Roll bar Installation Bolt vs Weld

[Benny920]

I have the below roll bar bolted in to the body and everythings good. My question is, what is the advice/guidance on bolting the kicker tubes to the header tube (current design) vs welding the kicker tubes to the header tube which would be some extra work. I assume there might be a few opinions on the and curious what they might be. I feel a welded joint would be better stronger and look "cleaner" then bolting it.

https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-ford-bronco-4-point-interior-bar

 

[Steve83]

Feelings aren't engineering. Either trust the engineers who designed it, or design your own.

But it's VERY important to note that it is NOT a "roll bar". It is only cosmetic - it serves no structural function, so its strength is not relevant. That's why it's only bolted together - so it's easier to remove when you get tired of having it in the way. Welding it together will not increase its strength.

 

[SteveL]

If you're running topless Junk that bar and think about getting one from protofab or bailiebuilt

 

[Broncobowsher]

Looks like a copy of the old Smittybuilt bar. They are actually useful regaurdless of what some people think. They work best for a side flop. It hits and stops the roll. Without it a side flop can continue into a full roll. Not the greatest for a hard core trail rig, but simple and effective enough for a street/light trail rig.

I like them bolted in. When I did the cage my friend who was helping was ready to burn it straight to the body. I took the bolt in approach. A few years later I did a paint job. I took it out to get a better paint job. Good thing it was bolted in.

 

[DirtDonk]

Kickers welded AND bolted seems best to me.
But only for a single aspect.
For everything else, including the mentioned maintenance and eventual need to remove the bar for whatever reason, welding would make it extremely difficult.
If you have welded kickers, I can almost guarantee you can’t remove the bar without removing the top also. And if the kickers are welded in such a way as to be a very tight fit inside the body, you may never get it out.
Front bars for a full cage are almost always welded, and they are usually pain to work around.
But they are probably welded for a reason I’m guessing. However, that reason might simply be for ease of installation.

 

[Wild horse 75]

It’s going to have a lot to do with your welding skills. A bolt is far superior to a crappy weld any day. A bolt held in double shear is very strong, the weakness will come from the tubing itself. I say do whatever you’re most comfortable with and not worry about it.

 

[Benny920]

Thanks for the inputs!

 

[FordBronc]

Your call and things to consider when light bar versus roll cage shopping.

 

[Broncobowsher]

#10 and #29 are where a single hoop bar works.
#29 kept the Bronco from turning into #10.

Now going to a full cage, that's another level above a single bar.

 

[Gsxr7000]

Showing the wife this thread so I can justify me buy a family cage.

 

[Steve83]

Just remember that the more weight you add above the CG, the more likely you are to end up as #29, and #29 is NOT the goal. Keeping it upright is the goal, which is why it takes actual engineering to design an effective ROPS without causing a RO. A huge tangle of welded pipe isn't.