Eric's cage build
- Thread starter EricsXJ
- Start date
- Location
- Lafayette, CA
Yep, Im the goofy looking kid riding with my dad. I hoped into your Jeep to get across those streams. I didnt know who you were until the next day on Slickrock, but never really introduced myself.
Yes, the boatsides are quite the can of worms. Hopefully it turns out good. Ill let you know in a couple days.
xj_mike
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- San Diego, CA
Personally I would box in the fender well mount, on both sides. It would distribute the load over the wheel well area better and not run the risk of tearing the sheet metal. Even with the backing plate, the vertical bolts could tear and elongate if push with force from above.
Here's a quick view of my idea.
Here's a quick view of my idea.
jeeperjohn
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Temecula, CA
I would make a sort of half moon shaped piece that follows the countour of the wheelwell and goes down to the floor to distribute any force exerted on the wheel well to the whole structure not just a small patch.Personally I would box in the fender well mount, on both sides. It would distribute the load over the wheel well area better and not run the risk of tearing the sheet metal. Even with the backing plate, the vertical bolts could tear and elongate if push with force from above.
Here's a quick view of my idea.
Gravesdiggerxj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Salt Lake City, Utah
looks good. keep up the good work
- Location
- Reno, Nevada
When I first did the rocker replacements, I just used silicone to seal/secure the bottom of the fender to the rocker, but as you can guess, that didn't work out so well. While doing the cage, I welded a small tab to the rocker that I could bolt the bottom of the fender to. Much more secure. If that is what you are asking pictures of maybe I can get some when I finish off the front. I'll be pulling the fenders off for that so that would be the time.
Exactly what i'm looking for. Thanks
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Personally I would box in the fender well mount, on both sides. It would distribute the load over the wheel well area better and not run the risk of tearing the sheet metal. Even with the backing plate, the vertical bolts could tear and elongate if push with force from above.
Here's a quick view of my idea.
So how are you going to attach that curved piece to the sheetmetal of the wheel well? Regardless of the strength of the mounting plate, it's still only as strong as what it's mounted to, which is one layer of sheetmetal. Only way is to carry it to the frame/floor, which would be simple to do.
Mosephus
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Duncanville, TX
Eric and others who have Hybrid cages like these, I've noticed the majority of you guys don't bother installing A-pillar down bars and upper and lower windshield bars in the interior. Are you confident that the exterior A-pillar bars will keep the roof and windshield from pancaking in a flop or full roll?
Char-Broil
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
x2 i would think you would benefit greatly from a tube connecting both A-pillar tubes across the cowl. Also, just to satisfy my curiosity if you don't mind, what would one expect to spend on tube to build a cage like this?
Mosephus
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Duncanville, TX
I've seen them from $1500 to $3000, most were the latter.
shortxjdoug
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Chattanooga tn
yikes.... i can see 1500 and under if you suck at tubing and waste a bunch...
- Location
- Lafayette, CA
What difference does a internal vs external A pillar tube make?
That better including labor at a shop. That, or tube is fawking expensive where you live.
Stukboy
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lancaster, PA
Wether internal or external doesn't make a difference but what he means is you should have the bars that run from driverside to passanger side above the windshield and at the bottom and then at least one support bar (reccommend 2 in an "/\" shape) in the center of those 2 bars to add strength and rigidity incase of a rollover. Going across might not have enough support to keep several thousand pounds from crushing to roof down on you.
Stukboy
Stukboy
Mosephus
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Duncanville, TX
Yes those are shop prices, it will probably be under 1k if you don't have to buy tools and you know what your doing. Sorry didn't read the question right
To answer the first question....To me mostly a longer distance or radius from it's supporting tube than the internal option. The feet are farther forward on the external cage. Please refer to my scientific drawing.
I'm just wanting to know if the external tube is enough by it self. Mostly for safety, but for the XJ's tin too.
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JeepFreak21
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Cameron Park, CA
Char-Broil
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
I love this cage design. It's what I want do do to my 94 in a year or so. How many feet of tube did you use, or buy to use? I will need to buy the tools to cut and bend it properly, but there will be no end to how many times I will use those tools so I wouldn't factor that into the cost of making a cage. If it turns out good I'm putting one on my 2000 as well.
- Location
- Reno, Nevada
Mosephus,Yes those are shop prices, it will probably be under 1k if you don't have to buy tools and you know what your doing. Sorry didn't read the question right
To answer the first question....To me mostly a longer distance or radius from it's supporting tube than the internal option. The feet are farther forward on the external cage. Please refer to my scientific drawing.
I'm just wanting to know if the external tube is enough by it self. Mostly for safety, but for the XJ's tin too.
I don't believe the external A-pillar placement is bad or weak at all. What I don't like about the A-pillar bars on internal cages are the bends at the bottom near the feet. Hardly anyone I've seen runs the A-pillars straight down, like in your diagram. Most bend in forward so they don't get in the way of your feet. Most of those A-pillars have 4 or 5 total bends in them and then are mounted to the sheetmetal of the floor. The external A-pillars like mine have usually only one bend (mine actually have another slight bend to keep them close to the body) and they have a solid mounting point.
I agree adding windshield bars would make them stronger and I was planning on that until I realized how difficult those are and be able to keep your wipers, remove your cowl grill and not stick out too far that it looks out of place. Goatman also mentioned that the A-pillars can be tied into the cowl and unibody in other places so the lack of a windshield bar is not so much an issue.
2xtreme
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Kayak Pt, WA
My cage is very similar to yours (build thread http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=932774&highlight=NWHBC+Cage).
I personally wouldn't consider a typical "A" pillar inside the Jeep without it going through the dashboard and down to the floor tied into the frame. I can't believe the number of them I see that are bent all around the dashboard
I tied mine into the fire wall all the way from the top to the bottom, and then into the rock sliders at the bottom. This is the strongest part of the XJ and will act as a tie between the two "A" pillars and eliminated the need for the spreader over the cowl.
Looks good, I like seeing all the different varieties of a similar design.
Michael
I personally wouldn't consider a typical "A" pillar inside the Jeep without it going through the dashboard and down to the floor tied into the frame. I can't believe the number of them I see that are bent all around the dashboard
I tied mine into the fire wall all the way from the top to the bottom, and then into the rock sliders at the bottom. This is the strongest part of the XJ and will act as a tie between the two "A" pillars and eliminated the need for the spreader over the cowl.
Looks good, I like seeing all the different varieties of a similar design.
Michael
