can you make a roll cage for your buggy??

[Dreaux]

I will be getting one soon. It's been a while since i have had a car. And those were electric. I was wondering if i armored my car, would it keep me from destorying it??? I know the added weight will hinder performance somewhat. But from what i understand a wreck can be pretty damaging. I would hate to get my new buggy and smash the front end into a tree and have to replace the front end after i just got it.

Guess i could custom make one.


would also like one, so when i feel like opening it up, i wont have to worry so much.

 

[Lessen]

If you are talkin 1/8 scale buggies, a roll cage really not necessary. It's always possible to break something no matter how much you armor it. However, 1/8 buggies are pretty tough to begin with.

 

[Crunkvilletx]

Don't worry you'll break something anyways, sooner or later.

 

[ThunderTiger]

I've looked into this quite deeply as it happens, and if you want one, you will have to custom build one. If you are good with a blow torch, solder, flux and brass tubing, you should be ok, alternatively, you could use brass barstock, but for strength, brass is the ONLY way to go.

You will also need a set of benders to bend the material, a small & medium set would be best (available at a GOOD hobby shop or online).

Hope this helps and does not cloud the issue in any way.

 

[BradZ]

I've beaten the hell out of my 1/8 buggy and it's held up fine!
I dont think you need one.

 

[ThunderTiger]

Bradz, i too have "beaten up" my buggy, but for safety of the buggy, i would "prefer" a roll cage. It would add stability to the chassis and help stop the engine head and other parts getting scraped up, but the down side is that it would cost a little wait which costs a little performance. I'm already at 3750g (3.75kg) in running trim (fuel, batteries etc), can't see how the extra weight would help any..........

Still, i gone through 2 twisted chassis through lack of "rigidity" so i guess a "Cage" might add that "Rigidity" i need. maybe....possibly....i'm not sure......


Also, the cage would not protect the "out lying" componants, it's mainly to protect the "Inner componants". So you would still end up rebuilding the front end if you lamped it into a wall/tree/curb etc at high speed. so think about it carefully. I looked at it from the point of: safety to the buggy, weight (needed or un needed), Cost to implement, protection gained, performance loss, "Fuel Economy" (lost or unaffected) etc etc. There are a lot of things to consider. Me, i might just do it for peace of mind, but thats me. There is no "Real" need other than.........well............i can't think of anything.

 

[ThunderTiger]

As an aside, and further to what i've written above...........................

Buggies do take a beating, but with a roll cage fitted, the chassis is stiffened, depending on the way it's fitted.

Its a double edged sword though, on the one hand, you protect the "Guts" of the buggy, on the other you add weight, the possibility of creating more of a "Top Heavy" vehicle resulting in more tendency to "Roll" both tractionally and physically and you also cause more difficulty for yourself when it comes to regular maintenance.

Unless you design the cage for a quick sharp removal, which defies the point entirely, then there really is no point in fitting one.

Unless, like me, you prefer the protection and the extra (Un-necessary) weight and don't mind removing a few extra screws to get to the buggy to carry out regular maintenance.

If it were me, i would (like i did) rubn the buggy for a while before deciding what you want to do about a roll cage.

Designing a roll cage is not as easy as you think, because you have to account for strentgh in equal plane (sp ?), know where the strentgh needs to be, where and when to cross brace it as well as watching the overall weight of it.

Aerodynamics also play a part, as does the body shell, especially if the cage is to fit underneath it.

Worth all the hassle ? IMO no ! (But i am doing it anyway :b )

Your call ? YES
Easy decision ? NO