How Safe Are Pre-Fabbed Family Cages?

[Jambi]

How safe are the family cages that come from ProtoFab, WH, TBP, Bailie, etc.? I have two little boys (1 1/2 and 3 1/2) that I'd like to take four wheeling with my wife and I this summer, but I want to make sure the boys are safe. I won't be doing anything extreme, but safety is imperative. My wife is very reluctant to put the boys in my Bronco due to safety concerns. (I've made other necessary safety improvements as discussed in other threads)

I'm sure ultimate safety from a family cage standpoint would be a custom, well triangulated cage, welded to the frame, etc. but I know going custom can be very expensive compared to the pre-fabbed ones.

I checked with a local fab shop and he kind of downplayed cage "kits" saying they tend to use inferior tubing and give a false sense of security. Marketing ploy? He did a nice custom cage for a 76 Bronco that he said cost about $4000. Wondering what people's thoughts and experiences are with family cages.

 

[rguest3]

I kinda agree with local fab guy. The kits are very nice and the fit has been good with the one's I have installed. They DO NOT, however, have DOM tubing. So, they may not be as strong/safe as you might think.

 

[okorangebrnco]

The Bailie cage I have is built very well. I have no ill feelings putting my 5 year old in the back seat. Kyle Malone wheels more extreme than I do and his twins go with him with a very similar Bailie cage. I only endorse Gordon because his cage is top quality and he has proof that his cage will with stand freeway crashes. Plus his design has been through one hell of a design and research stage before he let the final design out the door. He is also VERY insistent that his cages ship pre-welded because that is his peace of mind that quality is not hindered at all.

Levi

 

[u10072]

The PF is a very nicely built and welded cage. I wouldn't run the BB but I'm pretty biased against the design. For $4000 in an EB the cage should be DOM, TIG welded, include any possible option to the cage you could possibly want,powdercoated, and installed-- thats satire for -- thats really expensive for an EB cage that isn't damn near artwork.

 

[broncnaz]

Id say you really have to look at overall use of a bronco cage. Its pretty unlikely that you will need one that can take a 100+ mph crash. Most bronco rollovers are at very slow speed. Pretty much any of the cages built by the vendors will be fine. So people stating that you must have custom DOM tubing ect are blowing smoke to a point cause they do have a point but its more overkill unless you intend to roll your bronco.

While tying the cage into the frame is the best way few people actually do it as its not easy to do on a bronco. So most of the people that have cages/roll bars havent tied them into the frame but they still have rollovers and with almost no damage to the rollbar itself no matter if it wasnt DOM tubing.

 

[68rockcrawler]

Extreme custom parts has a family cage kit that can be upgraded from the basic HREW ($629) to DOM ($829) http://extremecustomparts.com/i-593...td-66-77-bronco-6-point-30-free-shipping.html

 

[treihesse]

I would never worry about a NON race car or dedicated buggy made out of hrew. Dom or chromoly steel is great but unnecessary for most of our applications. The main concern they have for seemed tubing is it fractures under major stress. Dom tends to stay together. We are talking about several hard rollovers at speed. The hrew steel is fine and so are the kits. Add some gussets and kickers to all the kits because they tend to be under designed

 

[lowbush]

I wouldn't run the BB but I'm pretty biased against the design.

I have built a lot of cages in my time and I can tell you that the BB cage is the best designed off the shelf Bronco cage offered, a a-pillar halo spreads the load of a roll over across a single continuous loop of tube as well as gives it a smooth side profile that cannot catch and shear away should you be in the unfortunate situations of sliding upside down. Seconds the double-B pillars place vertical support where it is needed most at center mass of the vehicle as well it is the only cage that I am aware of that runs spreader bars on the B-pillars (spreader bars on the B pillar have been show to be far stronger than frame tie-ins) so A and C are tied to the frame with the dual-B hoop distributing load across the frame, further it distributed it where the seat mounts are so there is no chance of a tie in failure allowing a punch thru and having a B-pillar collapse down. In my opinion the BB is probably the safest cage offered out of the pre-built bronco cages on the market. It is a well thought out cage that you can tell comes from a truck cage builder. There are things I like set up different in my cages that I do for myself, but I always run an A-pillar hallo and a double-B pillar spreaders. To me those are two of the safest features a truck cage can incorporate. That being said my understanding is that BB does not and will not offer their cages in DOM tubing, which is unfortunate, it's not a huge step up from HREW but in certain situations HREW's seam can split where the rolling of the seam in DOM reduces the likelihood of splitting.

As for the custom builder that the original poster was talking about and the particular tubing he was talking about. You should find out two things from that building, are they a truck cage builder or a race cage builder and what tubing are they recommending. If they are recommending DOM over HREW then it's a sound recommendation but remember this, a superior designed HREW cage will survive far more than an inferior DOM cage. DOM is a better choice but it's not a silver bullet.

If the builder is recommending chromoly then they are a race car builder and you should walk away. chromoly is a good material for cages that will not be in use long and there are special considerations that have to be made when it is welded, specifically it has to be annealed especially at the joints after it is welded. Even after annealing it, chromoly work hardens and it will eventual fracture at the weld joints in a very sharp and jagged fracture. This is not a problem for a race car that will only see a few seasons, it's a huge problem for a truck that has already seen 40 years because that cage will most likely be in there a decade later. A lot of street races cage builders dabble in truck cages and the use race techniques specifically making weight tradeoffs for chromoly when you can run thicker and heavier DOM and have a far safer cage. Racers cant sacrifice the power-loss, weekend wheelers can, because we are far more likely to see the lid one day. An improperly built chromoly cage can be a death trap (conversely there is nothing stronger when done right). You should really know the builders reputation if they are recommending chromoly, it has to be done right. In my opinion it's just too much risk for a truck cage. For 4 grand though I suspect you are talking to a race builder that is recommending chromoly.

 

[jperry1290]

Also depends on how its mounted to the floor. I sandwiched the floor between footers and steel plate

 

[Broncobowsher]

I have known a Protofab cage to be in a high speed highway crash. If you went to the AZ stampede and say a big guy in a bright orange jacket, it was him. Bronco exploded. Axles came off, engine came out, cage left the body. seats and seatbelts were attached to the cage. He walked away.

The fab guy bad mouthing Protofab cages doesn't know the cages. He may have experience with other cage kits, but he doesn't know all of them. If any of the venders made a bad cage it would be well known around these parts.

 

[Jambi]

Anyone know the reputation of Bronco Bob's cage?

 

[bronconut73]

Bronco Bobs are the cages Lowbush was complimenting in his post above. Lots of good info there.

 

[Airmapper]

Bronco Bobs are the cages Lowbush was complimenting in his post above. Lots of good info there.

I thought he was talking about Bailie Bilt. But it is getting confusing with Bronco Bob having the same abbreviation.

Bailie Built is the only pre-fab cage I'm aware of right now that has a double B pillar that crosses over the frame rails. That s the primary reason I'm considering one myself.

 

[brewchief]

Id say you really have to look at overall use of a bronco cage. Its pretty unlikely that you will need one that can take a 100+ mph crash. Most bronco rollovers are at very slow speed. Pretty much any of the cages built by the vendors will be fine. So people stating that you must have custom DOM tubing ect are blowing smoke to a point cause they do have a point but its more overkill unless you intend to roll your bronco.

While tying the cage into the frame is the best way few people actually do it as its not easy to do on a bronco. So most of the people that have cages/roll bars havent tied them into the frame but they still have rollovers and with almost no damage to the rollbar itself no matter if it wasnt DOM tubing.

I disagree with this a bit, I want a cage that will protect me in the event of a rollover at highway speed going to the trail or just driving to work, a slow speed trail flop isn't going to be an issue if a cage will handle a 70 mph multiple barrel roll.

To me proper cage design is more important then materiel used, DOM and HREW can both be used to make a very safe cage, I'd much rather have a HREW cage that's tied to the frame and has seats and harnesses mounted to it then a DOM cage that doesn't.

 

[bronconut73]

I thought he was talking about Bailie Bilt. But it is getting confusing with Bronco Bob having the same abbreviation.

Bailie Built is the only pre-fab cage I'm aware of right now that has a double B pillar that crosses over the frame rails. That s the primary reason I'm considering one myself.

You are right. Same abbreviations. Low will chime in soon.
I like that style too.

 

[treihesse]

Check out D & C extreme. He will bend them out of dom tube. I will burn it in. I built mine out of one. I added a bunch of extras though.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I disagree with this a bit, I want a cage that will protect me in the event of a rollover at highway speed going to the trail or just driving to work, a slow speed trail flop isn't going to be an issue if a cage will handle a 70 mph multiple barrel roll.

To me proper cage design is more important then materiel used, DOM and HREW can both be used to make a very safe cage, I'd much rather have a HREW cage that's tied to the frame and has seats and harnesses mounted to it then a DOM cage that doesn't.

That's where things get confusing. Get a cage too strong and it is a killer at highway speeds. Speed doesn't kill, it's the sudden stop at the end that kills.

The typical trail rig will usually only need to survive a flop. At worst a couple of low speed rolls. Keep you in and keep you from getting squished are all that really matter.

Now trying to make a modern crash system that new cars have, something that can take a high speed crash. Now we are in a totally different program. Yes, cages can be built so the rig survives, but you will be dead. Bending, folding, tearing metal takes a lot of energy. If you are trying to make a Volvo out of a Bronco, you are living a lie.

 

[lowbush]

I thought he was talking about Bailie Bilt. But it is getting confusing with Bronco Bob having the same abbreviation.

Bailie Built is the only pre-fab cage I'm aware of right now that has a double B pillar that crosses over the frame rails. That s the primary reason I'm considering one myself.

Yep sorry I was talking about Bailie Bilt I forgot there was another company building cages with the abbreviation BB.

 

[bknbronco]

Im gona say any kit offered from the venders are just fine. There all the same to me. I looked at extreme customs cages for a long while because they ship unwelded and that saves a shit ton of coin. Shipping a welded cage is gona run probably $500. Im not sure just because some local guy charges $4000 for a cage its worth it. I brought a drawing to a local shop and they quoted me at least 3K. To me id rather buy a bender and do it myself for around a grand.

To me a family cage, is a family cage, is a family cage. If you wana get really crazy you can tie the seats and belts in but its overkill. That time and money would be better spent tieing the cage to the frame. There is no way the cage will ever separate from the body, so im alright with tub mounted seats and cage mounted belts.

If you have a ton of money then get crazy and get a cage with all the add on's. I live below the poverty line so ill be happy with anything that gets me past the tec inspections at the local events. I looked at all the cages offered for the last few years, and im gona just buy a bender and a die and make my own. I haven't saw a mass produced cage that has the look im after. I hate the front bars in the way of stuff although going through the dash is a great way to fix that....kinda. Im building mine with plate steel lower legs that don't get in the way of anything and are almost hidden.

But the original question...."how safe is a prefabbed family cage?"
My answer is 99% safe, 99% of the time.

 

[jlylec]

I think Bkn is right that family cages are 99% safe, 99% of the time...but I don't agree at all that they're all the same. I was in this exact same situation with 2 little girls and a worried wife. I researched ALL of them (pretty sure) for months before settling on the Bailie Bilt family cage. I even spoke with Gordon for 30-45 minutes before placing the order. Gordon is a very smart and conscientious and he builds a hell of a cage. I love mine and like Lowbush said the design is so well thought out. It's certainly not the cheapest, but look at what you're buying. Don't go cheap on safety.