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Flatened Jeep, buggy excuse.

C

crazyoffroader

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Seattle, WA
Looking doing a buggy project out of a squished '88 4dr, and I was wondering how salvageable the B and C pillars are AFTER they've been bent to a 90 degree (aproximately) angle in the middle?

The entire Passenger side is level with the hood, as is most of the drivers side. If I want this not to be a trailer queen, what are my options? Do reconstructive surgery on the windshield frame, build a cage an call it good?

Furthermore, what type of tubing is necessary to have AT LEAST stock strength restored? I searched for tubing specs, but came up empty.

I don't want to see a perfectly running, low miles truck go to waste :(
 
Pics? I would say your only option is to cut it all off and cage it based on your description. Is the roof the only smashed part, IE is the uniframe itself straight?

It's a tough call... what about finding a rig that needs a new drivetrain and swapping your stuff in (except this time build a cage)? Lots of work, but so is major reconstruction if you roll it that bad
 
Hmmm... same dude who had the thread about stacking coil springs with hose clamps??
 
NotMatt said:
Pics? I would say your only option is to cut it all off and cage it based on your description. Is the roof the only smashed part, IE is the uniframe itself straight?

It's a tough call... what about finding a rig that needs a new drivetrain and swapping your stuff in (except this time build a cage)? Lots of work, but so is major reconstruction if you roll it that bad
Click to expand...

The lower uniframe is straight, as far as I can tell, but I'm not sure how it was before the accident, so it's hard to say. No pics yet, but I should have some in a few days.

Getting another XJ is tempting, but the landlord won't let me get another vehicle unless I get rid of one, and I kinda wanted to do a buggy in the first place.

ArcticXJ said:
Hmmm... same dude who had the thread about stacking coil springs with hose clamps??
Click to expand...

Yes, I have my days, But I'm serous about this one. That post was interesting, but I figured that It probably wouldn't work out.
 
crazyoffroader said:
Furthermore, what type of tubing is necessary to have AT LEAST stock strength restored? I searched for tubing specs, but came up empty.
Click to expand...

Can anyone help with this? What sort of tubing is necessary?

All help is apriciated.
 
Most cages are built with 1020HREW,size is usually 1 1/2" and up.Wall thickness is another variable.
The answer to all your questions is here
 
D.O.M tube. pricey. strong. if you have to ask about what kind of tube to use, i dont think you need to be building a cage that is supposed to save the lives of you and your passengers.
 
Here is another vote for getting a XJ that needs a drivetrain. I have the means and the skills(what I do for a living) Here are the following reasons.

1 CHEAPER Even parts from the pull-a-part add up. you can get a xj for 200-500 dollars. And have you priced tubing recently?????
2 SAFER I don't know your welding and fab skills, but if you don't have a FULL stocked shop to do this in I wouldn't.

3 QUICKER You can switch everything out of one XJ into another XJ in 25 hrs of work. You will be out on the trails quicker, and from there you can start fabbing and cutting as you need.

4 SATIFACTION Your XJ will work better this way(stock) Start stock nand go from there. You don't want to inhereit any problems that the crushed body has, especially if this vehicle is to be driven on the street.

Hope this helps, it is only my opinion.

Why couldn't you unbolt EVERYTHING off the old body, get rid of in then bolt everything on a new body????

Hans
 
olivedrabcj7 said:
D.O.M tube. pricey. strong. if you have to ask about what kind of tube to use, i dont think you need to be building a cage that is supposed to save the lives of you and your passengers.
Click to expand...

Like everyone who fabs stuff knew right away what to make it from and all the answers they ever needed? How do ya think they learned.....ask and research.

Sarge
 
olivedrabcj7 said:
D.O.M tube. pricey. strong. if you have to ask about what kind of tube to use, i dont think you need to be building a cage that is supposed to save the lives of you and your passengers.
Click to expand...
that is about an assinine statement, i have been welding for more than 20 years and have a degree in structural engineering and i used to be un familular with tubing used in the cages on these things so who the he11 are you to say that?

asking questions is the first sign of a true willingness to learn, slaming people for asking them is a sign of true ignorance, get a clue:exclamati :exclamati :exclamati
 
XJourney said:
Why couldn't you unbolt EVERYTHING off the old body, get rid of in then bolt everything on a new body????
Click to expand...

No particular reason, but I do have a bit of work done to it that I would rather not redo(doors, interior, ect...) and a few welded on armor mods that would not be salvageable.

RCP Phx said:
Most cages are built with 1020HREW,size is usually 1 1/2" and up.Wall thickness is another variable.
Click to expand...

So I should use 1020 steel, but what is HREW?, or DOM for that matter?
On that note, I have some tubing that I would like to use if possible, it is 1020, 2" with 1/16 wall. And by some I mean 20, 10' sticks of it.
I think it might be too thin, but if I'm just trying to replicate stock roof strength, it should do the job, right?
 
Sarge said:
Like everyone who fabs stuff knew right away what to make it from and all the answers they ever needed? How do ya think they learned.....ask and research.

Sarge
Click to expand...


But I think what Olivedrab means is that the level of skill and expertise needed in fabbing a worthwhile and structually sound cage is usually such that the question regarding materials is uncalled for...

IE: If you are knowledgeable enough to build a cage...

You already know what to use for material... (or you've already exhausted your research tools)

Building a cage is more than just choice of materials and welding skills too...

Triangulation, tube bending, application, etc. all play a role...

And sure an "engineer" can design a cage...

but we all know how "engineered" items function in the real world...

I would preferably have a cage built by someone who's built AND wheeled a few before.

I mean...

It's "only" a cage right?

:twak:
 
Gil,

Not neccessarily. I know several gents who could design a good sturdy cage but normally work on motorcycles so are unfamilair with 4 wheeled objects and while they could make a very good guess at what to use, they would probably ask you what do you recommend? I also know I've seen a few cages that were built nice but of the wrong stuff...so ask and learn.

Sarge
 
crazyoffroader said:
but if I'm just trying to replicate stock roof strength, it should do the job, right?
Click to expand...
Why put in all that effort to just replicate the stock roof strength when using the right material can keep you safe and keep you from re-doing all that work again if it rolls again.
Gil BullyKatz said:
but we all know how "engineered" items function in the real world...
Click to expand...
everything in the real world was "engineered" at one point or another, the home you live in, the building you work in, the jeep you drive, and for the most part they work pretty good because you aren't dead yet. Engineering isn't the end all to a problem, sometimes designs fail because limitations were constraining the design like cost or schedule and what was finally produced was just the best result with what the engineer was given. I'm sure there have been some cages crumble that were built by someone who has done it before and has had good results in the past, but maybe the material had a flaw in it that wasn't susposed to be there. I know a lot of engineers and most people usually give them a hard time but I don't think they deserve most of it.
OK I'm done.
 
A few other things not mentioned:You need a good welder(machine and a person),and a tubing bender(not a pipe bender).
 
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