A front leg for a cage is easier to bend than, a front hoop because all the bends are on the same axis.
But someone on the LC board mentioned to me that the front hoop is stronger that two front legs connected with a spreader bar.
I've attached some pics to make it more clearer, wich design is the strongest and why??
I am not a cage guru, but since no one else has answered this yet I'll take a stab at it. I think the matter of one design being stronger than the other depends on the direction of the impact. Since most flops are to the side instead of end over end, you want something that can withstand impacts from the side.
I would think that #2 (with bars going from front to back) would be the best for this because at the joint, the BAR will absorb the impact instead of the weld. Adding gussets doesn't hurt either!
If I am full of shit, someone please set me straight.
All three can be equally effective if attention has been paid to load transfers in the event of a roll.
Somethings to consider though.
There are advantages to each depending on the direction of the flop/roll. If it flops rolls to the rear the second design would be more effective because the material is uniform, not welded, along the path the force is going to take.
If it flops/rolls to the side the first design is better for the same reason.
The third design, Halo, is not as strong in my opinion because the highest material integrity (the halo) is not tied to the frame. Althought the cage in the 3rd pic isn't a complete halo, it's more a combination of 1 & 3.
This does not take into account the bracing that has been done. This will negate each designs "weakness" at the cost of additional weight.
The best design, for two passangers, IMHO is along the lines of the first pic. Hoops front and behindthe driver, with braces to the front and to the rear on the main hoop. Then triangulate the main hoop (an X behind the driver), along with stringers triangulating front to rear. The best compromise of weight and strength.
EDIT: This is not critism of the above cages, I would trust all of the designs. I am speaking of the general designs, i.e. 1) Hoops front & rear; 2) Hoop front to rear; 3) Halo front to rear welded to vertical stringers.
I think a front hoop would be better in case of a high impact side roll. You would try to break the weld between the legs and the spreader. The weld may be strong, still it's more brittle (which means it absorbs less energy when failing) than a hoop which has not undergone the heat treatment a weld makes : annealing then quenching kinda. Yes the weld may be strong, and the unaffected metal around could absorb the energy of the impact, but IF the impact is in the precise direction where it would stress the weld mainly (of which I dunno the probability), I think the hoop design would be better.
Still, if welded properly, any of these designs would be plenty safe already I think. It's just that the hoop design seems to make more sense to me.
I've read in PEterson's and Fourwheeler a number of eyars ago...
The Halo IS THE strongest
Front Hoop second
Dual front legs is the weakest...
Not a guro, just recalling what I have read.
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