TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:11 pm

could i get some info on where i should shop around for roll cage materials (i live in valencia, CA), and what would be the STRONGEST but CHEAPEST metal to use in such an application?

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:18 pm

Typically, 1 1/2 steel tubing. Try looking for a metal supply shop in your area, theres lots of them in LA county. What many guys do is buy a prefabbed kit and customize it.

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:23 pm

And don't use anything thinner than .095 wall tubing.

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:25 pm

Tsarbomb wrote: could i get some info on where i should shop around for roll cage materials (i live in valencia, CA), and what would be the STRONGEST but CHEAPEST metal to use in such an application?

What do u plan on doing with ur Baja?
Mild steel should be just fine unless u want to do something like race it then you would need DOM witch is a little more than mild if u have unlimited budget there's chromoly

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:27 pm

Forgot to mention gauge, :oops: .095 is what most of the prefabbed cages are, that moore parts and the like sell.

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:55 pm

i plan on doing some frequent trail running, nothing too serious. a jump here and there as well. so 1.5" .095gauge mild steel, and i should buy something like
http://www.pacificcustoms.com/AC800230.html
and do the rest myself?

Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:58 pm

Tsarbomb wrote: i plan on doing some frequent trail running, nothing too serious. a jump here and there as well. so 1.5" .095gauge mild steel, and i should buy something like
http://www.pacificcustoms.com/AC800230.html
and do the rest myself? yep! :)

Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:33 pm

I used this company. They are in Florida so shipping takes some time.

https://www.appliedracing.net/index.php?cPath=24_247_249&osCsid=9ae404a26531adefae946791eba56b57

Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:43 pm

I get all my raw tubing from this place in sun valley. It is a 40 min for me from thousand oaks so it shouldn't be too bad from valencia.
http://www.industrialmetalsupply.com/
I am doing 1.5 .095 and started with a generic 4 point cage I got used. (Believe it is the one linked to above)

Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:10 pm

Depends on what diameter you are looking to run.

If you want to run a 1.50 cage and the car is under 2000lbs and the cage is properly designed, you can run .095 safely.

However, if you go above 2000lbs you should consider running 1.5 x .120 wall or you can move up to 1.75 x .095 wall.

These numbers were taken from SCORE and BITD rules (2007).

Design has a lot to do with it as well, along with WHERE you are using the .120 vs .095 wall. For major components, the stronger the better. For non-structural and secondary supports, you can shave some weight by switching to a lighter wall.

Just FYI:

20' of 1.75 x .095 is 33.7lbs
20' of 1.5 x .120 is 35.5lbs

1.75 x .095 is only 6% weaker (thats just figured from the MOI, not all aspects)

I'm going with 1.75 x .095 for mine.