[cochez]

Whats the best roll cage kit that fits Dusters???...the guy I was going to use for the custom cage is too busy...we have a guy thats a great welder but he doesn't have a pipe bender...
If there is no cage that fits really good (looks custom)...we'll have to get a bender to use...what benders are out there????

 

[Tom1951]

My builder likes the cages made by Chris Alston in Sacramento Ca. www.cachassisworks.com He says the fit and customer service is great and the price is competitive to boot,

 

[cochez]

Do you have any photos of the installed cage???

 

[hemidemick]

I bought mine from Competition Engineering, i got a 10pt but i havent installed it yet, but the quality of all the cuts and bends seems very good and i was very well priced.

 

[TrxR]

You could also try
http://autoweldchassis.com/
I am looking at them for the cage for my Dakota.

 

[GLENNP]

S&W 14 pt. kit ok. Main hoop to narrow. About 4" to narrow each side.

 

[bentwheel43]

I bought mine from Competition Engineering, i got a 10pt but i havent installed it yet, but the quality of all the cuts and bends seems very good and i was very well priced.

this kit put you in the ball game, some pipe has to be cut to fit, a pipe bender comes in handy too (benders and under $100 and works well for that)---item# 14420-c171 $79.99 at NORTHEN TOOLS&EQUIPMENT CO.works well for that. I find that bending the pipe going to the back helps, and a bend on the pipe by the driver door helps make room for the driver to get in the car. some put a swinging bar on the driver door but I don't. all welds need to be done with T.I.G. or G.M.A.W. (MIG)  no stick. Competition Engineering sends the NHRA rules. you don't have to have a pipe bender. I think all thats need to run a 11.99 is 6 points, full cage at 9.99. I think you have the best buy.   -0*(    good luck,   BENTWHEEL 43   PS.for every 100# cost a .10 in time,but putting subframe connector and bars helps get some back, and helps reaction time too.

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[Charles]

Does an NHRA certified welder have to do the welding? I recall something about a certification sticker that has to be placed on the cage but I don't remember how to get one.

 

[mopowers]

Don't grind your welds either

 

[bentwheel43]

on the 9.90 or 9.50 cars gets U.T. tested ,and they will put a stamp on it,but the  11.99 the nhra will just look at what you have they don't like grinding marks on them,the drivers head had to be so far from the bars,the seat so for from the bars,all weld must look good lol no holes,no stick welding, no downhill welding,there are some other rules comes with the kit.I think NHRA post the rules on the net. as for as who welds it,( I am a AWS-CWI and I had some welders that didn't look good and shot good,and some looked great and shot bad). doh let the driver weld it LOL just kidding.       BENTWHEEL 43

 

[mopowers]

will a cage from a later A fit an early A?

 

[drew54]

I have a nhra rulebook and I was confused about some of the rules. I called the tech guy in my area and he didn't seem too strict. Some of the rules don't even apply. Like the rule saying the bar has to bed 3 inches above your head. MY head touches the roof so this isn't even possible. If in doubt call em up, thats what they're there for.

Drew

 

[BARRACUDABILLY]

I put a comp cage in my dart and a autoweld cage in my cuda
the autoweld cage cost more but it fit better and had more of the ends
pre cut (notched). Both were of good quality. my 2cents worth.

My best friend owns a fab shop and has just finished a full cage in a
67 GTX and a 70 cuda. he likes to bend his own cages but he spends more
on tubing and labor than the kit cost.  **(*) His bender is from erwin/smith he
got the air over hydraulic model I think it cost around 1500 works great.
But if I do another car it will be the autoweld kit. simple and easy just the way I like it.

 

[bentwheel43]

I have a nhra rulebook and I was confused about some of the rules.  I called the tech guy in my area and he didn't seem too strict.  Some of the rules don't even apply.  Like the rule saying the bar has to bed 3 inches above your head.  MY head touches the roof so this isn't even possible.  If in doubt call em up, thats what they're there for.

Drew

Drew, I go to war with them all the time,they try to be the man, I bet some of them never welded anything in there life.but if its 9.50 car all they have to do is look at a stamp,on 11.99 they look at the welds.they just don't want things like fence poles and things.they don't like grinding becauce if you have to grind on it,they think you trying to hide something(they say strass riser like a pipeline) lol BOY, as far as the head 3" from the top of the bar,he'll look at it and said,hey man you have that bar a little close,my driver slide down in the seat,(but hes the man) they have more silly rules(for the 11.99 class) like 3 years on a 5 point 3"wide the seat belts :.Iam not going to put my divers at risk,if I think it needs to be changed I doit , I have not seen them pull a tape yet. -0*(

 

[drew54]

I bought a rule book thinking it was going to help me a lot and it definitely didn't. I've got my main hoop sitting on outriggers and i've tacked in the rear bars. I"m not the greatest welder, but hopefully it passes. Another wierd rule is in general rules where it says the rear bars have to be 30 degree angle. I'm out in the garage with a protractor from geometry class trying to check it doh. I have yet to meet with them at the track, so we'll see soon.

Drew

 

[74swinger]

I bought mine from Competition Engineering, i got a 10pt but i havent installed it yet, but the quality of all the cuts and bends seems very good and i was very well priced.

this kit put you in the ball game, some pipe has to be cut to fit, a pipe bender comes in handy too (benders and under $100 and works well for that)---item# 14420-c171  $79.99 at NORTHEN TOOLS&EQUIPMENT CO.works well for that. I find that bending the pipe going to the back helps, and a bend on the pipe by the driver door helps make room for the driver to get in the car. some put a swinging bar on the driver door but I don't. all welds need to be done with T.I.G. or G.M.A.W. (MIG)  no stick. Competition Engineering sends the NHRA rules. you don't have to have a pipe bender. I think all thats need to run a 11.99 is 6 points, full cage at 9.99. I think you have the best buy.   -0*(    good luck,   BENTWHEEL 43   PS.for every 100# cost a .10 in time,but putting subframe connector and bars helps get some back, and helps reaction time too.

I don't get this one? Who says you cannot weld the roll bar (not cage) made with 0.134" wall thickness carbon steel with SMAW (stick)? This tube is thick, and many carbon steel tubes are used in pressure and structural service in petrochemical industry that are only welded with stick. Are you guys saying that if the cage/bars are welded with stick, the NHRA or IHRA guys will not pass it?

I think MIG is worse than stick, because it is notorious for lack of fusion. TIG I can see, but to rule out stick "just 'cause" is crap.

Comments? By the way, I am not a roll cage/bar fabricator, but I will be putting on in eventually.

BBD

 

[AA-slingshot]

the reason for not allowing "stick" welding" is it is easier for the tech guys to see a cold weld with mig or tig. that was right from the lips of NHRA tech director a few years ago.

 

[4spdfury]

custom bent roll bars or cages are better. you can get them to fit better and customize them for the driver. chris alston has the best kits as far as the pre bent kits go. still need a tubing bender to make the rear struts fit right. thats my 2 cents

 

[mopowers]

Is a cage required for a 10 second car, or will a 8 point bar be sufficiant as far as rules go. And is there a link to where I can find a rule book on this type of stuff?

 

[bentwheel43]

yes it will, as far as the stick weld (which I think or know its good) the rules state no stick or fluxcore but they have slag on it, doh they say, no grind,no slag,no down hill welding. -0*(        I test welders  the S.M.A.W /G.M.A.W. mig./G.M.A.W. tig and fluxcore all shoot clean and bend test pass.  the fluxcore is the hottest and problely the cleaner weld. Beleave me all welds if done by the book is as good as the next,I know you think that mig is not as good as the rest,but in it place is better than any,its just as good as the  tig also! -0*(  Now welding mig welds cool its ok for sheetmetal any thing .125 and over sould be welded uphill, we weld pipeline downhill with stick, root to cap downhill in the field and in the shop down hill with mig root and hotpass than fluxcore uphill,hardly ever shoot bad (like 1 out of 4000 or so) what Iam trying to say is they are all good in there places .  BENT43