roll cage & bumper

[Rob]

Hi,

Does anyone have links to photos of a combined roll cage with bull bar ?

I have just spent a long summer holiday on trails in SE NSW and number of near head-on crashes was alarming.

There has always been a tendency for off-road drivers to go too fast around blind corners using up all of the narrow track. However this year the off-road camper trailer towing fraternity has decided to try rallying as well. They need to go even wider around tight bends.

My old LWB had a bull bar but it was only bolted to sheet metal and would not protect my legs in a moderate speed head-on. I am thinking about adding side intrusion bars from my roll cage extending around the front of my 700APT for leg crush protection.

I am very conscious of the extra weight penalty, but self defence is becoming a priority.

Photos/links to other people's ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Rob

[AustHaflinger]

Hi Rob - I know what you mean - I have nearly worn a few quad bikes under my 101.

Some options from my pics








Garry

[Rob]

Hi Garry,

Thanks for the photos.

I am considering a substantial roll bar at the cab rear and bars extending forwards along the side rails to the front to resist some front impact.

The body underside on my 700APT has some pretty substantial brackets in the PTO area that would be a good foundation rather than bolting to sheet metal. Not sure about the passenger side though.

Cheers,

Rob

[heinkeljb]

I would hazard a guess that the brackets you are talking about are actually fixed to sheet metal - so not a lot of difference there.

If you are going to bolt, say 3 inch diameter tubing bent round as a rollcage / bull bar system, then consider making big flange plates of suitable thickness and using several nuts and bolts through the flanges, the bodywork steel and preferably another plate on the other side of the body work steel. That way any force that is transmitted to the roll cage is spread out over a bigger area of the bodywork.

Downside is that if thumped, more of the bodywork will twist but it will hold up better to impact in the immediate vicinity of the impact.

John

[blazing928]

LCT 131 was my old haf from the early 80's. The chap I bought it from used it for deer shooting and comented that the cage had done it's job a few times. It did have a definate bend to one side.

I am wanting to also make one for the new haf coming [as well as get a tow bar], as I have a fairly sloped block. The cage makes a great place to tie things to. I used to put the sailboard on top and could always get a park at Middle Park beach [Melbourne Vic Aust] as the haf is so small.

I think the one above was made from water pipe, but I am thinking stainless steel - no rust issues - or chrome moly. i got to see the FPV V8 super car space frame last month at a Porsche club meeting. The welding was a thing of beauty....more TIG practice needed!