Eric's cage build

[Mosephus]

Thanks for the answers, I really wasn't questioning the safety or design just asking to put it plainly, would the roof be a write off in a flop or a full roll.

 

[2xtreme]

Thanks for the answers, I really wasn't questioning the safety or design just asking to put it plainly, would the roof be a write off in a flop or a full roll.

I suspect that the "real" answer to your question is a little more difficult to explain easily. The strength of a cage really comes from how it is designed as a whole system and not as much from the distances of 1 tube or another. What is also important to understand is what is the cage designed to do.

I put a lot of research into my cage and I understand that there are compromises in it. Would it be stronger to have the "A" pillar inside than outside? Maybe, depends on how it works with the rest of the cage, how it is attached to the floor, how the loads are transfered, etc. Personally I didn't want a "A" pillar anywhere close to me or my passenger and that was more important to me than a small difference in strength in a roll.

I haven't tested my cage in a flop or roll (and don't intend on it) but I also didn't build the cage to protect the roof, I built it to protect the passengers, strengthen the frame, provide tree sliders, and hopefully provide some protection to the body in roll (this was a very low priority on my list). Keep in mind professional rally cars have only internal cages and they roll them at high speed all day long and don't scrap the bodies but keep re-building.

I hope this helps.
Michael
PS. I think I have about $400 in tube in my cage.

 

[Char-Broil]

PS. I think I have about $400 in tube in my cage.

thanks, good to know! i read your thread about building them and they are
exactly what i want to do. you said you had used about 120 feet? you also built them 2 years ago, so prices have likely gone up since then as I know steel shot way up a little while back. but still good to know i could get a good cage in for $4-600 in materials

 

[bigjeepman]

Before I sold my XJ with an exocage I had $400 in tube as well. I bought it earlier this year from a company called Metal Supermarkets. I know they have several different locations across the US. I think it was $3.7? for 1.5x.120 wall DOM

 

[EricsXJ]

Its been a while but I've been making progress, be it slow progress but progress nonetheless.

I took Goatman's suggestion on how to improve the C-pillar mount by extending the bracket to the floor and added another plate that sits above where the frame rail is. I kept the stock cargo loops but now they are much stronger.

Cut the carpet around the new mounts and put it back in. I think the back part of the cage is done other than paint.

Now its time to move on to the front. I stripped the fenders and contemplated what to do.

I decided that before I continued with the cage, I needed to address some clearance issues with the inner fenders.

Too see more of what I did with the inner fenders see this mini-write-up: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/write-up-inner-fender-trimming-clearance-big-tires-955688/

 

[EricsXJ]

So back to the cage.... I added a stinger.

Needs more clearance. I already chopped a couple inches off that bumper a few years back to run 35's. Obviously it needs more choppin.

My original plan was to run the tube under the fenders. But I decided to do it this way instead. Screw stock fenders.

 

[EricsXJ]

Then I had to come up with a way to mount the stock antenna. First I trimmed it with a dremel to butt up against tube. The base of the antenna is aluminum by the way...

Then I modified a tube bracket I had and mounted it like so:

This places the antenna between the cage and the jeep, where it is unlikely to ripped off.

Back to cage stuff. I trimmed this strip from the stock fender and added it on both sides. You can't really see it with the hood closed unless you look for it.

 

[EricsXJ]

Then what has taken a long time was I decided to do custom tube fenders.

Lateral unibody tie-in:

And added some more braces.

 

[EricsXJ]

A little paint underneath.

and some sheet metal work.

I should have pretty good tire clearance here:

And here. The tube matches the clearance I created with the inner fender.

So that is where I'm currently at. I still need to grind the spot welds down just a bit, add some seam sealer, paint, then work on fitting the front clip back on, and some little stuff like lights.

 

[ILLXJ]

Looks good.:cheers: JIM.

 

[ford boy]

like that front fender. might do that when i build my cage

 

[dgrigorenko]

that looks really good. i'm glad you decided to put sheet in for the front fenders, keeps the rig looking clean

 

[Ianf406]

wow looks great man...i really like the fenders... i gotta start practicing bending tube so i can do this kinda stuff someday...

 

[trail rate this]

I really like the way this is going.

 

[XJEEPER]

Well done, I like the caged front fenders a lot.

 

[srmitchell]

Sweet.

I wasn't sure if it would change into a buggy looking thing, but you did a very very nice job. I like the built in sheet.

 

[crasy1_69]

I love the look of the fenders. That is what I have in my head for mine one day.

 

[bics90xj]

Nice cage work and all the tie-ins. What did you do with the grille suround? I could use one!

 

[kndrewa]

this is why i have your book.

you really think things through.
its, you know, great.

 

[AZXJ]

Excellent Job!