Welding Tips and Tricks

The connectors are solid 4130 chromoly. With 1/2" grade 8 hardware. I'm sure they are much stronger than the tubing itself. My welds from last night.

I think those connectors will be fine unless you get super, freaky wild... Grade 8 hardware isn't essentially "stronger than" CroMo tubing. There are numerous properties determining strength and "shear strength" on a bolt in that application is what you would also want to consider. Its tensile strength will deal with its stretch, but an impact can cause shear, so just bear that in mind for the future.

But as I said, I'm sure it will be fine as you have it. You've done a very nice job with all that tubing and welding.

From the research I was looking at on the fastenal site, 1/2" grade 8 bolt should have estimated 13,367lbs shear strength. Thanks for the compliment. I've got too many hours into building and designing it.

13,xxx sounds high doesn't it? I know I'd think, "Yeah, that's loads more than this thing weighs..."

But in truth, the vehicle weight, occupants, etc multiplied times velocity creates a mass of far greater "lbs" under an impact. Figure that Razr weighs about 1,500# dry. Add your tubing, fuel, and 2 humans (another 400#) in their gear and you are over 1 ton. Hit something solid at 25MPH and you will be surprised at the force of impact on a bolt. Or a weld.

Your design is fine, and your hardware choice is too. Just giving you some background on structural properties and metallurgy parameters.

Finish welding it up tomorrow then get some paint on it.

looks tight!

Thanks oscar.

Looks great Matt. Thumbs up.

What bender did you get? Did you like it? What type of setup did you go with for the copes? After all the discussion did you decide on filler size or just what was needed for each quality of fit up? Did you decide to back purge?

Looks like a lot of enjoyable work. Good for you!

I got the JD2 model 32 bender with the swag hydraulic adapter. Worked great. I used 1/16" rod for most of the welds. Used 3/32" for the connectors with more amperage to get more filler built up. I used a sync180jr notcher. It worked great too.

Epoxy primer and some ppg base coat clear coat.

Getting close.

Looks good. Certifiable is a question engineers will debate for years to come. Better than no cage? Undeniable.

All wrapped up finally

I haven't seen any of the utv racing series that I've researched certifying the cages. They have requirements and at track inspections though. The series I want to run in, it more than meets their requirements. As fun as it was to design, build and weld, I'm glad its finally done. Now I can get back to some track time. Thanks for all the help from everyone.

Even washed it.

So it is a bit too late for it to matter but grinding marks on cages are usually instant failures for tech inspection in racing. I'm not sure what you are prepping the surface with but with thin wall like that, I hope you didn't take much off. A scotch bright belt in a belt grinder will let you clean to bare metal with essentially no dimensional change.

-Sandow

I used scotchbrite discs on a right angle drill.

I'll take my cut of that check please

You should have gotten it in the mail by now. Damn mailman might have kept it.

lol, probably! nice accomplishment!

Congratulations, Matt.