Roll Cage Plans

[az-k5]

For foot plates I use the 4" x 4" fence foot plates. They 4 predrilled 3/8" holes (I drill them to 7/16) are 3/16" - 1/4" thick depending on where I buy them and cost around $0.80 each. Those foot plates are buy far the most annoying part of buliding a cage.

 

[tRustyK5]

Yeah, the foot plates are the most mundane and annoying part of the cage IMO.

Rene

 

[Hossbaby50]

Yep, I started to build my own footplates when we did my cage. I got threw about 2 plates and said f*ck this. I am just going to pay for them. They cost me $3 each but it was still worth the money.

Then I go to another shop and find them for $0.75 at another shop which kinda pissed me off but oh well.

BC, If you want I can pick you up some footplates before I leave for Colorado. A local steel yard sells 4"x4" 3/16" footplates for $0.75 each. That is the cheapest I have found anywhere. They may also have 6"x6" plates for a little more. I think they are a little big for a cage though.

Harley

 

[Stephen]

TTC was the big reason for finishing the dash and other interior details, till then it was pretty rough. Events are great for that kind of thing, deadlines make stuff happen.

The snorkel is a bunch of 5" pvc from Home Depot. I never did lack airflow with that, although is sure is noisy having your air intake in the cab.

It's tough to X-brace the B-pillar bay and still retain passenger friendliness but I don't like the "V" bar setup in some of the pics. It's better than nothing but it creates a node with nowhere to go at the bottom. I think you might achieve the same goals and do more with them running a bit more outboard so they end up on top of the frame. Once you throw a crossbar in there you're done with anyone other than a kid (maybe) crawling through from the front anyway.

 

[az-k5]

It's tough to X-brace the B-pillar bay and still retain passenger friendliness but I don't like the "V" bar setup in some of the pics. It's better than nothing but it creates a node with nowhere to go at the bottom. I think you might achieve the same goals and do more with them running a bit more outboard so they end up on top of the frame. Once you throw a crossbar in there you're done with anyone other than a kid (maybe) crawling through from the front anyway.

Mine is a two seater, so passengers are not an issue. I do realize there is a poorly supported node at the bottom but the V bar is designed for lateral loading (flops) so the cage won't distort as easily. The node is not forcing entirely thru the floor, but more along it. It doesn't do much for upside down (that is what the main B hoop is for). There is no way to make a cage perfect with nodes, gussets, and connection interfaces, while fitting within any reasonable size parameters, all of wich will be subject to any type of load at any point with radial motion (cork screwing), or abstract point loading (landing directly on a bend).

 

[tRustyK5]

It's tough to X-brace the B-pillar bay and still retain passenger friendliness but I don't like the "V" bar setup in some of the pics. It's better than nothing but it creates a node with nowhere to go at the bottom. I think you might achieve the same goals and do more with them running a bit more outboard so they end up on top of the frame. Once you throw a crossbar in there you're done with anyone other than a kid (maybe) crawling through from the front anyway.

It sucks to compromise sometimes, but on a weekend warrior rig there are many more factors to take into account when building something. My 'V' bars mount to the reinforced body mount area of the floor (pre-78 floor without footwell). Although not ideal, I still feel it would take a very hard landing to seriously mess up that part of the cage/truck. It is certainly a lot stronger than the old tin roof it had (integral roll bar... )

I do have kids that will need to get into the rear of the truck, and I have a reienforced crossmember directly below that 'node'.

Rene