How much tube in your cage?

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

I've searched alot and not found very many references to the total amount of tube required to make various cages. I've sketched out what I have planned and am getting a rough idea of how much tube to purchase, but it would be nice to know how much tube others have used along with a pic or two of what they built with that amount of tube. Oh yeah, the size of the tube they used would be great too. I think if we can gather a lot of information in this thread, it would be a good resource for others as well. Thanks, Jeff

 

[old_man]

That is like asking how much a car costs. Is your cage interior or exo? How is it to be designed? How much cross bracing and triangulation? How are you going to tie it in?

 

[RWKHausSupply]

That is like asking how much a car costs. Is your cage interior or exo? How is it to be designed? How much cross bracing and triangulation? How are you going to tie it in?

Agree.


I have about 120ft of tube bought in my cage and prolly about 10-20' of cut off's left over. plan on about 10-30% reminents that will not be usable in your total tube amount, depending on how fancy you try to go and how good you are at bending and design.

 

[Goatman]

Jeff, the yellow XJ used right around 200'. I used a little more than that on the buggy. The XJ is all 1.5" HREW, except for the external C pillar hoop, which is 1.75", and it's all .120 wall. The buggy is all 1.5" DOM, exterior tubes are .188 wall and the rest are .120 wall.

I went all DOM on the buggy for a couple of reasons. One is that I wanted to stick with 1.5" so the DOM gives it more strength. Also, the HREW can dent easier so the DOM holds up better to rock rash. To further eliminate the possibility of dented tubes, I used .188 wall on stuff that would get regular rock contact.

BTW, the yellow one did roll, a complete 360*, and it bent in two tubes but the rest help up fine. The top A pillar cross bar bent in because I landed on a rock, and the pass side bar that's under the front fender bent in slightly from landing directly on the ledge that I rolled off of. Overall, I thought the cage held up pretty well.

 

[Jump This]

Jeff, the yellow XJ used right around 200'. I used a little more than that on the buggy. The XJ is all 1.5" HREW, except for the external C pillar hoop, which is 1.75", and it's all .120 wall. The buggy is all 1.5" DOM, exterior tubes are .188 wall and the rest are .120 wall.

I went all DOM on the buggy for a couple of reasons. One is that I wanted to stick with 1.5" so the DOM gives it more strength. Also, the HREW can dent easier so the DOM holds up better to rock rash. To further eliminate the possibility of dented tubes, I used .188 wall on stuff that would get regular rock contact.

BTW, the yellow one did roll, a complete 360*, and it bent in two tubes but the rest help up fine. The top A pillar cross bar bent in because I landed on a rock, and the pass side bar that's under the front fender bent in slightly from landing directly on the ledge that I rolled off of. Overall, I thought the cage held up pretty well.

So, Richard.....I seem to have missed any details on this 'roll'.....
HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!
And where?

Rick

 

[nhrocker]

So, Richard.....I seem to have missed any details on this 'roll'.....
HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!
And where?

Rick

To add to his questions:
Any pics?
And even better, any videos?
:laugh3:

I've got an exo with an interior b-pillar hoop and harness bar. I used 1.5" .120 wall DOM for all of it. I lost track of how much tube I used. If I remember I'll take a tape measure to it when I get a chance.

 

[vetteboy]

I bought 100' of tube originally, which was enough to do this:

Since then, to 'finish' it, it'll probably take another 20-30 feet, between all the triangular braces and smaller pieces...

So for what I did I would estimate that 130-150 feet would be more than enough, if I were to do it again.

 

[Goatman]

So, Richard.....I seem to have missed any details on this 'roll'.....
HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!
And where?

Rick

It was summer before last on Bald Mt Trail, on an obstacle called Two Step. I don't like that spot so much, I've broken a 1st generation CTM axle joint and rolled in that spot. It was in the dark, and I hit the double ledge at too much of an angle........and it went over so fast I had no chance to reverse. We ran Bald on Friday, then did Swamp Lake on Sat and Sun.

The upper tube bent because it landed directly on a flat rock, it bent the bar down almost evenly on each side. I fixed it by pulling the bar out with a strap and the chain hoist at work, got it almost perfectly straight. Since it's 1.5", I took a piece of 1.75" and cut it in half the long way, clamped it down over the 1.5" and welded it on. I doubt that piece would bend again, since it's now 1/4" thick with a very slight upward bow under tension.

The Jeep went on it's top, but we didn't want to have to winch it back up the ledge, or spin it around while sitting on it's top, so we had to roll it on over the rest of the way down another ledge. Having done a complete 360*, the only damage to the cage or even to the body is that top A pillar bar, and the dent in the top pass front fender......not even a scratch anywhere else.

 

[85cherokeechief]

I have 120 feet in my interior cage. I will try to get some pictures re posted in the next day or two. I used 1.75" .120 wall HREW for everything.

 

[rockjock]

I have 40ft in mine so far. Not quite done yet but I'm planning another 40 ft . I have the main cage and windsheild spreaders in right now. once you roll my body could not take another hit so cage it was.

 

[FiFo]

When I started my build I ordered five twenty foot lengths of 2" and four twenty foot lengths of 1.5" both in DOM. The 2" came out to be twenty two feet long and the 1.5" twenty four feet. I ran out of 2” and had to scrounge probably another thirdly feet worth. I’ve got two and a half sticks of the 1.5” left, but my build isn’t done yet, it’s very possible I might run out of that too. As a reference here’s what my rig looked like a month ago when we where mostly done with the 2” and had just started working on the 1.5” sections.

As you can see my build is a little more extensive then most, but I hope it give you some idea what you will need for your plans.

 

[AzRick]

approx 85ft:

approx 85 ft:

approx 80ft:

 

[Goatman]

When I started my build I ordered five twenty foot lengths of 2" and four twenty foot lengths of 1.5" both in DOM. The 2" came out to be twenty two feet long and the 1.5" twenty four feet.

Good point. A stick of DOM is longer than a stick of HREW, because the DOM starts as a 20' stick of HREW and then is drawn over the mandrel and it stretches in the process.

 

[vetteboy]

When I ordered mine, they pretty much said I was guaranteed between 19-24 feet per stick, but I'd be charged by the total number of feet (not a fixed amount per stick).

Anyone within a few hundred miles of Harrisburg, PA - definitely look into Dillsburg Aeroplane Works if you need any amount of tube. It's a fantastic place to work with, they WILL have what you need in stock, and it's pretty cheap too (my 1.75" x .120 DOM was $3.04/ft last July).

 

[FiFo]

Good point. A stick of DOM is longer than a stick of HREW, because the DOM starts as a 20' stick of HREW and then is drawn over the mandrel and it stretches in the process.

Is that the reason, Cool. All I knew is that when I order a "20 foot" stick it always come out as 20+ feet, never really thought about why that is. Thanks for the info.

 

[forcefed]

Good point. A stick of DOM is longer than a stick of HREW, because the DOM starts as a 20' stick of HREW and then is drawn over the mandrel and it stretches in the process.

wow, im suprised that anyone else knows that, ive worked with lots of pro fabers, machinists, and engineers, that were unaware of that. (Even most metal salespersons, don't know). Although that is not always the case, DOM can also be made from cds or cold drawn seamless tube, which its base material qualities can vary, but the end result of what we know as "dom" is generally the same. Although I have seen in "aerospace" structual notes and drawings specify "D.O.M from C.D.S.". In fact i had to obtain mill certs so the engineer could identify the two from each other. Ive looked with a microscpoe and i could not see a difference. I should also add that the quality of all metals from crap metal to cro-moly can vary significantly from mill to mill, aswell as from country to country, generally speaking u.s. being up near the top, but Europe owns top quality.
fwiw i bought a stick of dom last week that was 1.5"x.120x 18' 10.5" cut from the mill (beveled edges)
Just thought i'd share from my experiance.

 

[Roxtar]

About 140' for my 8 pt cage.