Cage design

[DeWsE]

Well a few people on the board seem to be designing internal and external cages and toob work. So I thought I would start a thread where we all could put some thoughts into. Now lots of people are going to have different ideas of what suits them and what they will like. So if someone posts a picture of an external designed cage I don’t want people bagging them coz it’s not their style. But feel free to discuss structural integrity.

Also talk about the size and type of tube you would use, or have used so that when someone decides to build a cage they can read this thread and get some idea’s of what’s best.

Just a question, I am about to build a cage that is going to be tied into the left over body panels and chassis. I am about to take the existing body lift out and when I do I’m thinking about solid mounting the body to the chassis. The reason for this is that the body will flex heaps on the stock rubber mounts. When the body is tied to the cage I think the welds will crack from fatigue over a period of thrashing. What are people’s thoughts n this matter.

Please observe forum rules before making a post.

[DeWsE]

Start things off

[Barathrum]

Start things off

hopefully it will end up looking something like that.
but i won't have a tube front for the minute cause i've still got a front in good condition. but once its damaged

[zookwithdreams]

Thought this might be worth a look although dont know how strong it would be

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... W&tc=photo

[bigsteve]

Thought this might be worth a look although dont know how strong it would be

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... W&tc=photo

I doesen't appear to of been built for strength but rather carrying objects (its a roof rack)

With no diagonal support nothing is truly "strong"

[ljxtreem]

thinnk trangulation
triangles can carry load
boxes cant, so they squash or fall over




Mock

[DeWsE]

thinnk trangulation
triangles can carry load
boxes cant, so they squash or fall over




Mock

Hey mock how about you post some pic's of your cage. Also have you plated the chassis where you welded the cage on to spread the loads?

[OldGold]

Are you making your own cage Dewse or getting someone else to do it?
After that guy died up in Lannos rolling a softy I'm rather keen to get some sort of roll protection in my bunky. Even if it's just a hoop along the lines of the targa bar.

[ausyota]

Yeah Im keen to get some sort of roll protection into my missus zook too.

The previous owners flopped it onto its side and the centre pillar thing is a bit suss looking. It flexes quite a bit and I think has cracked around the screws that hold it together.

Im not sure to go a full internal cage or just a single hoop.
There are HEAPS of zook cage pics on pirate.
Paul.

[Mudzuki]

Nice cage off pirate (dunno whos or how old)

[redzook]

Nice cage off pirate (dunno whos or how old)

im thinking NC_zuk's
built buy Rockrat

[Mudzuki]

Or a copy?

[DeWsE]

Nope that is NCzuk's.

[Pinball]

might be worth keepin tabs on wether the unit is for road legal or not to....

i know in QLD fittin a full 6 point in a zook is painful due to exit/enrtrance issues...

lookin to push the front connections down through the dash to the firewall (trash the air vents)...

Good starting place would be CAMS cages.... and yep, triangulate...

Planning on 2" thick wall black steel as material of choice, w mandrel bend. Fish mouth pipe welds and gusset, 50x50 plate top and bottom w' radius corners at body attachment points.

just my 2c rounded to 5, plus GST

Spock

[Drewfus]

Will be breif due to time restrictions..

in the interest of simplicity, but usefullness, start with a main hoop (red), and build off that an upper exo/brush rail that goes around perimeter of windscreen frame and entrance link member (that piece of crap I always hit my head on... ).
Similarly, a exo section which goes around the rear of the body which will absorb most of the side loads.

The only real 'structural element' of the cage is that main hoop, the 2 straight braces which go backwards to the rear of the body, and the diagonal piece strengthening the main hoop (all plated and bolted to body).

I did consider doing more barwork but when you start to compare ...

1. the C.O.G. and the mass of steel your adding (quite often with no real benifit..)
2. the total mass of a vehicle
3. the type of slow speed roll overs (depending on the hill )

I feel content that this setup will be both user friendly, and suited to this type of vehicle.

I was hoping to finish mine before christmas (to look like the attatched) but have been to busy at work and with other responsibilities, so, will have to wait a few more weeks.

[bigsteve]

Hey drewfus you still comming south????

[DeWsE]

That’s cool drewfus! It’s very similar to what I am planning but the only difference will be that I have a dove tail and no roof/doors/targa/windscreen….. Well I lie my windscreen will be plastic and attached to the roll cage

[DeWsE]

This looks like what the cage is going to end up looking like:

[bigsteve]

This looks like what the cage is going to end up looking like:

So the new toy is going to be dovetailed, are you dove tailing the original body work or fabbing up panel work ala fatkid from pirate?

[DeWsE]

This looks like what the cage is going to end up looking like:

So the new toy is going to be dovetailed, are you dove tailing the original body work or fabbing up panel work ala fatkid from pirate?

I think it will be original. Don't want to pay more for waht we already got.

Oh front idea's.......Oh oh it's going to be U.G.L.Y

[DiddyZook]

Ugly

Looks like a face head on like that, sort of a kiddies cartoon character "Thomas the Tank Engine meets DEWSE the Rock Crawler

[Roctoy]

This looks like what the cage is going to end up looking like:

make the stinger bar longer dude!

[DeWsE]

This looks like what the cage is going to end up looking like:

make the stinger bar longer dude!

were not all drafties like you, yuou Dudelux!

I didn't draw it in my defence

[jeep97tj]

Ugly thats unreal, we will see how high the front tyres flex first, if they are gona hit the bonnet its gona get the chop, cos its gona be low

[DeWsE]

Ugly thats unreal, we will see how high the front tyres flex first, if they are gona hit the bonnet its gona get the chop, cos its gona be low

Lets just chop it anyway. It'll be fun

At least it will look well different to everyone else.

Has the bender arrived yet?

[Roctoy]

chop it!

[ljxtreem]

some pics of my cage, though its build
it wasnt plated to the chassis, for the simple fact that it is attached in so manny places
more tube than chassis

Mock

cant post em, says there's not enough room : (

Ill give it a go later

[christover1]

cant post em, says there's not enough room

your photos are always so huge. perhaps you need to resize them, or take them with the camera on a lower res setting.
My pooter just about has a coronary opening them
christover

[bigsteve]

cant post em, says there's not enough room : (

resize em, www.irfanview.com

[Drewfus]

some pics of my cage, though its build
it wasnt plated to the chassis, for the simple fact that it is attached in so manny places
more tube than chassis

Mock

cant post em, says there's not enough room : (

Ill give it a go later

or email em to me and I'll post em for you....