Cab cage

[singlehanded]

I am going to be caging my cab in a few weeks. I will be using 1 1/2 dom and mig it all. I will be racing mdr and rialto,

so I know you need gussets at all corners and connect tubing to cab as much as possible with plate.

Any advise this will be my first cab cage? I am thinking about just keeping my door panels and dash. Is it woth cutting off the top of cab or not? Also Is it worth pulling the dash off and making a v bar?

thanks

 

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

The best investment to make is in a S.C.O.R.E rule book. It answered a lot of questions I had. Also as far as tubing size and thickness..... S.C.O.R.E says to use 1 3/4 x .120 wall tubing in closed cockpits (trucks 3000 lbs and over, minimun for trucks is 3000lbs) using mild steel, sizes in Cro-moly will differ. So 1 1/2 may or may not pass tech depending on who checks. I am going to have to cut holes in my roof to eventually weld all conections completely around. As far as the dash...you can look at mine to give you ideas? The best advise I can offer is to go to tech at the next MDR race and speak with Art and his guys, they are more than happy to answer and and all your qusetions.

 

[singlehanded]

I was just going to build it like my friends down the street he passed tech last time he raced mdr 1 1/2 120 wall. I also have just one die.

 

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

I just feel better using the recommened tubing sizes....once you see a cage done in 1 3/4, 1 1/2 looks very small...my .02$

 

[havahockey]

I agree, we used 1 3/4" x .120 for my bedcage and plan on using it for the rest of the cage as well. It may not be a hell of a lot stronger but every little bit helps. Only downfall would be less room in the cab....but this aint a lexus!

 

[fnkrngr]

I have a question on this topic,how are the cages run down thru the dash if the stock dash is retained ?do you just cut a hole thru with a hole saw or is it a little more complicated than that?Anyone with some good detailed pictures of their cage would be nice also,thanks

 

[CRAIG_HALL]

Here's some photo's of a friends cage we did it's a 95 ranger. Defenietly take out the dash not really hard just time consuming. You can see we ran the A-pillar tube down inside the side sheetmetal-took alot of checking and rebending but was defenietly worth it. All the tube end were ended on a piece of 1/8" plate.You could easily put a doubler plate underneath and then to the frame. The rear hoop was bent one piece also,I wish I kept the measurements it fit bitchen then a couple inch or two long welds to the body by the windows,If you cant gep the cage close enough put in a small strip and connect to the sheet metal.This truck doesn't squeak or rattle at all.

We did run a tube vertically behind the door which we also cut ino the metal--We got it welded almost all the way around by bending the metal out then after welding bent it back. there's alot of duct work in the middle of the dash for a v-bar, that I guess you could patch up .

 

[Timberwlf]

Defintly use 1.75 .120 wall....There is a reason that the rules were written that way and besides that is your life worth the cost of a new bender die?? In all honesty some of the home built cages that I have seen scare the hell outta me..when ya build this cage dont take short cuts ( not welding 100% around the tubes ) and if you are worried about spending $$ on safety equipment ya shouldnt be racing and the cage is the MOST important safety item on your truck.

Thats just my opinion I could be wrong....

Later
Brandon
AKA Timberwlf

 

[NorCal_Prerunner]

So let's get his question answered. "Am I going to have to cut holes in my roof to eventually weld all conections completely around?" What is the best approach to get those inacessable joints welded?
A) Cut off the cab at the A pillars and B pillars? " Sounds like this will make the top of the cage most accessable, but is there an easier way. Also you will still have to deal with tubes that connect to the main hoop and go through the back of the cab to the bed cage."
B) Cut big enough holes in the floor of the cab to drop the cage down to weld the top?
C)Cut holes in the roof?

 

[AaronDixon]

1 1/2 DOM .120 wall is borderline... 1 3/4 .90 would be better. There is no need to cut a roof off to do a cage. Just cut holes in the floor and drop the cage down to weld the top. its easy patch work that doesn't matter, compared to body work that does. Plus you don't have to repaint your truck. A center bar in the winsheild would be stronger, but the ranger is kinda small inside...

 

[Jordan]

I used 1.5 DOM for mine and it looks great. Depending on the size cab you have to work with 1.75 may be too big. I considered going with 1.75 but the cab of my Tacoma is very small stock and when we ran a couple of 1.75 pieces of metal it was just too big to make all the proper bends and leave enough room in the cab to breathe. 1.5 DOM is strong and allowed me to run additional strength tubes and didnt make it look bulky.

 

[sirhk100]

If you want to drop the cage on top of the frame is there an easy way to do this? I figured that lowering it down and welding it would be the easiest but what about if you're running it so it's welded on top of the frame? I was thinking about setting it into slip tubes so that you could lower it a little. Would that be okay?

 

[TRDshaunTRD]

I dont know about you, but my frame is too narrow to put the tubes on top of the frame. I had to curve back to the frame under the cab. And ford frames are even narrower.

 

[Kritter]

did you get all the interior back? Do you have pictures of it finalized?

 

[CRAIG_HALL]

He never put all the interior back only the dash,but you could actually ut the kick panels back in only a notch on the bottom .

I'll get some pics of the rest of the cage w/18's in the bed.

 

[Jordan]

My cabcage connects on top of the frame at 4 points and on the sides of the frame in 4 points. It also connects with the cab in several points all over the cab. I have retained 80% of the stock interior as well. We raised the cab off the frame to weld around the bars and then lowered back down. We have gone out the cab above and below the rear window attaching the cabcage to the rear cagework. The truck is done right now so just a few days of painting and installing the rest of the interior and its good to go.

 

[J_Dog]

I would use the 1.75" x .120" tubing. This will keep it legal for racing. Like others said, they have rules for a reason. It may make it a little more of a tight fit, but your safety is worth it. Plus, that's why they require roll bar padding. Don't forget, if your are going to mount the cage to the body or cab it must be done with doubler plates. BITD rules, which I think are very similar to SCORE, specify .1875" (3/16") doubler plates, using .375" (3/8") diameter, with Grade 8 bolts and nuts, or equivalent aircraft quality. Also, it states "Welding of cab or body mounted roll cages to body structure is strictly prohibited." I don't know what they exactly mean by that, though.

 

[Motorider]

I don't know exactly what that means either. My question is, if the cab is welded to the frame, can you then weld to the cab?

 

[Kritter]

It can be interpreted that you are not allowed to weld the cage to the cab without using doublers or some kind of reinforcements that go to the frame. In the picture above it shows the cage welded to the cab...now if that was not plated underneath and then welded back to the frame it would not be legal becasue if you end up on your lid the cab floor could give out and the cage would push through the cab an dbe worthless. By the way...nice lookin work in that red truck Craig...I want to see a pic with all the interior back in.

 

[DANKFAB]

what if my cab has solid mounts welded to the chassi in 4 corners(reg cab), and my cage is also welded to the cab in a few places, but it also has hole saws in the cab floor, fire wall and rear wall to allow solid tubes from the cage to go thru and weld to the chassi as well. Is this strong enough to be a safe cage? I don't have any kind of "doublers" but everything has been solid mounted.