WRC style gussets for rollcage.

[Suvi]

Hi

There aren't really many pic's of these on the internet.
here are few.
http://image.europeancarweb.com/f/10..._roll_cage.jpg
http://octanereport.com/upload/image...ta-wrc-001.jpg

Anyone know how these curved gussets are made in one piece? I was think that first you need to bend the sheetmetal and then use roll bending machine with some special dies to give it arc?

Any ideas?

[H80N]

Suvi
if I am looking at the right part of your pics.... it looks like they are bandsawed out of prebent tube then plated on top.... and Tigged together..

Heiti

[Suvi]

i think you are looking at the rihght part. but it seems that is made in one piece instead.

There is no sign of welding or head affected zone here.

[H80N]

Suvi
if not made from tube and plates it could have been made from two pieces with the weld seam along the center of the curvature... that is how I would do it in my shop.... in order produce that part as a single piece... it would take a large industrial press.... those parts may be available but I have not seen them..(would take a lot of power to stamp those shapes...)

you have aroused my curiosity though... I will do some looking and asking around and see what I can find,,,,

also Andy Weyenberg, the super-moderator here knows a lot about cage and chassis fab... having many years experience with NASCAR construction... maybe he will have some info to enlighten us...

BTW... here is a link to the NASA Rally cage guidelines... they may be helpful...

http://www.nasarallysport.com/rules-...Appendix-B.pdf

[H80N]

The pre made "Taco Shell" gussets that I am finding are straight not gracefully curved like your examples...

http://www.pacificcustoms.com/rollcages.html

[Suvi]

But i think it's a rule that gusset for rollcage has to be made out of one piece?
From Appendix B – Roll Cage Construction
"U-shaped sheet metal (taco shell). Refer to figure 253-
34 below. Minimum thickness is .040” (1 mm). Minimum
length along the unwelded side of the gusset is 3 times
the tubing diameter"

But as you think that to make it in two pieces, should be really easy. It should be possible to make dolly even out of wood. Clamp sheet flat and tight to curved shaped dolly and hammer it over with wooden or plastic hammer. (it should leave very good surface) make 2 pieces, trim them and weld.


You quote Estonian saying saying in your signature. Any connection with the country?

[Suvi]

Googled a little. And here did one guy use hammerforming to do somehting similar
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/5779/imgp5746.jpg
http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/4056/imgp5720.jpg
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/7240/imgp5721v.jpg

But still this 2 piece seems to be the half way for me. Hope we can figure it out how these can be made in one piece with not so expensive and hard way.

[H80N]

But as you think that to make it in two pieces, should be really easy. It should be possible to make dolly even out of wood. Clamp sheet flat and tight to curved shaped dolly and hammer it over with wooden or plastic hammer. (it should leave very good surface) make 2 pieces, trim them and weld.

You quote Estonian saying saying in your signature. Any connection with the country?

I would have to sit down and read the rules but if allowable I would CNC some hammerforms and make the halves... will have to explore the rules to find out... here is a link to the FIA Docs..

http://www.fia.com/sport/Regulations/rallyregs.html

as per your second question... I sent you a PM....

[H80N]

Suvi
I enhanced and blew up thathe Taco Shell detail on that Tuareg Rally chassis you provided.. maybe somebody has a clue as to the supplier.. or a supplier of stampings with curvature...similar...

[BELLBOYMOTORSPORTS]

Future rally car builder

this is a question best suited for company's like M-Sport or Vermont SportsCar since the are the builders of the most rally cars that I know of plus if im not mistaken were the first to cage the new ford fiestas which is where that second pic came from. M-Sport is the only ford backed major team in the WRC and Vermont Sportscar built Ken Blocks new fiesta and all Travis pastrana's Subaru WRX's for rally America and Xgames. Just check some of my info the in car pic posted is indeed from a M-Sport built ford fiesta rally car

[H80N]

Bellboy
good thought... shot off an email to VSC.... see what we get....

[BELLBOYMOTORSPORTS]

i really do try to respond on thing i know and rally is one of my passions and i figured out i could help steer this in the right direction since building rally cars and off road vehicles is why i decided to learn tig welding

[H80N]

would be nice to have a source for the deep drawn curved "taco shell" gussets...
thanks....

[H80N]

Vsc

Got a nice response back from Chris Yandel from VSC


"Typically those gussets are homologated as part of the supplied cage kit, and as such are supplied with the cage kit. We design and homologate our cage kits with Custom Cages who supply us the kits.

http://www.customcages.co.uk/homepage

Regards,
the Vermont SportsCar team"

[Suvi]

found this pic
Here you can really see that this gusset is made out of 2 pieces.


But this one in blue box seems to have no weld along the curvature. The heat should leave it's marks. But on other gussets on this frame it seems that they are made out of 2 pieces.