roll cage decesion for the Super 10

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by FireSale

I ordered a cage kit for my Mustang from SW and didn't like the layout of the halo hoop and foreword down bars. The hoop is one piece from side to side and the down bars have to be cut to mate to it at an angle in the center of the bends. I couldn't get it right and cut it out. I ordered a conversion kit from ChassisWorks which uses bars that run from the main hoop behind the seats foreword and down to the floor on each side. A cross bar joins the two to form the finished halo. Worked like a charm.

Check out the differences in design in these links.

SWRacecars S 10 Cage Kit

Chris Alstons ChassisWorks Cage

Click "Add to Cart" and you will go to an options page for CW. Chevy S10 is selection 34 under the first drop down menu.
Click "View Larger Image" under the image tab in the Alston site for a better look at the hoop design. It's the 4130 kit. the MS version is $330.

Dale

Dale, I don't understand your issue with the S&W cage.
Tom Goldman and many others that I know have used the S&W cages and roll bar kits with no issues. Installation of a cage requires some experience.

Here are some comments about the S&W kits:

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=43319

[FireSale]

Originally Posted by SSDiv6

Dale, I don't understand your issue with the S&W cage.
Tom Goldman and many others that I know have used the S&W cages and roll bar kits with no issues. Installation of a cage requires some experience.

Here are some comments about the S&W kits:

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=43319

In my case the key word was experience. It was my first cage and my first try at welding. Not a real good combo...

If I had been able to mate the front bars to the hoop it would have been a great cage, but the combo of an angle going into a curve was beyond me. Woodfin can probably do it but he asked for opinions and I gave mine.

Dale

[Greenlight]

Larry,

Pick your battles carefully. In other words, order a kit.

If you don't have a lot of experience bending and fitting tubing, your "cuss" jar will be filled with enough dollar bills to pay for a trip to Disneyland if you try and do it yourself.

[Dragsinger]

Thanks to all for the comments. I made several calls today and so far, I like the Auto Weld Chassis options the best.

And yes, I can do the install and have done a number of cage installs using several companies. I understand the patience and experience it requires.

I can buy the tubing locally and do all the bending in house, however, the option of having the tubing bent from a known pattern and much of the tubing per-notched is appealing.

It will be about $250.00 more for a "store bought" cage, I think that price is worth the savings in time and frustration, especially if I have to use more tubing because of mistakes with the bending.

[Dragsinger]

also, the new rear frame build was relatively simple because of using square tubing. In addition, the dimensions were straight forward and accuracy was easy to attain by using the original frame and "chassis table" as fixtures.

I am satisfied with the outcome with the new frame. It is square, plumb, shock position is right on, rear housing is square, pinion position as planned as well as the four kink brackets.

The cage is a different situation and I like what Mr Greenlight said, "choose your battles" Understood Del

[FireSale]

For anyone (not Larry) following this for the educational value, I recommend a tubing notcher even if you order a custom bent kit. Don't go cheap on this and follow the "compressor rule". Find the most expensive one you think you will need and buy the next one up from there. Then it will be a few years before you upgrade from that...

Hole saw notchers work fine but make sure you can order replacement parts for them. I burned the bushings out in my first one and had to replace the whole thing.

A word on tubing and pipe. Tubing is measured as an outside diameter and pipe is measured as an inside diameter. Be sure you speak in the right language when you talk to a metal shop.

Dale

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Larry, if you already have the means to bend the tubing I'd suggest you bend your own. I've installed quite a few "kits" none of which fit exactly as I'd have liked, the only way to gain experience is to practice. Yes you'll prolly scrap a few pieces but you'll learn alot. I've used a couple different software programs over the years that have really helped mainly when trying to make a bar that requires rotating in the die (like a one piece A pillar bar) of course math is not my strong suit so the software really helped me. I can almost walk the pits and point out the "kit" cages , as someone else stated there are a few options in design , I prefer the continuos A pillar set up it takes more fitting up and time but gives (I think) the most room in the vehicle. Good luck with what ever you decide. Joe

[Dragsinger]

Joe, I do have a bender. What software are to referring to? I will consider that option.

In the "olden days" we bent a lot of custom exhaust jobs so I am not virgin with the process. We had a computer program that gave dimensions of each bend, distance and angle to next bend, etc. We used a "degree wheel" clamped into the tube and set at zero then each bent was so many inches and so may degrees. "IF" you followed the dimensions carefully the pipe fit perfectly.