DOM Tubing Online

Calling around to a few local shops they are charging outrageous prices for DOM roll cage tubing. I've looked and found it cheaper online even with shipping, but does anyone have a recommendation for the best place to get it?

I'm looking at 1.5" x .095", but still unsure on QTY and length. UPS limits it to 8' but even ordering 20' sticks freight shipping was only $85 so that seems like the best option because it's cheaper in longer sections.

 

Where you located

 

.095 wall seems thin for roll cage tubing.

 

.093” is normal for racecar stuff. Why DOM and not Docol? Seems like it is the way to go these days for anything structural.

Most of the time I get what I need from the Steel Store in downtown Chattanooga. Unless it is a substantial order then I get it through Siskin Steel, they are a nationwide outfit that has anything you’d want. Can get a contact name and number from a Nephew that works there but has moved into IT support now.

 

Yeah, I dont think you need DOM for a cage.

 

Typically you dont need it...but if you go with DOM Chrome moly steel you can down guage to ~.083 vs .120 for mild steel. But then you ahve to TIG weld all of it.

But those cages are usually 1 3/4 or 1 5/8....not 1 1/2... for street car based drag cars..
For places that ship you can try Wicks aircraft supply or Aircraft spruce. 4130 N steel is used in aircraft frames and other parts...its DOM chrome moly.

Whatcha building Scotty?

 

Not sure where you are located, but my local metals shop usually had pretty competitive prices. Especially for DOM. The were better than the internet every time.

 

Seamless for cages man. I have seen DOM split too many times. All sprint and midget chassis are seamless chrome molly for a reason. I have never understood why stockcar guys settle for lesser in their safety gear and construction. I still see guys in lower classes of stock cars wearing single layer, two piece uniforms. I just don’t understand it.

 

Make sure you double check your rule book if applicable... Don't waste your time building something that tech isn't going to like.

 

Safety. Chrome moly cars require more steps to build properly and normally aren’t as good long term.
All of the new DLM stuff is Docol R8 tubing. It is a big improvement from what I’ve heard, welds easier not requiring preheating and cooling measures that Moly does, much better metal memory also, in other words it absorbs stuff better and goes back to its original shape.

 

MIG welded DOM has been good enough for NASCAR all these years.. I dont see why its not sufficient for most other things.. (material and process req's may have changed since I last looked though)

On the other hand, I've seen PLENTY of 'moly cages snap in crashes. DOM usually bends/collapses before it breaks/splits. 'Moly has seems to break/split on abrupt impacts. Although, I see it rarely happening with sprint cars because they're significantly lighter than 3000-3500lb 6 second radial cars. They also do much better at energy shedding (components snapping and flying off the car during a crash like wheels and axles)

source* Me.. been building safety packages for race cars for a few years now. Mostly road race cars, and a few strip cars as well. Not sure what OP is building.

I will note that if given the green light by a customer I would use DOCAL seamless over DOM though. I'm not a super big fan of 4130 cages in heavy drag cars because of the breaking/splitting issues i've seen. I do think 4130/moly is the best choice for suspension components as well as lightweight cars like a open wheeler, or tube chassis silhouette road course car.

I think there are a lot of builders out there who don't know what they're doing with 4130. DOM is fine in most cases though. Just use the right shit called out by the rule book.

 

Huntsville Alabama

Everything I've researched from basic cages for street cars is DOM, I don't even know what Docol is to be honest but I'll look into it. No need or desire for chrome moly, plus I don't know how to TIG.

This is just a basic home built project so I can learn, at most will need to meet spec for a trackday which is where the 1.5"x.095" came from. It's a stripped down Miata, will be very light when completed.

 

If Moly is snapping then it was not welded right. You have to normalize it after you weld it. If you don't, then it will become hard and brittle. 4130 and 4140 were developed for the aircraft industry back when gas welding was the go to. The slower heating and cooling cycle of gas welding will normalize the metal. When TIG welding became popular then the process of normalizing became important. As for energy shedding doesn't happen much in Spring Cars. The only thing that can be shed is the axles really. The rest of the car IS basically the chassis. Not much to bend.

 

Why not call a local shop like Fusion Works and see who they use as a supplier. If you tell them what your doing I'd bet they'd be willing to point you in the right direction.

 

I'll check with them. Part of the issue is I assumed shipping would be outrageous, but now that I know it's not that bad it seems easier to just have it shipped to my house now that I'm 100% working from home for another few months at least.

 

Docol...ftw

And 093-095 is standard

 

You don't HAVE to Tig chromemoly...

 

We got 2 newer longhorn chassis. They are docol. And bad to the bone fast.

 

https://www.onlinemetals.com/en/buy/cold-roll-steel-round-tube?q=:name-asc&sort=name-asc#

If atlanta is close enough to drive, I think they have will call for 240" lengths.

 

We don't let him into Atlanta.

-steve