Cutting some of the roof

I know I will loose some strength, just wondering how bad it will or could be. I plan on getting a cage for it as well, so once I do get that installed I don't forsee any issues.

The plan is to cut some of the roof off - actually more like making larger sunroofs. Its a 2 door and here are a few pics. Hoping to cut where the black X's are


Pic 1 - is above driver side. I want to keep the middle section intact, so really cutting areas directly above driver and passenger. Was hoping to cut close up to the windshield area and then back towards the support that the front interior light is on.



Pic2 - same idea just showing on the passenger side:


Okay last one - this will be a larger section cut out. From the support again where the front interior light is located back to the next lateral support. This time I am planning on cutting out the center as well. Again I do plan on getting a cage, and if the input is in that favor will wait till cage parts are ordered. If I was to cut it, probably wouldn't wheel it too much, if any so this may be not an issue. Also will there be any kind of movement at all with these panels cut out and it just sitting? I don't want to cut the panels out now and then have my body shift or something. Sorry for a newbish question......




The cage will be over the front seat and rear, and stretch somewhat into the cargo area. Also hoping to make a custom soft top to cover the areas for rainy wheeling and winter stuff. Not sure if I will do a snap on style or velcro - speeds won't be very high so think either may work. Just thinking velcro could clog up quicker with the mud, but it may take longer to stitch in the snap section. Any input / advice would be appreciated - thanks.

92XJT said:

I know I will loose some strength, just wondering how bad it will or could be. I plan on getting a cage for it as well, so once I do get that installed I don't forsee any issues.

The plan is to cut some of the roof off - actually more like making larger sunroofs. Its a 2 door and here are a few pics. Hoping to cut where the black X's are


Pic 1 - is above driver side. I want to keep the middle section intact, so really cutting areas directly above driver and passenger. Was hoping to cut close up to the windshield area and then back towards the support that the front interior light is on.

Pic2 - same idea just showing on the passenger side:

Okay last one - this will be a larger section cut out. From the support again where the front interior light is located back to the next lateral support. This time I am planning on cutting out the center as well. Again I do plan on getting a cage, and if the input is in that favor will wait till cage parts are ordered. If I was to cut it, probably wouldn't wheel it too much, if any so this may be not an issue. Also will there be any kind of movement at all with these panels cut out and it just sitting? I don't want to cut the panels out now and then have my body shift or something. Sorry for a newbish question......

The cage will be over the front seat and rear, and stretch somewhat into the cargo area. Also hoping to make a custom soft top to cover the areas for rainy wheeling and winter stuff. Not sure if I will do a snap on style or velcro - speeds won't be very high so think either may work. Just thinking velcro could clog up quicker with the mud, but it may take longer to stitch in the snap section. Any input / advice would be appreciated - thanks.

Click to expand...

I know a guy that tried something similar, The roof literally flapped at highways speed, he could not keep the water out, and some area's the sheetmetal stretched and deformed. strictly an offroad toy or a dd?

T tops huh? I wanna see it. When's the sheetmetal gonna fly?

strictly offroad - I'm thinking I may have to move my CB to protect if from any water / mud. When not being used on the trail it sits in the garage. Is the sheetmetal thick enough to tack it to some stiffeners to stop some of the flopping at higher speeds? heck I don't think its gone over 30mph since the locker and 33" boggers.

lol - yeah I guess the front would be closer to a T-top set up. I need to measure yet to see if my old tonneau cover will make a good enough soft top.

thats a pretty sick idea, cant wait to see it done

street beat customs makes a kit for this type of thing. You might want to mirror their design. JP magazine did an install article in their may 2008 issue in a 97+ cherokee.

Here is the link to the ragtop kit:
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/ragtopsunroofs.html

good luck! i like the t-tops idea, btw

twodollarbill said:

street beat customs makes a kit for this type of thing. You might want to mirror their design. JP magazine did an install article in their may 2008 issue in a 97+ cherokee.

Here is the link to the ragtop kit:
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/ragtopsunroofs.html

good luck! i like the t-tops idea, btw

Click to expand...

That was TCM GLX on here. Check into some of his posts. He had a rock hard cage and now has custom cage.


BTW. its not 97+ just a SUPER CLEAN 92 !!!!

I cut a section out of the roof; well ok most of it (41"x52"). I left all the structure in front and the sides. So from 4" behind the windshield to above the rear seats.

I cut the opening about 4" smaller than the finished opening. In the front and the rear I used a angle grinder to score the metal so it was easier to bend. I then bent it to form a "U" so that I could tuck the headliner into (duckbill pliers would help in this). As for the sides I bent it so it was flush with the roof stiffeners. The headliner was too flimsy to hold its shape along the sides. I did use some 1/8" plastic to cover the abomination caped with 3/4" aluminum angle.

The only thing that was a real pain was the ribs where the opening is. I needed this area to be flat so that I would get a tight seal when the cover is snapped on. I had a guy in my area that is making a cover for about 60 bucks to cover it.

It is great going down the road with no top. The looks I get from the public trying to figure out why it brighter in the jeep than it should be and at night I am still fighting with "did I leave my dome light on when I park under a street light".

Okay it looks like my old tonneau cover will work, and I am going to use my cargo rack bows as bows for the soft cover. Will need to trim down on the width of the cover and now trying to decide the best way to snap down on the the sides. I think this is giong to work out pretty good. Will get some pics and stuff up later. NO - haven't made a cut yet - lol, making sure I have all the material / stuff I need to make it complete first. thanks for the input so far.

Very cool I dea, how about using the wrangler concept, and make a channel around each of the holes, and have it slide under like the rear side windows of a wrangler do to att ach to the tub.....just my 2 cent, but probally would work stellar for whatyou want, and probally fairly easy to fab all part of it...

pics of it cut thus far?

if u are going ti install a cage in the future, u should be able to cut out as big as an area as u would like, if it does flap or seam week, then tie it into the cage, as far a gettting a good seal, i have seen people use door frame from a screen door/storm door, it is made of aluminum and has a rooled lip that they hooked there top into, kinda ghetto, but it worked might be able to use a windshield header from a soft top jeep and make it work

Well it has begun - no going back now. Cut the passenger side front opening - not too bad, and currently folding the lips around the opening. Going to take a little while forming the metal but so far so good. Thanks everyone for the advice / comments - appreciate it. Will get pics up either tonight or tomorrow and hopefully have both front opening close to done. Opening is big enough for me to stand up in without touching - lol, and that's pretty big considering I'm a fat azz.

Here's a few quick mock up of the soft top - front and two sides I am going to rivot snaps to the roof. The rear I am using part of the original aluminum frame from the tonneau cover - trimmed down. Course still working on getting the roof a little flatter and possible get a slight bend to the aluminum frame too.



That will be close to where it attaches in front. Sides I am hoping will go like this:




Okay still waiting for my pics of the actually cutting to load up - should be loaded shortly.

Okay got the front section done - here's the pics, what do you all think so far????

Going to get wet.

Some of my trees are getting unruly.......can I borrow that pruner?

sure you can borrow it - lol, I had to look back at the pics, didn't know what you were talkin bout at first.

Ah - don't mind getting wet / dirty, I normally do anyways. Hopefully the soft top will keep most out if its raining. Planning on eventually getting rid of the cloth seats and going with something a little bit more rugged for the weather. Figured once the cage is done then I can install some harnesses to go with the new seats.

neopolene (sp??) seats, those wet suit ones.