2x6 Rockers and Exo/Inner Cage, Pics Please

I have spent several days searching and have only seen a few examples, a lot of pics have lost links.

I am laying the foundation work for a cage. Probably a hybrid inner/exo a lot like XJ_Rangers. I just finished plating the frame rails and will do the wheel arches in a couple of weeks. Rather than put my AJ's rails back in (they have served me well for 4 years of hard wheeling) I want to pick up some ground clearance and put in something that can serve as a base for an Exo A and B pillar (2 door XJ).

I am looking for pictures of 2x4 or 2x6 tube rocker replacements and most importantly the bracing that makes them a solid foundation for the A and B pillar hoops.

XJ_Ranger: Got any detail shots of this area? Your web site is down and I cant find the build link you had on last year.

John

here is basically what I did for the cage build...
http://www.jeepcoop.com/forum/index.php?topic=255.0


more pictures here:
http://www.opiebennett.com/images/Jeep/Shop82307/


As for the rockers, I didnt tie them in well enough, and they folded up A LOT. I did them before I did the cage, and didnt tie them into the frame, and after a while my 'b' pillar got pushed up about 2" - after I cut out the pinch seam, it was really obvious - :anon:
look at the size of the gap on at the b pillar compared to out at the ends -



so if you're cutting out your rockers, attach them to the frame or to a good cage...


as for my cage - ive noticed that my uni-body moves around a lot - because basically i've cut out all the structure that makes up the unibody... I stichwelded it like 2" every 6" where I cut things, and a lot of the welds are cracking, and are going to be a pain to fix...

I dont know what I would do differently, but for people who are concerned about their uni-body flexing, cracking, and generally falling apart - this may not be the best solution...

Perhaps using some 18ga or 16ga to weld to the body, and then welding that to the tube I set in would provide a better junction...

I changed up the front end, and put fenders back on the other day -
http://www.jeepcoop.com/forum/index.php?topic=668.0

Zebaru's posts, and HteK's posts in this thread deserve looking at -
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=707178&highlight=rocker (and some more shots of my junk at the bottom)...

good luck! :wave1:

Opie,

Thats a ton of exceptionally useful information. Thank you very much for all the links, pics and especially the strong reccomendation on not just installng the 2x6 tube without bracing to the frame or immediately putting in a cage. My plan has been to build up the chassis in stages with the cage coming in last after the foundation is built. Part of that foundation is the 2x6 tube rocker. I have been told several times that the 2x6 doesnt need bracing and I was about to follow that advice, problem is you never know how hard those rigs have been pushed. Thanks for stopping me. My chassis is already very loose (until I plated the frame) and tweaked pretty badly. Not bracing the 2x6 would have made it worse. Your experience with the tube rocker folding up and pushing the B pillar is similar to mine though yours has moved a lot more.

Lots of options, tube Rocker with frame bracing, boat side & raise door bottoms (lots of winter water crossings here) or tube rocker with an immediate cage. Need to think about it a while. While I plate the wheel arches and install "real" bumpers I will have time to work all this out.

Thanks a lot for posting all the good stuff,

John