I just got back from BMG Metals with the square tubing and round pipe. I was very nervous as it's about 200 lbs up there on the rack. I wedged some scrap lumber/dunnage between the bottom of the cross bars and the roof surface to restrain the deflection. Then I ratchet strapped the ends to the headache rack and through the cab in the front. I was driving slowly and deliberately with the flashers in the slow lane. Still, someone saw fit to speed past me and the other cars in that lane while merging, fly up 5 or six cars and then abruptly change lanes and dramatically reduce their speed. Great. Chain reaction resulted in a panic stop for everyone else (including yours truly) that happened to be behind Mr. Jeff Gordon. All the same, the load stayed secure.
Although this is not the preferred implement, this is the poor man's answer to bending pipe/tubing. It is a pipe bender, but countless forums provide mixed reviews for the efficacy of a pipe bender when working with tubing (or pipe) for offroad fabrication. Generally, the consensus is that a proper tubing bender (upwards of $1,000) is the appropriate setup for roll cage construction and those related components having life-safety implications. Rock sliders and other less-critical systems can be done, with care and often mixed results, with a pipe bender. So, I'm going to give it a go.
The material and bender came out cheaper (for now) for me than the most bare-boned options to buy from a fabricator. And if I can finish ahead of the 6-8 week lead time and save on shipping costs, I'll have done alright for myself.
I'm going to try to get this knocked out in the next few weeks in the midst of final projects and an examination in my last class.
Wish me luck.
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-will