Help: Cage certification/price questions

[Average_Ass_Lb7]

This winter I am looking at potentially gutting my truck and pushing towards full race truck style instead of jumping between street and race truck applications. It has a cage, it's dated, not certified but most tracks have okay'd me to mid to low 10's.

The truck weighs close to 7k and the weight just kills compared to many people I compete against.

Looking at doing a 8.50 cert cage or similar, truck is currently on track to be detuned for 6.70 index because with the weight and other variables it just doesn't have a 5.90 pass in it but that's the route I am looking to go in the future.

Guy who I will probably hire out to do it is a local to me, he actually did the cage and lots of fab work on Wade Moody's old Flo-Pro truck back in the day.

Lastly what is everyone paying for their cage set up's?? Safety isn't cheap and can't be short-changed but I always like comparing prices because there isn't a lot of info out there on cages for these trucks.

Thanks in advance,
Matt

 

[Chevy1925]

You are going to get a vast number. It’s all dependent on how far you want to go with the cage, fabricators idea on build, how you’d like it ran, additional things you might need/want with the cage and things like window net, seat/mounts, harness, etc that go along with being 8.50 legal. Not to mention how much it can vary from shop to shop or person to person on the build.

 

[hondarider552]

All said and done, my 7.50 cert funny car cage, window net, Kirkey seat, belts and lexan was north of 5000 bucks.

 

[Average_Ass_Lb7]

Thanks guys!!
There will probably be some other questions that arise this winter when I get started but that helps me start thinking!

 

[Bdsankey]

I'm in the same boat. I got some decent pricing up here in WI from two shops using a Rhodes kit.

 

[hondarider552]

I would highly suggest not using pre bent cage kits.

 

[Bdsankey]

I would highly suggest not using pre bent cage kits.

Can you explain why?

 

[Bdsankey]

I would highly suggest not using pre bent cage kits.

Bump, any reason why?

 

[1FastBrick]

Pre bent Cages are generic and not always the tightest fit. Some are left long and require a lot of trimming and fitting to get the best fit.

A good Fabricator can often tuck the cage tighter in many places. If you take the materials cost out, you will probably pay the same in labor to have a prebent generic kit Vs. Custom built to your Vehicle.

 

[Bdsankey]

I’ve been quoted $2500-$3000 by two different shops to have them bend and install. I’ve been quoted $1000-$1500 to have a Rhodes kit installed. The Rhodes kits are under $400. I’m trying to justify the extra $1000-$1500 to have a custom cage done.

 

[Chevy1925]

I’ve been quoted $2500-$3000 by two different shops to have them bend and install. I’ve been quoted $1000-$1500 to have a Rhodes kit installed. The Rhodes kits are under $400. I’m trying to justify the extra $1000-$1500 to have a custom cage done.

have they installed that same kit into these trucks before? do they know how good the fit and finish is of the kit? will they add extra bracing so the 6k truck doesnt crush that cage if you flip (your nhra tech may not feel it has adequate bracing for the weight regardless what the rules say, its up to their discretion). how does the kit attach to the frame (can not attach to the body)? how far from the cage is your head? does the door bar fall between your shoulder and elbow once seated? how will you be attaching the harness and seat to the cage? all these things add up in the fab world. if the shops have not installed that cage in these trucks before, it may be a waste of money. 2500-3k sounds right and you will be close to or at that same number in the end. it all depends on the cage quality that comes from Rhodes.

IMHO, i wouldnt risk it being this a major safety item but then again, im a fabricator so im biased

 

[lutzjk913]

Coming from my experience of seeing these pre fabricated set ups.

Spend the extra money to have someone build one.

 

[Bdsankey]

have they installed that same kit into these trucks before? do they know how good the fit and finish is of the kit? will they add extra bracing so the 6k truck doesnt crush that cage if you flip (your nhra tech may not feel it has adequate bracing for the weight regardless what the rules say, its up to their discretion). how does the kit attach to the frame (can not attach to the body)? how far from the cage is your head? does the door bar fall between your shoulder and elbow once seated? how will you be attaching the harness and seat to the cage? all these things add up in the fab world. if the shops have not installed that cage in these trucks before, it may be a waste of money. 2500-3k sounds right and you will be close to or at that same number in the end. it all depends on the cage quality that comes from Rhodes.

IMHO, i wouldnt risk it being this a major safety item but then again, im a fabricator so im biased

While the shop I've been leaning towards hasn't necessarily done a cage in one of these pickups (I'd have to ask), they definitely do build cages daily. It is FTR Performance in Union Grove, WI.

 

[Chevy1925]

While the shop I've been leaning towards hasn't necessarily done a cage in one of these pickups (I'd have to ask), they definitely do build cages daily. It is FTR Performance in Union Grove, WI.

i understand that but that doesnt mean they can quote putting a pre-bent/notched cage in accurately unless they have installed that particular one before.

 

[Bdsankey]

i understand that but that doesnt mean they can quote putting a pre-bent/notched cage in accurately unless they have installed that particular one before.

Touche. I'm not concerned with their ability. The only reason for going pre-bent is simply to save labor hours. Obviously a one off cage is much cleaner and would be awesome. I don't think I can get by with just a roll bar at this point AND I think the truck may get faster as the years go on. Would rather spend the money up-front and get it done properly.

 

[1FastBrick]

I’ve been quoted $2500-$3000 by two different shops to have them bend and install. I’ve been quoted $1000-$1500 to have a Rhodes kit installed. The Rhodes kits are under $400. I’m trying to justify the extra $1000-$1500 to have a custom cage done.

$400 for the Rhodes kit? guessing it's just ERW for that price and pre bent.

The other shops are probably using DOM. You might want to dig deeper into that.

If your not familiar with ERW Vs. DOM you might want to read up on it.

ERW is not a consistent wall thickness and usually needs to be a heavier gauge in order to pass tech. This will add weight to whatever your building...

Can you use ERW? Sure but if you have any fab experience You will appreciate the DOM

 

[Chevy1925]

$400 for the Rhodes kit? guessing it's just ERW for that price and pre bent.



The other shops are probably using DOM. You might want to dig deeper into that.



If your not familiar with ERW Vs. DOM you might want to read up on it.



ERW is not a consistent wall thickness and usually needs to be a heavier gauge in order to pass tech. This will add weight to whatever your building...



Can you use ERW? Sure but if you have any fab experience You will appreciate the DOM

Even DOM is not consistent enough to use at .120 thickness. The Rhodes kit is .134, plenty good.

Btw, far as I’m concerned, unless you use chromoly, by the time you build a quality cage structure, whether it’s HREW or DOM, they both hold up the same. There is some cheats you can do with HREW to keep its strength in a bend. Chromoly will far out do either and I’d much rather use it but nhra old school thought on the fact TIG must be used to weld chromoly limits people and frankly is out of date....

 

[1FastBrick]

Even DOM is not consistent enough to use at .120 thickness. The Rhodes kit is .134, plenty good.

Btw, far as I’m concerned, unless you use chromoly, by the time you build a quality cage structure, whether it’s HREW or DOM, they both hold up the same. There is some cheats you can do with HREW to keep its strength in a bend. Chromoly will far out do either and I’d much rather use it but nhra old school thought on the fact TIG must be used to weld chromoly limits people and frankly is out of date....

I only use chromoly on cages any way. From what I remember, The price difference between DOM and Chromoly was a small amount compared to the price of ERW.

 

[Chevy1925]

I only use chromoly on cages any way. From what I remember, The price difference between DOM and Chromoly was a small amount compared to the price of ERW.

absolutely!