Designing the Team Roll Cage (Part 3)

Patience and Process

Construction of the cage was no easy feat- it required incredible patience, learning, and plenty of 4.5″ ‘cut-off’ wheels. By custom building the entire cage ourselves, we were able to transfer the skills into gusseting the frame as well as strengthening various mounts on the chassis.

All things considered, the cage-building process went very well. We used DOM 1.75″ 0.095 tube throughout and managed almost zero waste- any piece that was improperly formed was able to be utilized elsewhere. With respect to the weight, the cage was measured at 129 pounds. Our strategic placement of tube resulted in a 12-point cage structure for peace-of-mind as well as overall rigidity.

Considerations

Integral to the vehicle, is the functionality of the cage structure. Having built the cage on the car, we were well aware of potential plastic-fitment issues. This consideration enabled frequent back and forth fit-up of the plastic to establish a systematic means of trimming. Visual obstruction was a major element of the design-phase as well: shy of aesthetics, this is partly the reason for the singular intrusion bar upfront. The frontal cross bar (directly under the singular intrusion bar) had substantial consideration for fitment. If placed incorrectly, the entire dash would require significant trimming.

Process

Considering our experience with the earlier OEM cage-modifications, we decided to do the bulk of the welding off of the vehicle. This allowed us to flip the cage and weld regularly as opposed to performing over-head welding. By removing the roll-cage for welding, we expedited the process of welding roof and light tabs. Welding the gussets for single-point fracture regions was much easier in this orientation as well. Fit-up and forming of the roof was performed shortly thereafter- we marked all the necessary holes and bent the front roof lip. Working with the cage off the car is absolutely the preferred method of construction.