would this be stronger than welding

[Jeepspeedster]

Looking at building a bolt on cage. I know all race org. want you to weld it.
Like to know what your thoughts are on this type of joints.

Clamp on Vs. Weld on

Thanks

[Waldo]

I wouldn't think any "clamp" is stronger than a good weld. Plus, with vibration, what's going to stop the bolts from wiggling?

Did you do the welding in the photo?

[Jeepspeedster]

Does Anyone here has access to a tensile strength test machine? I like to take the joints to the break point and compare the two.
Back in collage days, at Cal Poly, the engineering material class had the machines. Does anyone here goes to a engineering school or has ties with one?

Thanks
Steve

[McClintock]

I attend Cal Poly Pomona, im only a freshman, so i doubt i could get the pull and get the tests. However, on this board v8ranger just graduated from Cal Poly Pomona, and was the leading builder of the Mini Baja, so I am sure he has all the connections to the labs and professors. Let me know if you need anymore help, more then willing. As for personal preference, id rather keep it simple and just weld it..

[Jeepspeedster]

It's matter of shipping to and installing by an average Joe who doesn't have a Welder and wants to keep the interior inplace while being safe when racing.
A true pre-runner/ daily driver class

How do I get in touch with v8ranger?

Steve

[ntsqd]

Not all org require a welded cage. SCCA allows bolt together cages in certain classes. The most common source for those is a company called something like "AutoPower" or similar and they're in the greater SD area if my memory is still working.

A bolted together cage could be quite strong, but the joints would need to be designed with intelligence. All it can be counted on to be is a protection cage, trying to feed chassis loads thru it would not be reasonable.

[McClintock]

you can PM him through this site, username: v8ranger

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

"would this be stronger than welding"

Assume the clamp is stronger than a weld; then the weak point is where the clamp is welded to its tube. What’s the point?

[FullsizeFun]

and there is nothing to keep it from sliding on the tube

[FABRICATOR]

Any structural load put through that clamp would make it one heck of a stress riser. Movement would turn it into a lathe or crimping tool.

[Marshall]

Im think SCCA has banned any bolt in cages. also they require you to weld it to the pan of uni-bodied cars.

[ntsqd]

It's possible. Been a while since I ran a car thru their tech. Given the general lack of proper safety requiements at Tech they could've elim'd tham since few would stay on top of their maint. (Torque the bolts periodically etc.)

[Racbaja]

Steve' where did you get that clamp? I need one for a bumper application.

[roach]

hows it going steve??? hey, i am not sure if you are just tying in certain sections of the cage, or trying to make the entire cage removable, but i would not be betting much on that kind of cage. usually clamps are reserved for bumpers, tire mounts, anything not too structial. like ramsey said, so the clamp is stonger than the weld, what about where the weld is at the clamp?? isnt that the same difference??? curious as to what you are doing exactly

[ntsqd]

Search McMaster.com for shaft collars and rigid couplers.