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Exo vs Internal Cages

G

Gecko

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Nashua (or so) New Hampshire
I need to know more about internal and exocages. I looked and cant find anything online, just some mentions of other peoples cages. Can anyone tell me the differences, strengths and weaknesses or each? One better than the other?
 
The EXO considered by many as ugly, but it also keeps sheet metal straighter when you go bottom side up. Interior cages are nice because they are clean and from the outside your Jeep looks stock. Either way you got to know what your doing when building one.

As much as I don't like exos especially a DD I will be doing one. A cage for me is to keep me and my Jeep safe, not just me. I don't want to roll my Jeep once then have to cut the top off it and all that, especially a 2000.
 
Exo's
Protect body somewhat
Provides roll protection for the occupants if designed and built correctly.
Very difficult to brace laterally, but can be overbuilt to compensate
Heavier and more tube for similar protection as an internal cage.

Internal
Best protection for occupants if designed and built correctly.
Can be braced laterally/diagonally.
Can be lighter than an exo cage for equal protection
No protection to exterior.

Best cage for your XJ is going to depend on your use of your vehicle.

Slow rock crawling rollovers, an exo will be fine.
High Speed desert racing, I'd go with an internal cage as safety of occupants would be a high priority.

Best solution for an XJ is probably a combination of the two. Search for pics of Farmer Matt's, Goatman's, and Crash's cages. About the best executed cages I've seen.
 
do both.

I just took a HARD HARD roll onto my roof....didn't even touch the side, since I fell from a ledge.

the cage DIDN'T BUDGE.

That thing is TESTED to the extreme.

From here on out, I will be an annoying pain in the ass when it comes to this topic....I strongly believe that exo-only is a total waste...

Its gotta start with a REAL, triangulated design that doesn't bother with trying to keep glove box and heater vents working....if you wanna strap on an exo after that, by all means.....

scal10.JPG
 
Ya but, Beezil that thing is just UGLY!

Hunter want to know when he can have it for his Jungle Jim? :D

hinkley
 
You can keep your glove box and heater vents, or do you think 95% of the cages out there don't work, hmmmmmmmmmm? Stop posting spobi there capt'n crunch. Oh yeah, fix your fawkin' cage before you post more pics of it you loser.

Sean
 
I now just realized what that thing reminds me of, it has been bugging me and I now have it!

Doesn't it look like one of those little trick cars at some redneck fair which stop real fast and the roll over back to their wheels! That's it! What are they called? Beezil you could get a special plate calling it that! :D

hinkley
 
Thanks grant, thats jsut what i needed, more of a side to side comparison of them. and sorry rev, i was being kinda lazy there, i didnt think about it till after my post. :twak:
 
Beezil said:
do both.

I just took a HARD HARD roll onto my roof....didn't even touch the side, since I fell from a ledge.

the cage DIDN'T BUDGE.

That thing is TESTED to the extreme.

From here on out, I will be an annoying pain in the ass when it comes to this topic....I strongly believe that exo-only is a total waste...

Its gotta start with a REAL, triangulated design that doesn't bother with trying to keep glove box and heater vents working....if you wanna strap on an exo after that, by all means.....

scal10.JPG
Click to expand...
Beez, have you thought about a safety net for the door openings? It would help keep your extremities inside the vehicle during a rough roll.

RR3
 
what type of suspension does that thing have in the rear, 1/4 elipticle?
 
So Beezil, that missing b pillar bar/brace didn't hurt your cage at all when you rolled? Can you post the pictures of the top of your cage again as well so everybody can see it again? Probably a really good thing for people that search for this later, as I would like to incorporate your ideas into my cage design which will be soon enough-------Kyle
 
Combo internal/external was the best solution for me. My primary consideration is chassis stiffness and longevity. Occupant safety was a concern, but it was secondary, as I believe the stock unibody design is sufficient to protect occupants in most situations, especially slow speed ones.

It would take a LOT of tube to keep your rigs sheetmetal looking good after a roll. Look at C-Roks damage after his back flip in Moab. The tubing deflected a good 6 inches in certain areas.

XJ's are disposable vehicles. Use them, abuse them, throw them away and get a new one. They are so cheap and plentiful that obtaining fresh meat is never a problem.

CRASH
 
From here on out, I will be an annoying pain in the ass
Click to expand...
Damn... You mean you can get worse? :eek:

The cage design depends on your goals. If your primary goal is for personal protection & chasis stiffeninging than the internal is where it's at, no question. If you're looking for sheet-metal protection than external is what you need. It is difficult to near impossible to make an external cage strong without the internal cage backbone to tie into. Not every cage needs to be has intrusive as Beezils thinks it should be, but remember the more comprimises you make to the design to accomidate luxury the weaker the cage becomes.

Matt
 
I forgot to mention......for rollover protection, I use a Mat-tool. :helpme:

CRASH

FarmerMatt said:
Damn... You mean you can get worse? :eek:

The cage design depends on your goals. If your primary goal is for personal protection & chasis stiffeninging than the internal is where it's at, no question. If you're looking for sheet-metal protection than external is what you need. It is difficult to near impossible to make an external cage strong without the internal cage backbone to tie into. Not every cage needs to be has intrusive as Beezils thinks it should be, but remember the more comprimises you make to the design to accomidate luxury the weaker the cage becomes.

Matt
Click to expand...
 
Since I'm building the MJ now, here is what I'm planning (Subject to change). Your normal pickup rollbar but tied into the frame (ya, the MJ has a frame back there), then a halo over the roof with exo A piller legs running down the front (Ala Goatman) through the fender to the rockrail. On the inside I only plan a B piller hoop tied into the shoulder belt bolts and through the roof to the halo. Of course the B hoop and the Hoop in the bed will be cross braced along with the halo and a brace across the windshield wiper area attaching the two A piller legs together.
 
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