PVC or CPVC Roll cage

[michael prather]

Hi, I was woundering if it is safe to use pvc or cpvc pipe for a roll cage. I was thinking about putting it on a murray explorer and my idea is to get some 1" pipe and with a table saw cut a line down it so it is in a "c" shape and driving it into some 1 1/4" pipe. then I would heat diffrent points of th pipe and bend it to shape. I would also add plenty of reinforcement to it. I wanted to know if this would be strong enough to handle a roll. The attached picture is the general shape I like but I would have more support added and it would be on a murray explorer.

Thank you for your time!

 

[Doc Sprocket]

What, plastic? Absolutely not!

Oh- And welcome to the forum!

 

[r97]

PVC pipe for a roll cage is a very bad idea, I'm sorry but the pipe will just bend and then shatter into very sharp pieces. The roll cage pictured is made from solid steel tubing.

 

[r_chez_08]

I can see your idea. However, PVC can shatter easily. Most plastics would not be strong enough with the same dimensions as a 'standard' steel pipe which is used for a roll cage.

 

[Swabbster]

use 1 and 1/4 or 1 and 1/2, steel pipe, 1/8 thick, for a roll cage you want to to be strong it could mean life or death,

 

[OzFab]

Every roll cage I have ever seen is made of steel. Even nascars, dragsters, etc, worth in excess of half a mil still use steel rollcages

 

[Mr.Tan]

it should be common sense that using that for a rollcage would NOT be safe... Steel ONLY!! you don't want to kill yourself

 

[landuse]

You can use the PVC if you like....but wrap it around steel

 

[OzFab]

You can use the PVC if you like....but wrap it around steel

 

[ML-TOYS]

Heres a what could happen?........

 

[r_chez_08]

Wow- a little graphic, but true.

 

[shakey0818]

You could fill the PVC with cement..

 

[Mcbreja]

Then you will add an extra hundred pounds to your cart before it snaps and punches through your skull.

Besides, do you know how bad cement dust in a cut burns?

 

[devino246]

You could fill the PVC with cement..

Except that concrete has horrible tensile strength, hence the reason they usually embed steel rebar in it.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Yup- all you'd have in a crash is PVC shards, and chunks of concrete and cement dust. I know- Let's build a cage out of steel tubing! Wacky, I know- but stay with me!

 

[sexyvicta]

ok so concrete inside pcv with rebar in the middle?

do that.

 

[r97]

ok so concrete inside pcv with rebar in the middle?

do that.

You forgot to duct tape the connections!

 

[klicky96]

You could go the cheaper, less cooler looking way and build a cage from 1-1/2" angle. Yes, the angle will hold, and around my town, angle is a lot cheaper than steel tubing.

 

[deloreanaka8]

For a real solid and safe rollcage you need to use chromium molybdenum steel tubbing.
Pvc for a rollcage, only when the rider is a action man or a ken...

Btw, ML-TOYS, where did you get those gorish pics from?

 

[OzFab]

ok so concrete inside pcv with rebar in the middle?

do that.

... & we're back to steel...

Btw, ML-TOYS, where did you get those gorish pics from?

They're stills from one of the Final Destination movies