Roll cage for RRC.

[hermanpj]

what about the question of using the internal roll cage to support increased loading /weight on roof rack?

i have also read where total roof load including rack must no exceed a very low weight.

so it seems like as long as one is building a roll cage inside, he should somehow tie it not only through the floor to the chassis, but tie it to the frame at the A,B and C pillars and/or somehow go through the roof to provide mount points for the roof rack.

i see lot of adds for hanibal roof tent systems that boast they will sleep 2 people comfortably. so given an official roof weight limit of 75 kilo, which is about what the avg man weighs, either that weight limit is overly conservative by a large margin, or there is somebody out there who has solved this problem.

any thoughts.

[roverandom]

The problem I can forsee with the internal roll cage connected to the roof rack is that over rough terrain the roll cage will move with the frame and the body (mounted on rubber) will move somewhat less. Now I realize we are only talking a small difference in movement here but clearance must be provided to ensure no body to roll cage/roof rack binding and poss damage. For me, clearance for body to roll cage at the roof = water leaks. As for the hanibal roof racks, they cost so much $$$ I think that they must come with a new Rover under them with a heavy duty roof ! or, they just don't care.

[hermanpj]

yeah but follow this - what if you weld the internal roll cage to a plate inside the body on the floor, and then that plate is in turn bolted to the chassis through the floor?. If you did that, and maybe if you welded vertical members of the rollcage to the body A and B pillars on each side, then it would seem that you would be locking the chassis, cage, and body respective of each other. then it would seem that anything you put on the roof would transfer load to the pillars, which would in turn transfer load to the roll cage, which would in turn transfer to the frame.

the only place where there would be stress would be those bolts where the cage mounts to the chassis - but i believe something like this is commonly done on internal roll cages...

not sure - but this is something i wanted to solve before i plan roof rack, roll cage and cargo system

[astateofmike]

Originally Posted by hermanpj

yeah but follow this - what if you weld the internal roll cage to a plate inside the body on the floor, and then that plate is in turn bolted to the chassis through the floor?. If you did that, and maybe if you welded vertical members of the rollcage to the body A and B pillars on each side, then it would seem that you would be locking the chassis, cage, and body respective of each other. then it would seem that anything you put on the roof would transfer load to the pillars, which would in turn transfer load to the roll cage, which would in turn transfer to the frame.

the only place where there would be stress would be those bolts where the cage mounts to the chassis - but i believe something like this is commonly done on internal roll cages...

not sure - but this is something i wanted to solve before i plan roof rack, roll cage and cargo system

I think you bolt the frame to the floor, then you have the contination bolted/welded to the frame, but you insert a slug inside the piece to prevent shear loads on the two plates...but that's only how I would build it. Then you could lift the body off, but if it rolled over, the cage would not shear the bolts. but hey, I am not a cage builder.....

[roverandom]

Stand-by, Penny dropping!

[roverandom]

I think I see your point. If I understand your post correctly what you are saying is that by welding a internal cage to the body and attaching it to the frame you will eliminate any clearance/binding issues ? But what of the rubber body mounts? replace them for solid steel mounts? That could open up a very big vibration tin of worms. I have started thinking again about the external cage idea. Got some good ideas from Protection and Performance roll cages out of the UK (www.protectionandperformance.co.uk) check them out, from the pic's it looks like they do some fine work, some of the neatest welds ive ever seen!