I'm planning on getting a roll cage on a Vitara project that Im planning.

Question is, first - what type of pipe bender would I need to make my own?? and where would I get the steel tube?

Secondly, if thats going to be tricky, can anyone recommend a company that would build me a roll cage???

Thanks

Jim

Do you have any experiance in fabrication? If not start small and work up to a cage. That or the offroad armoury will do you one (Among other places), try there website for phone numbers etc.

The cheapest bender suitible is something like this:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ipe-bender

Similar ones are cheaper else where.

Get the tube from youre local metal supplies place, in my opinion the minimum you want is 48 x 3.2mm blue band as far as i can remember thats the minimum listed in the MSA book as well.

Another thing, do you're research! Find out what makes a cage strong, the best way to weld it together, bending techniques etc... Theres a rollcage 101 in the how to section, on pirate 4x4 there is also a tube bending 101 (I was going to post that link up but kept forgetting)

Also, dont listen to me, theres a million different opinions on roll cages and i dont claim to know what im talking about which is why im not giving any specifics on what you should actualy make. Like i say do youre research, decide what you want from youre cage, how elaborate you want it to be etc... And work within youre ability.

As above i would only do a cage if i was 100% happy that my welds were sound, there is the other argument that somethings better than nothing, if you go on other forums you can get lambasted for suggesting using scaffold tube etc.

Rob at the Off road Armoury will either do a custom cage or just a rear hoop.

Calmini do Vitara cages also.

Richie

This is a picture i saw a while ago and have been searching for and i finally i came across it again, it really shows how internal cross bracing is necessary;

NEVER use that kind of bender for a cage, it's (almost) impossible to do a proper bend in those without seriosly distorting or crushing the tubing.

If you're good at welding get a pre-bent kit, they're really arn't that expensive. The offroad armory one looks like a nice kit to me.

Others will disagree on the bender, ive never used one.


I am going to have to bend my own roll cage, what type of bender would you recommend?

I know that some people say you can use them, and have seen some successful bends done, but it seems you have to use very hick walled tubing and modify the bender and pack the tube full of sand and other stuff. EDIT: I have also seen ALOT of really scary home built cages with wrinkled tubing, It's just a false sense of security. I have also seen cages come apart in rolls. But most of them were welded plumbning angles.

http://home.flash.net/~dgjco/rmd%20rota ... bender.htm this type of bender makes strong uniform bends.

A basic cage is not expensive to get so I don't se any reason to skimp on saftey and bend it with an inferior bender at home.

Thats the thing, i dont want a basic cage, nor will a basic cage fit my car.


And bloody ell' that bender is expensive! Im not that rich.