Roll Cage material

GJUK · Post by **GJUK** » Thu Jan 16, 14 9:26 am

Hi all,

So, I've having a cage installed by Pete here on the forum.
It's going to be a 8.5 second cage, probably through the dash - 6 point with door bars and tunnel brace, harness bars etc.

The cage will be weld in.

Should I have this done in CDS or Chrome molly?

There is quite a price change between the two, is chrome molly really worth it?

I don't think I'm ever going to put a hemi in the car or get down to 8.5 seconds, the car is about a 13.5 second car at the moment (at a guess)

Perhaps in the future I will make the 400 block a stroker...

Help me please! I want to future proof the car but not remortgage the house to have to do this!

Thanks

Jon

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Jan 16, 14 9:52 am

GJUK · Post by **GJUK** » Thu Jan 16, 14 10:04 am

Any reason for that choice? I know it's cheaper!!

Guy · Post by **Guy** » Thu Jan 16, 14 10:07 am

Its horse's for courses and depends what you intend to do with the car Jon.

As Pete says CDS for a street car that will see a bit of action at the strip but mainly be used on the road. It would certainly help with the rigidity of the car and make it feel a lot taught-er on the street.

If you were building a race only car I would go for the chrome moly as it is about a third of the weight of the CDS and that along with fiberglass wings, bumpers, bonnet, boot and doors you could be looking at a considerable weight saving.

GJUK · Post by **GJUK** » Thu Jan 16, 14 10:09 am

What do you have in yours Guy please?

Thanks again guys.

Jon

Guy · Post by **Guy** » Thu Jan 16, 14 10:12 am

CDS Jon as it is meant to have been built for the street plus I only had a mig welder and didnt have access to a tig welder (a must for CM)

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Jan 16, 14 10:25 am

CDS.
Trust me.

I have already done the Customer Acceptance Testing.

Do you have a view of what you are trying to achieve with the car?

Do you need a cage at all?

Unless you set goals you will not have a view of what is required.

GJUK · Post by **GJUK** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:27 am

Pete wrote:CDS.
Trust me.

I have already done the Customer Acceptance Testing.

Whats this? I trust you

Do you have a view of what you are trying to achieve with the car?

Do you need a cage at all?

Unless you set goals you will not have a view of what is required.

Ahhh that age old question. Only yesterday evening my friend was saying the same thing to me. "You must have direction"

I want it to be a fast road car. It might make it on the strip 2-3 times a year. Mostly use on the road (95%). I want a cage to be safe and so I can mount 4 point belts to something solid.
My other car (mk1 escort) has a full cage in it also, for the same reasons.

CDS seem to be the way

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:35 am

As most members know (and are very happy to remind me - a LOT of the time)..

I had a 9 second Dodge Dart road car.
400 / 500 Stroker. It ran 139mph terminals.

It had an 8.50 tagged 8 point CDS cage with swing out door bars for ease of access.

I stuck it on the roof at the 'Pod. This was after it barrell-rolled.

The Pod think I hit the guard wall at around 125mph; it then flipped and landed on its roof.

Not ecomomical to repair.

The door bars still functioned and the pins slid in and out as per new after all that.

CDS

GJUK · Post by **GJUK** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:48 am

Pete wrote:As most members know (and are very happy to remind me - a LOT of the time)..

I had a 9 second Dodge Dart road car.
400 / 500 Stroker. It ran 139mph terminals.

It had an 8.50 tagged 8 point CDS cage with swing out door bars for ease of access.

I stuck it on the roof at the 'Pod. This was after it barrell-rolled.

The Pod think I hit the guard wall at around 125mph; it then flipped and landed on its roof.

Not ecomomical to repair.

The door bars still functioned and the pins slid in and out as per new after all that.

CDS

Ouch mate - any photos?

I think CDS is the way forward here.

Jon Connolly · Post by **Jon Connolly** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:49 am

For the benefit of GJUK who may not have met Pete in person ... here is a recent photo

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:50 am

As said CDS

My bike is being make from chrome Molly and wow it's pricey

I will be asking Pete to make my cage for charger from stainless when I final get to that stage

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:57 am

Bloody cheek Jon!

I have much more hair than that......

Post by **TyreFryer** » Thu Jan 16, 14 11:58 am

Don't know how true it is but I read on the US forums that chromoly cages work harden when used regularly on the street and develop cracks after a time.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Thu Jan 16, 14 12:00 pm

Another vote for CDS, the only reason at your level to use moly instead would be to save weight, and as you've discovered, that comes at a cost. An 8.50 spec. CDS cage is all you'll ever need, if you wanted to go faster than that you'd be building a full tube chassis car instead.