Stainless steel for rollbar/rollcage?

[markil]

can anybody tell me if stainless steel can be used for bar work in a 4b? or is it too heavy or no good for this purpose?
i know this guy who does wonders with it for guardrails on stairs etc, and he said he could do a favour and make me a rollbar.

[big red]

dunno but i would think it would crack with all the flex.
would be very heavy as well.
would also be very bling [good or bad depending on your taste]
if its free it wont hurt to give it a go but if you want it for comps then i dont think its up to spec.

[-Scott-]

There are so many different alloys under the heading of "stainless" that this is a very open question. There are stainless alloys which will do the job properly (I don't know which ones) but are these the alloys your mate uses for hand rails? I would doubt it.

Having said that, any bar will offer more protection than no bar. If it's not for competition (where regulations will determine whether the alloy is acceptable) and the stainless bar from you mate is the only product in your price range, do it.

Scott

[+dj_hansen+]

I found a bit of 1mm plate stainless in our shed that i used to make up some spottie mounts, and it took a fitter and turner 45 mins to drill 10 holes using cobalt drill bits for me... so it depends on the varying quantities making up the stainless.

Something graded as 'structural grade' stainless id imagine would have enough strength for a roll cage. Im not structural engineer, but im sure there is one on this board, i think V8Patrol is one (?)

[markil]

thanks for the replies guys. i just wanted to get some opinions from others before i see him again. i'm gonna get something done for roll protection and since i have this opportunity i thought i'd consider it. i'll throw some questions about the material at him and see what he says. i wouldn't be using this car for comps, it's just my weekend warrior and if i get it done maybe it'll add some bling for cruising too.

[V8Patrol]

Like the other guys said.... it will depend on the grade/alloy content of the stainless you intend to use.

No mention of the tubes wall thickness or size you are going to use either but ........

Main problem is stainless is a hard but brittle metal compared to mild steel which is most commonly used for roll cages. Stainless is more likely to snap or sheer than bend under compression or tension, therefore not an ideal option for rollover protection.
If stainless is placed under conditions that require it to bend or flex then it is most likely to kink rather than bend or flex, obviously this weakens any protection you may of had.... for example 2.5 inch exhaust tube would be stronger and would take a roll over better than 2.5inch stainless tube could and thats assuming they have the same wall thickness !!!

If its "looks" your after and not so much the roll over protection then It would probably suit your needs but again a pollished alloy job would "look" better and be much more suitable protection wise aswell as lighter.

My tip .......
use the stainless for another job like a roof rack, cargo barrier, exhaust system, even side steps or front guard protection rails where your life isnt so at risk and get a proper mild steel roll bar made up n fitted.

[markil]

thanks for the advice V8PATROL. i will take your advice cause i don't want something that may be dangerous and is there only for looks. i'll have to look into a mild steel or alloy cage later on.

[V8Patrol]

Ya welcome .....after all thats why we are really all here isnt it

Also a quick bit of a tip to asses a particular materials use in an unusal area.....

1: Have you ever seen it used to do this job before ?
if not then there's a reason..... so queery it.

2: Is it normally used for all other applications ?
if you dont normally see the material being used for other similar applications then there's a reason ....... again querry it

3: Is the material readilly avialable?
specilist materials usually are harder to come by and also dearer to buy/join/shape/cut/maintain. This limited avialibility is there for a reason.

4: If you use this material, what are the risks to you/others?
if ya not worried then others maybe..... is there a reason for this worry.

5: If I want to use material 'A' for a job and I'm not sure of its quallitys, imagine using it in another application requiring similar strengths or durability..... example would you use the same stainless for a bullbar on a Mack truck......if not then why would it work as a roll bar ?

there's 5 "thumb" rules I use every day, ask ya self the same when ya doing something out of the ordinary and 99% of the time you'll have a pretty accurate answer.

[markil]

thanks again, good advice and rules of thumb.

[Happy bloke]

Where in Melbourne can i look for rollbars for an Mk Shortie???????
Wat would they be worth?