Outer Limits 4x4 Board

hey, because some people were interested i thought i'd post some pics of my roll cage build... I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to pipe bending so i had a bit of fun

This is the car i start with driven all the way from melbourne to newcastle



I measured up in the back of the car for the dimensions of the main roll bar and went to work with the good old $100 pipe bender (notice the mods...The bottom plate was bending



After i got the main bar bent into what looked to me a good fit, cut the ensd off at whatever it was degrees with 9" so it would sit nice on the base plates i made for it...




Got the oxy out and cut some plate that i had hanging around to make 2 base plates for the main bar...





Drilled holes in the plate.



Main bar after welding top plates on...



After a bit of drilling and bolting (yes i know 16mm 8.8 might be a bit over kill) and a lot of hammering this is how it looked...I still have to cut the unused thread off.



I then moved on to the 2 bars that run towards the tail gate, i bent them and made 2 more base plates to weld them onto.

Tacking to base plate..


Then i tacked the top in position..





Then i cut a piece that just makes it look cool I think?
and welded it inbetween...



This is what i have done now... Main bar and bars to back of cab are finished (still need paint and maybe foam.




I'm doind a body lift this week end so i'l keep this thread running...

Hope you like!

Looks pretty schmick mate. Bloody handy with that $100 bender.

One thing though but aren't the brace bars (the ones at the back) meant to be straight. I think for CAMS they are meant to be straight.

what's cams?

Not that CAMS really concerns you but is a good guideline nonethless http://www.cams.com.au/content.asp?Page ... ObjectID=3

Seeing more and more write ups on here lately. Good work Suzukigav. That's one serious drill press you have there

Just double check regulations for the size of the plates, I know there is a minimum size for QLD and I'm sure it won't be too different in NSW. They just look a bit small to me. Otherwise looking pretty good!!

Are you going to install a diagonal cross brace to get some triangulation. Although it will be stronger then whats original it will give the bar a lot more strength.

i really need a cage pity i have no metal working skills at all...

Yes in the main hoop i'm going to put a diagonal.. There is still the front of the cage to go.. Hopefully it's done this afternoon.. With more pics

looks good for a couple days work. makes me want to go buy some steel to do mine cause the misses doesnt want to come 4WD'n any more till i got one. lol

TheOtherLeft wrote:Looks pretty schmick mate. Bloody handy with that $100 bender.

One thing though but aren't the brace bars (the ones at the back) meant to be straight. I think for CAMS they are meant to be straight.

I'm not sure about cams but I know mine is built to ANDRA spec and it has the bars going to the back bent.



I would be adding a diagonal brace to the main hoop also.

Thats coming along nicely man looks grouse good stuff

lexplay wrote:looks good for a couple days work. makes me want to go buy some steel to do mine cause the misses doesnt want to come 4WD'n any more till i got one. lol

Good reason to never get a cage

Taff wrote:

lexplay wrote:looks good for a couple days work. makes me want to go buy some steel to do mine cause the misses doesnt want to come 4WD'n any more till i got one. lol

Good reason to never get a cage

ha ha true. keep it just me and the dog. (i mean real dog lol)

vicelore wrote:i really need a cage pity i have no metal working skills at all...

only one way to learn mate. have a stab. not as hard as you think itd be

how did the front go and what type of pipe did you use for the cage?

waandy wrote:

vicelore wrote:i really need a cage pity i have no metal working skills at all...

only one way to learn mate. have a stab. not as hard as you think itd be

Making a cage is NOT a place to learn metal working skills (unless you are under close super vision of someone who does know what they are doing) .
Learn on things your life may not depend on staying in one piece.

how did the front go and what type of pipe did you use for the cage?

I ran into some trouble a couple of days ago when i tried to transfer the car into my name (car came from victoria) RTA said i needed to get it blue slipped and rego'd from scratch. So i pulled the rear cage out and got it blue slipped yesterday. Passed 1st time lucky me! The BL and the front of the cage should be done by this week end. I'l post more pics when its done.

I used 60od 6mm wall pipe! really big and heavy stuff cause that's what i had in stock the front of the cage is going to be smaller diameter like 50mm.

A bit more weight over the rear of a zook is a good thing IMO

suzukigav wrote:

how did the front go and what type of pipe did you use for the cage?

I ran into some trouble a couple of days ago when i tried to transfer the car into my name (car came from victoria) RTA said i needed to get it blue slipped and rego'd from scratch. So i pulled the rear cage out and got it blue slipped yesterday. Passed 1st time lucky me! The BL and the front of the cage should be done by this week end. I'l post more pics when its done.

I used 60od 6mm wall pipe! really big and heavy stuff cause that's what i had in stock the front of the cage is going to be smaller diameter like 50mm.

Wow thats pretty heavy stuff for a roll cage in a light vehicle.

I know.. It's going to be a serious cage my thaughts were Bigger and thicker is always better.

suzukigav wrote:I know.. It's going to be a serious cage my thaughts were Bigger and thicker is always better.

Sounds more like you need a GQ that an SJ with that kind of talk ..

Zuks do it in spite of others being bigger and thicker .. No need to overcompensate.

not really, the bigger heavier it is the more stress you will put on its mounts. It only needs to be as strong and heavy as required. You don't see any of the comp trucks using massive 100mm roll cages nor race cars etc. Generally its around the 42mm mark from memory. Also don't you want it to have some degree of give for any high speed accident

With regards to "Don't you want it to have come give".. I spoke to an engineer about it and ge said that the 60mm was perfectly suited to the aplication and the 50mm for the front was great as well.

I would say your mounts would tear before that tube bends.

now i understand why the bender was bending

suzukigav wrote:With regards to "Don't you want it to have come give".. I spoke to an engineer about it and ge said that the 60mm was perfectly suited to the aplication and the 50mm for the front was great as well.

I don't want to start a sh1tfight, good on you for having a go, but there's no area of motorsport that ever, ever uses tube that heavy for a cage - not top fuel, not monster trucks, nothing.

1.75" OD 3mm wall is all you'd ever, ever need in a sierra. The base plates will tear out long before the cage has a chance to do anything.

Steve.

i have the exact same bender and have problems with the pipe just simply folding in. would like 42mm OD 6mm be better?

i have the exact same bender and have problems with the pipe just simply folding in. would like 42mm OD 6mm be better?

No 42mm would be the same might even be harder to bend than the bigger od stuff

I have a pleanty of mates in the states that use 60od 6mm in comp rigs all the time.