Building Stinger

[boomhauer]

Hey folks i need your infinite wisdom. I know pipe is for plumbing and tubing for jeeps, but here is my conundrum. The fella at the metal store sold me pipe 1.25"x3/16" or 1/8" wall which i didn't notice till i got home. I phoned him and he said a pipe bender would be easier to find and the pipe would be stronger for the stinger. Should i return the pipe for tubing if so what do you recommend size wise? the stinger will be attached to my winch bumper. I appreciate all help and thanks! -B

 

[whitneyj]

It's just a stinger, not a roll cage or anything that involves your safety. My opinion: just use the pipe.

 

[crazyjim]

I'd be more pissed off that someone sold me a far inferior product when I asked for tubing.

Take it back, buy tubing from a REAL shop, and build your stinger. If you ever hit it, it's going to fold...

 

[Phil]

Did you pay for tube or did you pay for pipe?

Did you pay a cutting fee?

Run it.

 

[boomhauer]

Did you pay for tube or did you pay for pipe?

Did you pay a cutting fee?

Run it.

Thought i paid for tubing as it is what i asked for, but i did pay for pipe i guess. No cut fee. Being new to the fab game i 'spose i shoulda made sure but i told the dude what i was building and he helped me load it on the roof. Never even gave it a second thought. I phoned him and i can return it for tubing but i'm in a small island town and the metal place is an hour drive. The pipe sure seems stout enough though. I'll just use it and call it lesson learned. Thanks guys. -B

 

[AIbandit]

It's just a stinger, not a roll cage or anything that involves your safety. My opinion: just use the pipe.

Well If you use the stinger as a winch point when climbing hills so you don't roll it is definitely a safety thing I would say.

 

[whitneyj]

Well If you use the stinger as a winch point when climbing hills so you don't roll it is definitely a safety thing I would say.

That's true, I hadn't thought of it that way. I've never had a stinger, nor anyone I wheel with, so I've never been properly introduced to their uses.

 

[Phil]

Well If you use the stinger as a winch point when climbing hills so you don't roll it is definitely a safety thing I would say.

Are you serious?

How low do you think the tensile and bending strength of pipe is?

Have you thought about it or do you just hate pipe?

Run it.

 

[aparke4]

1.25 pipe is actually good stuff - i have used it for a lot of small projects - but 1.25 looks small for bumpers and such in my opinion - but if u have it go ahead it will be fine

 

[AIbandit]

Are you serious?

How low do you think the tensile and bending strength of pipe is?

Have you thought about it or do you just hate pipe?

Run it.

I didn't say anything about the strength because honestly I don't know.

But I do know practical uses for a stinger are safety related.

1. Its "protects from roll overs" chance of that probably isn't high (but it did in these pics )

2. Protects Rad in case of roll over. I would consider this safety if it gets you off the trail

3. Used as a winch point while climbing steep obstacles to prevent roll.

can it handle a 3500 lbs jeep falling on top of it?

 

[Starboard M]

I didn't say anything about the strength because honestly I don't know.

But I do know practical uses for a stinger are safety related.

1. Its "protects from roll overs" chance of that probably isn't high (but it did in these pics )

2. Protects Rad in case of roll over. I would consider this safety if it gets you off the trail

3. Used as a winch point while climbing steep obstacles to prevent roll.

can it handle a 3500 lbs jeep falling on top of it?

1. You notice how that is tied into the fender bars which is then tied into the cage. 90% of the time most people do not do that, so it will simply fold and do nothing.

2. Thats a good idea, but with as wide as the XJ front clip is, your stinger would need to be 4 feet wide in order to protect the rad.

3. Pipe or tube will most likely not be the weak link if you are truly winching off the stinger. I would bet the butt weld that attaches the stinger to the bumper would fail a lot sooner then the tube/pipe fails.



Just fyi, you cant bend tube in a pipe bender, and you cant bend pipe in a tube bender most of the time. Also, most pipe benders such as HF ones cant go much more past 90*, so keep that in mind.

 

[AIbandit]

1. You notice how that is tied into the fender bars which is then tied into the cage. 90% of the time most people do not do that, so it will simply fold and do nothing.

2. Thats a good idea, but with as wide as the XJ front clip is, your stinger would need to be 4 feet wide in order to protect the rad.

3. Pipe or tube will most likely not be the weak link if you are truly winching off the stinger. I would bet the butt weld that attaches the stinger to the bumper would fail a lot sooner then the tube/pipe fails.



Just fyi, you cant bend tube in a pipe bender, and you cant bend pipe in a tube bender most of the time. Also, most pipe benders such as HF ones cant go much more past 90*, so keep that in mind.

1. Most that I've seen are braced maybe not that well but if you're going to do it you should do it right not just for decoration.

2. Anything is better then nothing no it wont cover the whole thing but it can still save your butt. exo + stinger = :thumbup:

3. Like I said I'm not judging the weakness I'm just saying it is very much so safety related. Unless you just have one for an ornament but then you shouldnt worry about rolling at your local mall anyway.

 

[JeepFreak21]

I'd return it just because the guy is blowing smoke up your ass!

"I know you ordered tube and I didn't mention any of this at the time, but now that I accidentally gave you pipe, it actually works out better because pipe is better than tube for stingers."

I agree that it will work just fine if you can get the bend right, but I'm a man of principle (and it has cost me many, many hours of inconvenience).

Billy

 

[vetteboy]

The Jeep in those pictures is my buddy Todd from Jeeps R Us, at Tellico a few years ago.

That stinger has all kinds of dents, scrapes, bends, repairs, etc in it. He's been wheeling that thing nearly unchanged since before 2003.

The strength of it in that application is entirely due to the structure and design, not the material. I would have absolutely no problems using a *good quality* pipe in that spot.

I'm guessing you actually ended up with 1" SCH 40 pipe (1.315" OD x .133 wall). If it's ASTM A-500 the yield strength should be between 33-46 ksi depending on grade, where A513 DOM would be closer to 70 ksi. Compared to 1.25" x .120 DOM it's the pipe is about 25% more resistant in bending due to it's shape so that makes up the strength difference a little bit...maybe that's good enough? It's not as strong, but that's why it costs less...

 

[boomhauer]

Thanks for your input guys, appreciate it.
Well i spose i'll run it unless the closest guy to me has tube bender then she's going back for sure.
I'm building a semi-stinger I suppose. It'll be about as wide as the inner headlight dimension or the length of the header panel, flush or higher than the hood, no point/high curve to it but parallel to the hood line and back down. There will be a degree of outter angle to the hoop and will be braced and gusseted accordingly.
The main design is for winch/lights/rad and deer protection in case of a t!ts up situation. I won't be (don't plan) on winching on it.
I do have RockHard4x4's XJ cage in my XJ and even thought it's bolt-up i think it'll hold up excellently in a mishap.
Anywho i digress, the pipe should do fine according to a good few so i will run it, save if i can't find a bender. -B

 

[Phil]

1. Most that I've seen are braced maybe not that well but if you're going to do it you should do it right not just for decoration.

2. Anything is better then nothing no it wont cover the whole thing but it can still save your butt. exo + stinger = :thumbup:

3. Like I said I'm not judging the weakness I'm just saying it is very much so safety related. Unless you just have one for an ornament but then you shouldnt worry about rolling at your local mall anyway.

Oh ok sorry guess that's where I went wrong. I don't wheel as hard as you I guess, I don't have an exo and just like the look of a small stinger.:thumbup:

 

[Stukboy]

I will always use DOM tubing since that day in Tellico. I bought that stinger from a good friend "Disturbed" Kris after he built a new buggy. It was the BEST investment I ever made!!! The stinger dug into the ground about 6-12 inches and if I had not had it I would've endoed and landed roof to roof ontop of Chris D's YJ. I was standing on the firewall. I have since parted the YJ out and am currently working on another XJ.
As far a stinger for the XJ, though it will be a little wider I will be incorperating it into the EXOcage I have planned. It will be for use not show!
If it is for light to moderate use I think the pipe is OK but if you do anything extreme go with DOM. You won't regret it!
Stukboy

PS: This is my first post as a member!! Yeah me!!

 

[boomhauer]

I will always use DOM tubing since that day in Tellico. I bought that stinger from a good friend "Disturbed" Kris after he built a new buggy. It was the BEST investment I ever made!!! The stinger dug into the ground about 6-12 inches and if I had not had it I would've endoed and landed roof to roof ontop of Chris D's YJ. I was standing on the firewall. I have since parted the YJ out and am currently working on another XJ.
As far a stinger for the XJ, though it will be a little wider I will be incorperating it into the EXOcage I have planned. It will be for use not show!
If it is for light to moderate use I think the pipe is OK but if you do anything extreme go with DOM. You won't regret it!
Stukboy

PS: This is my first post as a member!! Yeah me!!

That musta been an awesome ride... a little pucker though!
Welcome to !

 

[Stukboy]

Yea it was.
Good luck with your stinger. PLEASE post pics so I can steal ideas.
FYI- The YJ that went before me flopped on its side in the same spot. I was raining and luckily the yellow poncho in the background wasn't inside with me when I did that. That's my son.
Stukboy