roll bar price

[derekchace]

Hey guys just wondering on what you think the average price for a custom roll bar for a Light weight should cost? just trying to plan. I have seen a couple pictures but no prices. Just wanted to know what you guys thought for a simple roll bar that fits under the hoop set. thanks guys

[leafsprung]

There is no "average price for a custom roll bar for a Light weight" It depends on many factors: material, welding process, design, coating and so forth. There are not enough similar cages/bars in lightweights in the US to establish an average. Prices will very from a couple hundred for a generic bar to a couple thousand for something really nice.

[rwollschlager]

i went to a buddy's muffler shop who does cages for race cars and jeeps on the side... and it cost me around $200 for a cage that fits under the hoop set and is connected to the frame (vital). The cage is nothing special and this summer im going to be adding more to it, because its lacking diagonal supports, but i think i got what i paid for.

cage is on the left
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v329/44/26/646291885/n646291885_1217884_7448.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1217885&id=646291885)
heres a pic of the whole truck with just the cage (no hoop set yet)
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v329/44/26/646291885/n646291885_1217877_1633.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1217878&id=646291885)

-Robert

[Terrys]

Because I can see the mandrel bend impression in the top, right rear corner, I'm going to suggest you used a material with way too thin a wall section for my comfort.

[leafsprung]

Because I can see the mandrel bend impression in the top, right rear corner, I'm going to suggest you used a material with way too thin a wall section for my comfort.

1) Mandrel Bending is a process where a die is pulled through the tube while the tube is being bent. This keeps the tube from being pinched along the inner radius. Its a more expensive process. It is not necessarily stronger either. That cage was not bent using a mandrel bending process.

2) You will be able to see the start and stop of the bend on the inner radius when any conventional bender is used. This is where the tubing is forced around the die. These marks are obvious on most materials even high quality ones

3) While the cage pictured is crude, the materials would cost more than 200 for HREW, it may be schedule 40 poop pipe.

[bearcrawl]

FWIW, I have been thinking about having a cage made for a couple years. Had 5 estimates from Pro Fabricators and Off Road shops. In CA you can't get a nice cage done for under $2000 and the semi trick cages will be upwards of $3k

[bearcrawl]

The cage from the pics in this post ran just over $3k. Nicest cage I have seen.
http://www.roversnorth.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4298&highlight=cage

[rwollschlager]

1) it may be schedule 40 poop pipe.

that sounds about right!

[I Leak Oil]

What's that old saying?... Tubing for cages, pipe for poop...
Jason T.

[Eric W S]

You get what you pay for?

[rwollschlager]

I think the tubes i ended up with are the standard generic muffler pipes, which IMO are too thin to support my rover or any rover. That is probably why this cage only cost $200 vs. the others in the $600 to $3000 range. This summer i'm going to make a new cage with thicker pipes and more support or find another shop to make it.

[Oscar]

One would think the only material strong enough and light enough to do the job is aluminum. Schedule 80 I would say. Too much weight aloft and you only increase the chance of rolling and "testing" your setup.

[derekchace]

any one used the military roll bar? im looking to get something made that looks like that. just the bar with backing to support it.

[yorker]

any one used the military roll bar? im looking to get something made that looks like that. just the bar with backing to support it.

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Desert_song/Charlie.jpg

http://flat222.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=9841&g2_serialNumber=2

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Aden/rod4.jpg

;)

[derekchace]

Thats coold looking! that would fit in with my desert recce light weight im doing. Got the britsih desert net to wrap around the roll bar. I just need to have enough room in the back for my M2 .50cal to swing a 180 degrees. I must say that is the collest roll bar set up i have seen thanks yorker!

[Terrys]

1) Mandrel Bending is a process where a die is pulled through the tube while the tube is being bent. This keeps the tube from being pinched along the inner radius. Its a more expensive process. It is not necessarily stronger either. That cage was not bent using a mandrel bending process.

2) You will be able to see the start and stop of the bend on the inner radius when any conventional bender is used. This is where the tubing is forced around the die. These marks are obvious on most materials even high quality ones.


Forgive my improper use of the term 'mandrel', however, it's evident that the roll cage shown was done on a tubing bender used in an exhaust shop. None of the pipe bent in our fab shop at the foundry would have those ID impressions. Our piping assemblies, while not used for roll cages, was used for hydraulic (3500 psi), steam (450 psi) and in cooling systems in power plant and marine propulsion systems

[yorker]

Thats coold looking! that would fit in with my desert recce light weight im doing. Got the britsih desert net to wrap around the roll bar. I just need to have enough room in the back for my M2 .50cal to swing a 180 degrees. I must say that is the collest roll bar set up i have seen thanks yorker!

Derek that was part of the mine protection IIRC, I have a bunch more pics and links to the original sites posted on Guns and Rovers:
http://gunsandrovers.yuku.com/topic/4993

[LaneRover]

Just remember that the big 1/2 circle roll bar is also a 'Roll it back over' bar - which is useful after the mine goes off. . . . . . not for you per se but more for the folks who come to get the Rover back.

[Eric W S]

One would think the only material strong enough and light enough to do the job is aluminum. Schedule 80 I would say. Too much weight aloft and you only increase the chance of rolling and "testing" your setup.

There are plenty of steels appropriate for roll bars. The main purpose is not weight but strength. Look at every rock crawler out there - built with steel for safety not weight transfer.

[Oscar]

built with steel for safety not weight transfer

Fact remains that putting a lot of weight up there raises the center of gravity. Aluminum is lighter for similar strength.

[I Leak Oil]

A higher COG will negatively affect any type of motor vehicle. There is a reason why nearly all professionally sanctioned types of motor sports use steel based tubing for cages. To get similar strength out of an aluminum tube you'd need a thicker wall, bringing the weight closer to that of steel. I can't say I've ever seen an aluminum cage that was designed as serious protection on a 4x4. I think a serious attempt of making one out of aluminum would cost more than the average series truck.
Bottom line...no poop pipe, exhaust pipe, PVC, or folding chairs! They provide nothing more than a false sense of security.
Jason T.

[Eric W S]

Fact remains that putting a lot of weight up there raises the center of gravity. Aluminum is lighter for similar strength.

Weight is irrelevant in cage design. The object isn't to save your CoG but your life. Steel is the better choice for this application.

I have never seen a properly designed cage for a trail truck impact CoG to any noticeable degree. You'd have to completely fail in the design of the cage.