Anyone know anything about the pre-manufactured roll cages like you get on Jegs?

Author Topic: Anyone know anything about the pre-manufactured roll cages like you get on Jegs?  (Read 2891 times)

Offline lemming303

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Don't know if this is the right board but I'm looking to put a cage on my challenger after I get a new floor pan. I'm sure I can find a shop around here to make one but I have friends that weld and I think it would be easier to just buy the pieces and do it myself. Any thoughts?
Kevin

73 Challenger Rallye - first project




Offline Chryco Psycho

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I have not tried them , some prebent kits fit great others don`t,
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Offline elitecustombody

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ridetech.com has just released a nice stainless steel bolt in cage
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Offline Oldschool

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If you are thinking of racing at NHRA or IHRA events, the cage MUST be certified prior to arrival at the event.  This is done by a regional NHRA tach inspector.  The inspection is very time consuming and technical.  Once certified, the cage will have a certification sticker placed on it and the certification is good for 3 years. The reason I mention this is simply this.  If you are going to do that, it must be done up to technical standards.  They check all welds, frame atachment points, tube type and thickness.....  The list is long.  I would hate for you to spend the time and money for the cage and it not pass.  Bottom line, if you are gonna do it, get it done by someone that is familiar with the standard.  A nice looking cage might not pass inspection if not done correctly.  Just my old   :2cents:   
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Offline gkring

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If you are thinking of racing at NHRA or IHRA events, the cage MUST be certified prior to arrival at the event.  This is done by a regional NHRA tach inspector.  The inspection is very time consuming and technical.  Once certified, the cage will have a certification sticker placed on it and the certification is good for 3 years.

Only for the faster cars. 9 second quarter mile and down requires a cage cert by a regional inspector that is good for 3 years. Most of the guys here are just trying to pass the 10.0 to 11.99 rule that requires much less work and can be "passed" at your normal tech inspection at any track.

As far as the prebent stuff it works fine for racecars where you are building the interior around the cage. on a street car you are building the cage inside the interior so the bars aren't always where you want them and are often built too far away from a panel. I have put a few in street cars and it helps to have a hydraulic pipe bender (harbor freight special) to put a tweak in a bend here and there to get it to fit better. For instance the rear bars usually go straight down and the door bars are straight as well. it fits better/tighter to put small bends in them to clear door panels. Still a little bit of work. Often cheaper to have a local person bend it to fit if you can not do the work yourself. otherwise the prebent kits are a good way to get a prebent main hoop pretty close to ready to install and a bunch of raw material to finish out the rest of the cage yourself.
Greg
1970 Challenger convertible-in process
1970 Barracuda driver

Offline lemming303

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I don't really plan on racing in any events, just on test and tune nights. But a friend of mine told me if the car runs 10-11 seconds (or something like that, I haven't got a rulebook) you need a cage or they wont let you run down the track. But I guess I should go ahead and plan on entering events because you never know.

I didn't even think about it fitting around the interior. I'm glad I posted this on here. With that said, does anyone know about how much it would cost to get a cage put in at a shop? I guess I could call around.

So should I install it AFTER I get the car put back together? I have it in pieces now and I'm just trying to get the thing running. I figured it would be easier to do now since there's nothing in the way but if it needs to be built around the interior maybe I should wait.
Kevin

73 Challenger Rallye - first project

Offline gkring

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You can't weld it in with the interior in, but you need the interior to test fit it all. especially teh door panels and the seat you plan to use in the position you plan to use it. The last few cages I had done run about $100 a point. 6 point cage is $600, 10 point is $1000, etc. You pay extra for swingouts or other add ons. You will need to have the car stripped to make it easier to install the cage. Be sure to cover up glass as well to keep any weld splatter off of it.
Greg
1970 Challenger convertible-in process
1970 Barracuda driver

Offline elitecustombody

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Stefan B

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Offline 71chally416

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The Comp Engineering 8 point kits are about $160 + shipping if you have somebody to weld it in. That and frame connectors should be good.
http://www.dougherbert.com/competitionengineering-m-422.html
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Offline HP2

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ridetech.com has just released a nice stainless steel bolt in cage

Ouch; $2500,no certification by any sanctioning body, and only available for GM bodies. I don't think you'll see many of these around.

I'd be afraid that any excessive shear or twisting force on those tie in brackets could break them loose and create a host of impalement devices flopping around inside the car in the event of a crash.

Offline thedodgeboys

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Ouch; $2500,no certification by any sanctioning body, and only available for GM bodies. I don't think you'll see many of these around.

I'd be afraid that any excessive shear or twisting force on those tie in brackets could break them loose and create a host of impalement devices flopping around inside the car in the event of a crash.

Is the TigerCage certified?[NHRA, SCCA, SFI, etc...]

Although certification is planned and in progress, the TigerCage is NOT currently (as of Nov. 2008) certified for racing in any sanctioning body. Certification should occur sometime in 2009.

The primary function of the TigerCage is chassis stiffening. Any safety protection is strictly coincidental

Must be targeting the street crowd
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Offline elitecustombody

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Ouch; $2500,no certification by any sanctioning body, and only available for GM bodies. I don't think you'll see many of these around.

I'd be afraid that any excessive shear or twisting force on those tie in brackets could break them loose and create a host of impalement devices flopping around inside the car in the event of a crash.

their catalog says: other initial applications will include Chevelle,Mustang, Challenger and Cuda,

even if it's in a street car,I'd rather have this cage than no cage in my car
Stefan B

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Offline gkring

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their catalog says: other initial applications will include Chevelle,Mustang, Challenger and Cuda,

even if it's in a street car,I'd rather have this cage than no cage in my car


Problem is this guy sounds like he is trying to save some money but stay legal for the track. The ridetech cage fails both of those tests.
it is a very nice cage for the pro-touring crowd who wants the stainless bling but does not care about price or meeting any sanctioning rules. It is also a bolt in cage so it would be easier to assemble in a car that was already built.
In a real world environment no cage is better than having a cage on a street driven car. Your head bouncing against a steel bar 6 inches from your head with no helmet  is not ideal in a crash situation. That is not to say I wouldn't take the risk, two of my cars have cages and the last one was a 10 point certified cage in a car that went 9.0s and was street driven.
Greg
1970 Challenger convertible-in process
1970 Barracuda driver

Offline 71chally416

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The last cage I did for a customer I charged $800 + tubing. I have a bender. That was for through the floor box frame connectors, main hoop tied onto the connectors and struts to the front and rear frame with a bar behind the seats attached to the racing seats. I also fabbed brackets attaching the seats to the floor and relocated the pads on the rear to move the springs in. All was tig welded. Of course that was years ago and he was a good friend so prices have gone up.  :lol: This is the car.

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Offline lemming303

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Thanks yall. I think I'll just play it safe and take it to a shop that does that kind of thing.
Kevin

73 Challenger Rallye - first project