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Building your own roll cage is one of the most important things you will do in your race vehicle to provide protection for you in the event of a crash. There are many things to understand and plan for when researching how to build a roll cage. There is nothing worse than showing up at the track and failing the tech inspection because specific rules were not followed. Below are answers to the most common questions about roll cages:
The primary means of a roll bar or cage is to protect the driver, but barring such an incident, those bars will serve a daily purpose of stiffening the entire vehicle up and creating less body roll and twist. Each bar added to a roll cage adds another dimension of structural support and rigidity. For example, the X-brace is not only stronger than the straight rear struts, but also provides added torsional strength to the car. The downside, however, is that the X-bar essentially eliminates your back seat.
The benefit of a roll cage is really two-fold. It's designed to protect you first and foremost, but the everyday bonus to the existence of a roll cage is improved stiffness of the vehicle, and that's a big plus for drag racers planting the tires to the ground.
Adding more bars to a roll bar/cage not only adds to the structural integrity from a safety standpoint, but each additional bar presents more rigidity to the chassis. The more points you put in the car, the stiffer the platform of the car is going to be. The more horsepower and torque the engine has, and the better 'bite' the car gets, and the more it's going to try twisting on the launch. More bars increases how rigid the chassis will be. Maintaining the stiffness within the body and chassis allows shock and suspension tuning adjustments to deliver results you can truly see.
There are many important decisions to make when learning how to build a roll cage for a race car. If you are planning to race in any event, the first thing to research are the rules for the roll cage in your vehicle. This can be accomplished by calling the racetrack and asking a tech official or by researching online for the rulebook and the corresponding class requirements that you will need to follow in order to race. Full-body, open-body, dragsters, and street vehicles all have their own specific regulations to comply with. Examples include the roll bar diameter, minimum and maximum distances from the driver, angles, and more. The number of mounting points also needs to be determined, based on the rules for the class you will be participating (for example, 4-point, 6-point, 8-point, 10-point, and 12-point). How the roll cage is welded is also defined in the rule book. How fast the vehicle is at the racetrack along with its top speed has an impact on the safety requirements as the faster the car is, the more safety and strength needs to be added. Faster cars will require certification by a NHRA official who will add a serialized sticker to your roll cage when it is approved. If you have any additional questions, contact us and a JEGS tech specialist can also help you.
4-point roll cage 6-point roll cage 8-point roll cage 10-point roll cage 12-point roll cageSomething to keep in mind when you're in the market for a roll cage is the fact that what's designed to save your life in a dedicated race car isn't necessarily optimum for a car that spends all or most of its life on the street. Most chassis builders generally build their roll bars/cages to NHRA specifications regardless, but these chassis builders also know there are safety discrepancies between a street and a race car. What's designed to keep you safe on the track can be your worst enemy on the street. Imagine getting broadsided and striking the cage without a helmet on. For this reason, many chassis builders will shy a customer away from a full roll cage if the primary use of the vehicle is street driving. There's no specific rule of thumb for track versus street split time, but if you're doing a considerable amount of street driving, a roll bar might be your best, and safest, bet.
The correct size tubing for building a roll cage depends on the race class you will be participating in. To find the correct size, either call the racetrack and speak to a tech inspector or research online the rulebook with all of the details on the size of the tubing as well as how it must be welded, and where it needs to be specifically located within your vehicle. The most common tubing diameters are 1-5/8&#; and 1-3/4&#;, depending on the requirements. For NHRA, all tubing has to measure 1-3/4-inch outer diameter, with mild steel .118-inch thickness and Chromoly .083-inch. Swing-out sidebars, popular for many cars that will be driven on the street and climbed in and out of, are permitted on cars running 8.50 and slower, with a number of caveats in terms of the clevis, bolts/pins, and more.
Your choice of material for a roll bar/cage comes down to one of two options: mild steel or Chromoly. Each one, when built within the specifications of the NHRA rulebook, offers the same amount of strength and protection. What it really boils down to then is a tradeoff between cost and speed. How fast do you want to go?
As pointed out above in the NHRA regulations, the minimum wall thickness on mild steel is more than that of Chromoly to achieve the same result, and that is because, by nature, Chromoly offers more strength pound-for-pound, so to speak.
All roll bars/cages constructed of Chromoly tubings must be welded using an approved TIG heliarc process, while mild steel must be done with an approved MIG wire feed or TIG heliarc process. Grinding and plating of the welds is prohibited, so keep these points in mind if you're a do-it-yourselfer.
By nature and pound for pound, Chromoly is a stronger material than mild steel, and that allows for Chromoly to be a thinner wall tubing (.083&#; compared to .113&#;). This gives Chromoly a distinct advantage in terms of weight, but that advantage comes at a cost that customers must weigh (no pun intended) before they build.
Mild steel is far less expensive than Chromoly but comes with the disadvantage of more weight. For the grassroots racer on a budget that we're targeting here, that cost versus weight decision can be a big one.
Using a 12-point roll cage as an example, the mild steel version will tip the scales about 50-60 pounds heavier than the Chromoly, but is nearly double the price.
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JEGS offers mild steel roll bar tubing in both 1-5/8&#; and 1-3/4&#; sizes as well as chrome moly steel tubing. A JEGS tech specialist can also help you find the tubing you need for your application as well as information on how to build roll cage.
The company is the world’s best Steel Cage Manufacturers supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Typical drag car chassis with added "Funny Car" roll cage configurationWhen building a tube frame chassis, there are many important decisions to make, similar to building a roll cage. If you are planning to race in any event, the first thing to research are the rules for the chassis in your specific vehicle. Calling the racetrack and asking a tech or researching online for the rulebook and the corresponding class requirements that you will need to follow in order to race is the best option. How fast the vehicle is at the racetrack along with its top speed at the track has an impact on the safety requirements as well as the type of vehicle you are building. The size and thickness of the tubing is also dependent on the vehicle and class. JEGS offers many different roll cage kits to help make the installation process easier. There are also rules on how the chassis is welded that you need to be aware of. Faster cars will require certification by a NHRA official who will add a serialized sticker to your chassis when it is approved. If you have any additional questions, A JEGS tech specialist can also help you. Once you have the rules and details on what the tube chassis requirements are, you can begin locating components and building the tube chassis. JEGS offers many roll cages and tube chassis components to help you complete your next build.
The National Hot Rod Association, the premier governing body in the sport of drag racing, outlines a number of requirements for roll bars and roll cages for racers competing at sanctioned tracks and events the world over, based on elapsed time and, in some cases, on speed.
Vehicles running 11.00 to 11.49 in the 1/4-mile or 7.00 to 7.35 in the 1/8-mile (including those with T-tops), convertibles running 11.00 to 13.49 (7.00 to 8.25), and dune-buggy-type vehicles running 12.00 and slower are required to have a roll bar installed in the vehicle.
Stepping up the performance ladder, a roll cage is mandatory for any vehicle running 10.99 (6.99) or quicker or exceeding 135 mph. In any full-bodied vehicle however that maintains an unaltered firewall, floor, and body running between 10.00 and 10.99 (6.40 and 6.99) a roll bar is permitted in place of a roll cage.
Despite the regulations, nothing says you can't overdo your setup and run a full 12- or 14-point cage on a 12-second car. The fact is, you can never be too safe.
If you're working with a car with an OEM frame, the roll bar/cage must be attached to the frame, while in uni-body cars (which make up most late model cars), a 6-inch square steel plate measuring 1/8-inch thick must be welded to the floor as a base for each bar that makes its point of contact inside the car. Bolted-in bars require a pair of 6-inch steel plates &#; one underneath and one above, with four 3/8-inch bolts through the rocker sill to hold the two plates together.
The two most popular types of material used in modern bird cage construction are stainless and powder-coated steel. Each material can make for a great enclosure, but how do you know which one is right for you and your bird?
It is time to weigh the pros and cons of each before investing in a home for your feathered friend!
The look of a stainless steel bird cage alone is the biggest reason many bird owners opt for one. The sleek look of a shiny enclosure will immediately draw attention to your bird the instant someone enters the room, making it a great way to showcase your prized pet!
The material used in all stainless parrot cages on our store is 304 Medical Grade - the same type used in almost every industry due to its amazing corrosion-resistance, versatility, and durability. Not all types are created equal which is why we only carry the highest-quality 304 Grade steel.
Stainless steel enclosures are completely non-toxic, rust-free, and a cinch to clean. These characteristics are very important because stain-free homes last a lifetime, so you might as well get one that is easy to maintain! Although there is a more limited selection of these rustless options on the market, you are sure to find the Play Top or Dome Top style you are after.
You must be wondering: If a stainless cage looks good, is extremely durable and easy to clean, why wouldn't I get one? Well, unfortunately, those lucrative characteristics come with a price: they can cost double that of their powder-coated counterparts, making it a tough trade-off to consider when purchasing a new cage.
Our recommendation is to go for a stainless cage if your budget allows for it. You are sure going to love it as much as your parrot, so don't hesitate to pick one up if the price is right!
While all rust-free steel options will provide the same metallic look, the finish on powder-coated cages come in a variety of colors. Whether Platinum, Pearl White, or Ruby Red, it is easy to add a custom, professional look to your home with a new powder-coated cage. One of the rooms in our house is painted light yellow, which contrasted greatly with the Ruby Red cage we purchased for our first budgie.
The textured powder coating used on modern cages is durable but not completely non-toxic. Although the current technology used in bird cage manufacturing makes the coating very chip-resistant, a resilient bird might be able to eventually chip off and ingest a piece. This is very rare though, so please don't get worried if you already own a powder-coated cage!
While not quite as effortless to wipe clean as their sleek counterparts, powder-coated cages are not much of a hassle to clean up. Either way, you are going to have to get your hands a little dirty to clean up your bird's mess.
The biggest benefit of powder-coated cages is how economical they are! Great cages can be found for under $500, making it very easy for new bird owners to get started.
Powder-coated cages are certainly the affordable way to go when you want to expand your flock!
Now that you are familiar with what each material has to offer as well as its pitfalls, it is time to make your selection. As with most choices as an avid pet owner, the decision comes down to personal preference.
Both types of materials provide their own benefits as discussed above, and the decision on which one to purchase usually comes down to look and price.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to figure out which type of cage you should order:
To shop for the best stainless steel cages on the market, click here. To shop by your favorite look in a new bird cage, click here to see your available options.
There you have it, the two best cage materials have been deciphered! You should now be able to make an informed decision when looking for your next cage. Let us know if you have any questions!
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