOM regardless of the weight penalty. Why-unless you have terrific welding skills you will not build as safe a cage with Chromoly-it is tough to work with. You must determine the correct diameter and thickness of pipe for your car. SCCA and NASA both have tables.
And now for the not so shameless plug-www.kirkracing.com. They can build most anything you can come up with. It can be shipped to you as either a completed assembly or as a kit for you to weld up. I think this is a better choice overall. Not only that but you will not have to search for a mandrel bending machine.
Good luck

 

Yeah, I'll just wait a while, save some money and then take it to a shop. Thanks for not letting me kill myself w/ a half-*** cage and for saving me the pain, suffering and humility of trying to build one myself.