[hgs_notes]

I've mostly been working lately and not doing much in the garage. I've been buying tool stuff and I finally have everything together for me to try my TIG set up. I have the bender now, but not the dies, those will be available fairly soon I think. I have a chop saw, band saw, belt sander, disc sander, tube notcher, MIG/TIG/Stick welder options, cutting torch, levels, squares, angle finders, clamps and just about anything else I can think of that I may need.

I've been thinking about how all this needs to come together and I think I'm gonna start with the cage work in order to get the frame stabilized. Then do the suspension/steering. I have a good idea of where I think the link brackets on the frame should go, but haven't had the chance to mock that up yet to see how/if it will work. Just mind exercises at this point. I keep reading and researching and I'm finding that there is good info on what NOT to do when building a cage, but as for how it should be done is fairly wide open. Basically make it fit, make it out of the right materials, triangulate, gusset, make good welds and don't do the things you're NOT supposed to do.

If anyone has a good book or other resource they think will help me out then please share. The only books I have found are for building race cars, which I'm sure have good info, but nothing so far truck/offroad related that has any specifics on cage fabrication. Even the sanctioning bodies aren't much help. Their rules are basically that the weight of the vehicle determines tube size and that it should be well built and engineered and if the tech inspector doesn't like it then you're SOL.

So as of now the plan is to use 2" .120 wall tubing. Probably an 8 point cage minimum with tie in to the frame by the radiator, the A and B pillars and behind the rear axle. I may add some boxing plates into key areas of the frame. I may replace some cross members and/or add some to help stiffen it. I will re-inforce the steering box area and where the link brackets attach to the frame.