Square tube chasis ?

[Bug]

I'm starting a build on a small buggy. Hope to be using a 400 ex for the engine, I was looking for opinions on my building the frame with square tube for the chasis and a DOM roll bar.
Specifically,  one inch @ .083 square tube upper and lower frame with front, rear and support roll bars of one inch @ .095 DOM.   We're looking at 40 H.P. at the most, independant suspension all the way around and about 400 pounds or so. The biggest reason is I don't have a bender this time around.  Local buggy shop can do the DOM roll bars for about a hundred bucks.  Thanks for the time answering.

[Admin]

Id use 1.25 square at least, or even 1.5 for the bottom layer...

[fabr]

1 1/4 sounds good to me.IMO 1" is too small and 1.5 overkill.

[Bug]

Welp, since 1 inch and  1 1/2 are both cheaper than 1 1/4, sounds like it'll be a 1 1/2 base with 1 inch top frame and 1 1/4 DOM roll bars ?   lighter and stronger at the same time. Thanks guys

[Doug Heim]

Thats what I use for the Edge Piranha. 1.5" square and 1.25 DOM roll Bars. that was 130 HP so I think you will be fine. DOM is always better but since your limitations you are already on the right track. Square tube is much easier to work with.

[Admin]

for the little bit of 1.5 on the perimeter, The weight diff isnt going to be much, and piece of mind IMO is gonna be a whole bunch, IMO hp is not a factor, car will still break as easy with a little motor as a big one...

[fabr]

Ditto. Ditch the 1" entirely.

[SPEC]

MMMMMM
The 460's were all 1'' .120 wall...With 500 Polaris in them...But 1 1/4 would prolly be better

[Admin]

well if he keeps the wheel base short, 1" .120 would be ideal...

[Bug]

Hey Spec, are you reffering to round DOM when you say that ?
As mentioned earlier, I can have a set of roll bars bent up in a buggy shop here locally, but I was trying to do the rest of the frame that has corners in squate tube casue it's easier to work with , but I wanted to keep it as light as I safely can. So now that you guys chucked so many numbers at me, where does it leave me ? and since I have to use square for the frame, should I choke on it and use 1 1/4 ?
I just hate to save up for a JD2, square is so much easier to work with.

and yes I will be keeping wheel base to an absolute minimum, the pics you have posted there are REALLY close to what I'm shooting for. A 400 ex front end, and motor, and keeping it super short for woods duty. Second and third gear should be the gears used most of the time.
just a little smaller base frame than the upper frame. Minimal anywhere I can get away with it. Lots of triangulation and no dead pipes.  Should work.

[SPEC]

Nope,
 square tube...The 460's were all square tube...With a weight of around 300 pounds...An absolute blast in the woods and on the ovals...

[Admin]

Square tube roll bar wouldnt look to bad either IMO, what is the price diffy in 1.25", Spec surely know if 1" would do it, I say whatever he suggest go for it...

[fabr]

Well if it's that small...................... 

[SPEC]

You said small

[Bug]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnAbjj42sj0&feature=related

hope that link works, it gives an idea of what kind of build I'm looking for. But with a smaller engine, smaller frame, etc.
Notice the driver ain't layin back. It's a sit up, shut up and drive kind of buggy.  I don't need leg room, The other build I like on DTS is this one. Its from the  " first build for my son -  by JABO " thread in project logs.

http://dtsfab.com/index/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103.0;attach=103;image

Between the two, and ESPECIALLY the second smaller one, You get the idea. if you have somethin to add, please do. I would love any feedback before I waste any tube.  Thanks for checkin out the post 
S-M-A-L-L