welding rollbars
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: bolingbrook, IL
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Engine: 5.slow
welding rollbars
i want to weld in my rollbar. i have a gasless wirefeed welder. will this be suffiecient? i will only run at the track maybe once a year if that. i just want it to stiffen up the car and plus i think verts with rollbars look mean as hell. any input is greatly appreciated
#2
In my opinion, unless you really need it, I would start with subframe connectors and a wonder bar first. A roll bar should only be installed if you need it. I agree, it does look cool, but it is un-neccessary unless you need to have one for safety regulations or something.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: bolingbrook, IL
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Engine: 5.slow
well i am putting in subframe connectors before the roll bar. if i run anyfaster than a 13.99 i have to have a rollbar and the 350 thats going in in the spring will put me into the 13's
#5
Supreme Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 9,550
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 91 Camaro Vert
Engine: 02 LS1, HX40
Transmission: 2002 LS1 M6
Re: welding rollbars
Originally posted by topless89rs
i want to weld in my rollbar. i have a gasless wirefeed welder. will this be suffiecient? i will only run at the track maybe once a year if that. i just want it to stiffen up the car and plus i think verts with rollbars look mean as hell. any input is greatly appreciated
i want to weld in my rollbar. i have a gasless wirefeed welder. will this be suffiecient? i will only run at the track maybe once a year if that. i just want it to stiffen up the car and plus i think verts with rollbars look mean as hell. any input is greatly appreciated
not really.
and even if you only run at the track once in your entire life, if that happens to be the time the car rolls over, and you did a shoddy welding job, not only are you screwed with no roll bar, but you now have a busted steel bar coming toward your body.
do it right,or get it done right or dont do it at all.
MCas7:
id think a 6point roll bar with a nice vertical triange from the door bars, would stiffen a car alot more then one bar welded to the floorpan.... good call on the wonderbar though, unless its a drag only car (doubtful with a vert)
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago (Niles)
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well if the bar is cro-mo it will need to be tig welded. If its Mild steel you can use the gasless mig to tack the bar together and to the subframe and then take it to a competant welder to finish the job.
Trending Topics
#8
TGO Supporter
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: So.west IN
Posts: 6,775
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes
on
23 Posts
Car: 87 Formula/ 00 Xtreme
Engine: TPI 305/ v6
Transmission: struggling t-5/ 4l60E
Axle/Gears: 3.08/ 3.23
Gasless wire welding isn't really inferior for strength. The biggest issue is, is the welder up to the task of welding the (mild steel is being assumed for the tubing) metal.
A good majority of 120v gasless welders are only meant to weld up to 1/8" mild steel and usually at a duty cycle of 30% at best (about 3 modest minutes of burn). Not really enough time to make a good penetrating weld, weather you 100% v-cut the joints or not.
A good welding machine that is capable of generating the heat to melt the metal is key to a good weld. Flux core wire and stick welding does suck 100% for welding thin gauge metal though.
Just my opinion though...
A good majority of 120v gasless welders are only meant to weld up to 1/8" mild steel and usually at a duty cycle of 30% at best (about 3 modest minutes of burn). Not really enough time to make a good penetrating weld, weather you 100% v-cut the joints or not.
A good welding machine that is capable of generating the heat to melt the metal is key to a good weld. Flux core wire and stick welding does suck 100% for welding thin gauge metal though.
Just my opinion though...
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 85 z28 (summercar) 04 cavalier (winter beater)
Engine: larry brown built 10:1 350 short block vortec heads
Transmission: T-5
how much does it cost to pay a shop to do it like on a four point cage
You know just to give the chassis that extra strength
You know just to give the chassis that extra strength
#10
Supreme Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: cali
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 84z, 65 elcamino
Engine: l69 and a hyped up sbc in the camino
Transmission: t5 m21
Axle/Gears: 373s 411s
in my elco i did a gasless flux weld job and it looks crappy but once you sand it down it looks ok and once i get the side bars done i will go over it again with an oxy torch to melt it and get penetration on it and if i have to then i will mig it. but it seems pretty damn sturdy
#12
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: pacific NW
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1991 Z28 1LE A.K.A The blue rocket
Engine: Blown 383
Transmission: Full manual 700R4
You can use flux core on thin tubing an it would be fine. IF you know how. I use to work for a motor home manufacturer here and we would do it all the time. Because we didnt have time to switch to hard wire so we learned to make do. But like I said IF you know what you are doing. And if you dont know what your doing, pay someone who does. Like it was said earlier, its their to save your life, remeber you dont have a roof.
#14
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: bolingbrook, IL
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Engine: 5.slow
well just found out my friends stepdad got his tig welder. he doesn't have the time to fab it al lup tho. would i be able to do all the cutting and tack it together. then drive it to his house and have him lay down all the final welds?
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicago (Niles)
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by topless89rs
well just found out my friends stepdad got his tig welder. he doesn't have the time to fab it al lup tho. would i be able to do all the cutting and tack it together. then drive it to his house and have him lay down all the final welds?
well just found out my friends stepdad got his tig welder. he doesn't have the time to fab it al lup tho. would i be able to do all the cutting and tack it together. then drive it to his house and have him lay down all the final welds?
Another thing to think about. If the feet of the bar attach to the floor pan make sure you do a good job of grinding all of the paint down or else its going to make it very difficult to tig.
#16
Supreme Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: cali
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 84z, 65 elcamino
Engine: l69 and a hyped up sbc in the camino
Transmission: t5 m21
Axle/Gears: 373s 411s
i think instead of oxy heating it im gonna just take a tig torch and remelt it and then try and rebead it
#17
Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Sayreville nj usa
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 02 redfire gtp coupe
Engine: 3.8 modded and supercharged
Transmission: 4t65-ehd
well i am putting in subframe connectors before the roll bar. if i run anyfaster than a 13.99 i have to have a rollbar and the 350 thats going in in the spring will put me into the 13's
where are you running that a bar for 13's is needed? i thought i was 11's that you need a 4 point at least and thats speeds over 110mph. i run 13.4 on a good day with my gtp and never had a problem. my buddies GN runs 12.2 they told him if her drops 11 he needs a bar.
where are you running that a bar for 13's is needed? i thought i was 11's that you need a 4 point at least and thats speeds over 110mph. i run 13.4 on a good day with my gtp and never had a problem. my buddies GN runs 12.2 they told him if her drops 11 he needs a bar.
#19
Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Sayreville nj usa
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 02 redfire gtp coupe
Engine: 3.8 modded and supercharged
Transmission: 4t65-ehd
good point. didnt think about that one. although i have seen some crustang converts and a cavalier z24 run without rollbars. ok the cav was pullin 15's but the mustang was close 2 12's
#20
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: bolingbrook, IL
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Engine: 5.slow
yeah new nhra rules mandate a rollbar for verts running any faster than a 13.99 and i'd be running at route 66 in chicagoland. they enforce those rules i believe
#21
Supreme Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: cali
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 84z, 65 elcamino
Engine: l69 and a hyped up sbc in the camino
Transmission: t5 m21
Axle/Gears: 373s 411s
welding my cage doors not this fri but next gonna be tite
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
no green
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
11
01-09-2016 09:22 PM