Roll Bar Install - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

LS1ow · 09-24-2019, 10:38 AM

possibly dumb question en route.

While halfway done with the fitting and install of my S&W Race Car mild steel cage, i came across a Wolfe Racing ChroMoly cage on Craigslist locally.

For the price i couldn't pass it up, and therefor now i have a Wolfe 6 point.

My only complaints is that it is a bolt in unit, and has a bolt in removable cross bar for the main hoop. Wolfe encourages welding the rear bars to the main hoop, so obviously some welding is possible. So am i wrong for assuming i can just use the bolt in cage as weld in cage?

Im going to weld the rear bars to the main hoop as Wolfe recommends, but i would also like to permanently weld in the main hoop cross bar, and weld the mounting plates into the car.

i feel like the obvious answer is yes, it wont be a prob, but i just want to run it buy a few more smart minds and kohler.

WildBillyT · 09-24-2019, 10:49 AM

Maybe splitting hairs, but I'm not sure that the driver's side door bar would pass tech. That bend may be no bueno, especially if it doesn't run the bar in the right spot in relation to your arm.

LTb1ow · 09-24-2019, 01:05 PM

The bar in my car is a Wolfe bolt in that was bolted into Adam's car, welded in, then I removed it.

It was bolted into my car and then welded. The rear bars I sleeved with fish mouth cut steel tube.

The big thing will be getting the plates correct if it was removed poorly.

LS1ow · 09-24-2019, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTb1ow

The bar in my car is a Wolfe bolt in that was bolted into Adam's car, welded in, then I removed it.

It was bolted into my car and then welded. The rear bars I sleeved with fish mouth cut steel tube.

The big thing will be getting the plates correct if it was removed poorly.

its brand new in the foam still.

LTb1ow · 09-24-2019, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1ow

its brand new in the foam still.

Then bolt it in, then weld it.

The rear bars will suck to weld in car though.

LS1ow · 09-24-2019, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTb1ow

Then bolt it in, then weld it.

The rear bars will suck to weld in car though.

Welding rears to main hoop or rears to rear body?

sweetbmxrider · 09-24-2019, 08:41 PM

To main hoop. The main hoop cross bar must be welded in. Wolfe sells it both ways. Mine was welded in from them. Nhra requires it. I had low slung swing out door bars and never got hassled but I was never ls1 fast....

wretched73 · 09-25-2019, 06:48 AM

Also, don't forget chromolly needs to be Tig welded.

LS1ow · 09-25-2019, 08:58 AM

Whats the problem with welding in the car? Crap angle? dont forget i have T-tops.

planned on getting everything set bolt in wise, pull the door bars out and slide the main hoop/rear bars forwards a bit and weld around them completely in car. then slide the assembly back and weld in to chassis.

LTb1ow · 09-25-2019, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1ow

Whats the problem with welding in the car? Crap angle? dont forget i have T-tops.

planned on getting everything set bolt in wise, pull the door bars out and slide the main hoop/rear bars forwards a bit and weld around them completely in car. then slide the assembly back and weld in to chassis.

Ya t tops will make it easier to run a bead all the way around the rear bar to main hoop. You should sleeve over the bolted joint, but thats your call.

Are the rear legs straight back, or over the wheel wells?

LS1ow · 09-25-2019, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTb1ow

Ya t tops will make it easier to run a bead all the way around the rear bar to main hoop. You should sleeve over the bolted joint, but thats your call.

Are the rear legs straight back, or over the wheel wells?

i planned on leaving the bolts in along with the weld, sleeving wouldnt be a bad idea thou. Not sure how i would go about that however, i think the bend for the rear bar starts right off were it welds. not sure id be able to get another piece of pipe on there with enough play to slide down, weld up bar to hoop, and then slide up sleeve and weld. You'll see in the pic below, they start the down bend right off the hoop and then run straight before bending down.

and they are straight back over the seat style, these.

i reached out to wolfe to try to buy the normal to the wheel well bars, but they said the angle on main hoop differs from over the seat vs standard, and they are not interchangeable. I told them i assume they have a jig for the bars, and asked them to jig it with the over the seat main hoop, but wheel well rear bar jig, and they said it is not possible, and the bars would hit the glass on the hatch.

LTb1ow · 09-25-2019, 11:23 AM

Ooof, have fun welding over your fuel tank.

LS1ow · 09-25-2019, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LTb1ow

Ooof, have fun welding over your fuel tank.

sadly, i dropped it yesterday.

LS1ow · 09-25-2019, 06:18 PM

I have been swindled.

MDSheds_SS · 09-25-2019, 07:08 PM

I made mine out of PVC. Glue and primer FTW! No welding required and it’s light weight.

LTb1ow · 09-25-2019, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS1ow

I have been swindled.

This made me laugh.

Welcome to the party pal

sweetbmxrider · 09-26-2019, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDSheds_SS

I made mine out of PVC. Glue and primer FTW! No welding required and it’s light weight.

PVC Lock > *

LS1ow · 09-26-2019, 10:50 AM

so about that swindling.

After getting neg'd by wofle on not building me a set of standard bars to mount to over the seat main hoop... i bit the bullet and dropped the rear of the exhaust and the gas tank so i can safely weld the plates in the back without blowing anything up.

yesterday night, i go to get everything set so i know exactly were to hit with the flap disk to prep for welding. I take the rear bars out of the bubble wrap....

...guy i bought it from was wrong. They are not over the seat bars. they are standard. I get the bars i wanted... but pulled the exhaust and tank for nothing.

Blackbirdws6 · 09-26-2019, 11:41 AM

Good time to toss in a couple pumps or a big boy.

Pampered-Z · 10-02-2019, 09:40 AM

Just check that the bolt in plates are large enough. NHRA has a set size the plates need to be if not welded to the frame.

When we installed my cage even the NHRA approved size plates didn't give allot of room to weld the bar to them and didn't seem to provide much support, so we went larger. The swing outs flexed the floor boards, so we built extra bracing as well. Make sure you position the side bars and test closing the door as the side bar will be up against the door panel arm rest

For the side bars, the bar has to pass between your shoulder and elbow. I don't know about the Wolf, but some of the "street bars" set the side bar runs low and is not NHRA legal.

Also, BE CAREFUL welding in the base of the main hoop on the driver side, the plastic fuel lies run below where you are welding. Have been a few cases of people burning their cars to the ground!