Another Cage Question - Thru The Dash

[Blue XJ]

I'ev searched for this but didn't really find what I am looking for. I am wondering if anybody has put a cage in a early body style XJ that goes throug the dash like many TJ cages do. I wan't it to hug the firewall, so I don't loose much space inside since I have long legs.

Has anyone done this? And if so, how much needs to be removed/relocated to fit the tubing? And anyone have pics?

edit:

Like this one, just on the early style dash.

http://jcroffroad.com/images/Butler/13.jpg

 

[IslanderXJ]

Your going to lose the A/C vents on the side.

 

[85cherokeechief]

I recently put a cage in mine. I did not go through the dash with mine, but I really did not notice any loss in legroom. Even with a 5 speed, I have plenty of room to use the clutch pedal, but I cant move my foot any farther out than that. Here are some pictures of my cage, but I do not have any that focus on the legroom. http://cherokeechief.zoto.com/user/lightbox/CAT.0_YER.2006_MON.12_REC.1/average_rating-desc/0-30

 

[kerndogg]

i would like to do the same thing. I was wondering if you could holesaw the dash out to run a tube through, you might even be able to repair the ac vents with some fiberglass. I hate the idea of getting my legs around that bar every time i get out.

 

[IslanderXJ]

Im sure you could bend it more accuratley and push it up against the A-pillar so you wouldn't lose so much of the vent.

 

[Blue XJ]

That pic helps, is that yours? Is that all that you would lose is the vent, I'm not too worried about that, there should be a way to modify it to accomodate the tubing.

Did you have to take the dash and steering column out to get the tube in there?

 

[IslanderXJ]

Not mine but i can answer your questions becuase I've helped two others do the same.

Just the vent?: Its the only thing you lose, but you might want to move the fuseboxes around for later convience of use.

Dash and steering Column?: Dash is all thats REQUIRED, but the steering column would make it much easier(not that removing the steering column is easy).

You will have to modifiy the glovebox a bit if you want to plate it like in the picture.

 

[mackamitsu]

I'm yanking out the whole dash before I start my roll cage, that way is easier to fit it to the firewall. There isn't going to be a whole lot of room to make the side vent fit. You can build a vent adapter readily from fibreglass, but IMO you can go to the junk yard and get a round vent and fit it to the top of the dash, to keep the windows clear. Then you can make some blanks from ABS sheet, and pop them in the holes and blend them under with the corner you just cut off to fit the cage. You could put a couple of toggles in there out of the way, or a small pocket to hold some fuses or junk or whatever. I get ABS sheets from the hobby store, they are cheap if you don't go crazy thick. I usually buy 1.5mm 12x18 sheets, and they come in a whole lot of colours so you can make dash surrounds in colours other then black.

 

[flexy92xj]

Blue,
You will definitely lose the side vents and the glove box will need to be modified to work. I ended up closing off all the vents except for the center one and pulled all the ducting, it works better now because I get a serious amount of flow through that center vent and can direct it easier.

Islander already posted some pics from my cage build but here is the link the the album...
http://rides.webshots.com/album/142616888gPMNvD

I would pull the entire dash out, build the cage as tight as possible to the A pillars, then work on cutting the dash to fit back in. I must have pulled mine in and out 10 times to get it to fit but having the extra leg room is well worth it.

One big consideration with running it along the A pillar and not down in front of the dash will make the tube much weaker due to the tighter bend so heavy gussets will be needed. I braced the bend area as well as were the A pillar tube joined the halo, functions as a grab handle too.

 

[Skullver]

when are you going to help me out on the Jeepspeed rig eh?? I think there is a certain favor that needs to be re-payed, JK, but seriously, let me know if you want to come and help out sometime.

Im sure you could bend it more accuratley and push it up against the A-pillar so you wouldn't lose so much of the vent.

 

[IslanderXJ]

when are you going to help me out on the Jeepspeed rig eh?? I think there is a certain favor that needs to be re-payed, JK, but seriously, let me know if you want to come and help out sometime.

I might take you up on that, let me know when you need some help and I will see if I can come down.

When I said more accurate bend I ment that the closer you could get tthe bend to exactly the way you want it, the better you can tuck it into places and away from stuff (A piller and A/C vents for example).
Let me know was type and size of tube your using and I will check on the degree of deflection for them.

 

[Blue XJ]

I'll be using 1.75" tube, from the pics it looks like I could almost use a little fiberglass between the current duct work and the vent opening to keep the vent functional, then just glue the cover back on if needed.

I'm not gonna start this until the weather gets warmer, since I no longer have a heated garage, just looking for ideas and doing some research before hand.

Thanks for the link to the album

 

[Goatman]

Personally, I think there is only one way to build an XJ cage in order to get everything you want a cage to do for you......occupant safety, adding chassis stifness, AND protecting the roof so the rig isn't totaled in a roll over. This is doing an external roof hoop with the B, C, and D pillars going down through the roof inside, like CRASH and Gary E have done. Then run the A pillars down outside and through the top of the fenders tying into the cowl and frame, and running tube forward under the fenders to the front bumper, like I did. Cross bracing inside can be done anyway you want.

This design leaves plenty of head room for safety and will keep the rig from getting the A pillars and roof damaged in a roll, and ties the cage in much further forward than most internal cages helping with the rigidity.

I've seen too many cages with tubes too close to your head, or needlessly restricting internal room and access. For pure safety, the stock structure has been shown to hold up fairly well, so not much additional tube is needed just to add sufficient safety, and getting tube too close to your head decreases safety. Nothing wrong with a well designed internal cage, but you'll still do considerable damage in total rollover. Fenders and doors can be replaced easily, A pillars and roofs are a different matter.

 

[Blue XJ]

I plan on doing the interior cage, then doing some sort of halo around the roof, and maybe a bar going down the outside a-pillar to tie into the rock rails. I wasn't really planning on doing anything else outside of the rig.

 

[BrettM]

Personally, I think there is only one way to build an XJ cage in order to get everything you want a cage to do for you......occupant safety, adding chassis stifness, AND protecting the roof so the rig isn't totaled in a roll over. This is doing an external roof hoop with the B, C, and D pillars going down through the roof inside, like CRASH and Gary E have done. Then run the A pillars down outside and through the top of the fenders tying into the cowl and frame, and running tube forward under the fenders to the front bumper, like I did. Cross bracing inside can be done anyway you want.

This design leaves plenty of head room for safety and will keep the rig from getting the A pillars and roof damaged in a roll, and ties the cage in much further forward than most internal cages helping with the rigidity.

I've seen too many cages with tubes too close to your head, or needlessly restricting internal room and access. For pure safety, the stock structure has been shown to hold up fairly well, so not much additional tube is needed just to add sufficient safety, and getting tube too close to your head decreases safety. Nothing wrong with a well designed internal cage, but you'll still do considerable damage in total rollover. Fenders and doors can be replaced easily, A pillars and roofs are a different matter.

bingo!!

only thing I would add would be 1/8" plate (with dimple die holes for bling) connecting the roof hoop to the length of the pinch seam (rain gutter)

 

[Goatman]

bingo!!

only thing I would add would be 1/8" plate (with dimple die holes for bling) connecting the roof hoop to the length of the pinch seam (rain gutter)

Yeah, and it depends on the design of the roof hoop. Mine is close enough to the edge that the pinch seam is protected. Gary E put side bars out from the hoop to cover the pinch seam.

Here's a shot of Gary's:

And a shot of mine. This is after a pretty hard roll that I went 360* over, and the only damage is that front bar got bent down from landing directly on a rock. I fixed the bar by pulling it out and sleeving it with a half section of tubing. If I had put a center windshield bar it probably would have held.

 

[BrettM]

I would make some minor changes, but I think this is the best cage I've seen so far:

from this thread: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=901647

I would go under the fender and up to the bumper and put a little more of the structure above the roof instead of below it.

 

[massxj]

that cage is slick. i have seen it up close and mark did a great job

 

[basalt51]

What do you do if you need to remove the front bumper?

 

[BrettM]

What do you do if you need to remove the front bumper?

why would you need to? After building my front bumper, I never took it off in 3 years. If you really need to, a sawzall or cutting wheel would make quick work of the tube. If for some reason you think this would be a frequent event, you could put in some flanges and make removal just an extra few bolts.