Exo vs Internal Cages

[ZachMan]

XJ's are disposable vehicles. Use them, abuse them, throw them away and get a new one. They are so cheap and plentiful that obtaining fresh meat is never a problem.

CRASH

Your right except this, but jeez like the XJs isn't good enough or something. Hell there are tons of almost every 4x4 out there. Lets say screw it and buy a few more just incase.

I hate hearing that straight from Petersons magazine BS. I don't know anyone who thinks its easy to swap everything onto another XJ. Im talking engine, tranny, t-case, suspension, axles, steering, maybe even some interior pieces. My XJ is a 2000, just finding another for nothing means me getting an XJ 10 yrs. older, sorry not gonna happen with my DD. If you know where I can find a stock 2000 XJ w/ 32k miles for dirt cheap and plentiful PLEASE let me know. Also remember some folks have DD that need roll cages too.

The XJ can be built to withstand anything any other 4x4 can. It just takes more thinking, engineering, and work on the unibody. But hey if anyone can find me 2 or 3 97+ XJs for under $3k let me know. :laugh:

 

[Beezil]

I don't know anyone who thinks its easy to swap everything onto another XJ.

it is easy.

I did it in one weekend....

95 guts into an 88.

no problem.

 

[CRASH]

If you are on trails serious enough to require a roll cage in a 2000 XJ, you should not be DDing it.

I DDed my junk back in the day, ran lots of rock trails too. But i never put myself in situations that required a cage.

There is one thing you should know:

If you roll your rig, body damamge is ensured, no matter how much tube you tack on the outside of it.

My advice, keep your 2000 a DD and buy a 10 year old rig for trail duty. that's exactly what my wife and I do.

CRASH

Your right except this, but jeez like the XJs isn't good enough or something. Hell there are tons of almost every 4x4 out there. Lets say screw it and buy a few more just incase.

I hate hearing that straight from Petersons magazine BS. I don't know anyone who thinks its easy to swap everything onto another XJ. Im talking engine, tranny, t-case, suspension, axles, steering, maybe even some interior pieces. My XJ is a 2000, just finding another for nothing means me getting an XJ 10 yrs. older, sorry not gonna happen with my DD. If you know where I can find a stock 2000 XJ w/ 32k miles for dirt cheap and plentiful PLEASE let me know. Also remember some folks have DD that need roll cages too.

The XJ can be built to withstand anything any other 4x4 can. It just takes more thinking, engineering, and work on the unibody. But hey if anyone can find me 2 or 3 97+ XJs for under $3k let me know. :laugh:

 

[JnJ]

BS Beezil, it is not EASY!! Ya you can do it in a weekend, that does not make it easy. Some people find changing spark plugs difficult. maybe you should clearify that it was easy for you. I'm in the middle of it now and it's a PITA. I consider something easy if a person with no skill could walk in and do it. A complete drivetrain swap is not "easy". If swapping a radiator is a 4 beer job, the drivetrain swap is an easy case of beer job, though I don't do to well after drinking a case.

 

[Beezil]

"difficult" is hanging 4x12 x 3/4" drywall on a ceiling without a lift.

"easy" is anything that doesn't require swearing, grunting, sweating, worrying, muscle pulling, or getting totally greasy-filthy-dirty. The task is laid out before you, and you do it step by step.

that's why I call it "easy".

if you disagree you should just sell your jeep now.

 

[JnJ]

"difficult" is hanging 4x12 x 3/4" drywall on a ceiling without a lift.

"easy" is anything that doesn't require swearing, grunting, sweating, worrying, muscle pulling, or getting totally greasy-filthy-dirty. The task is laid out before you, and you do it step by step.

that's why I call it "easy".

if you disagree you should just sell your jeep now.

No, you sell your....er.....egg ship thing!

BTW, so far I have been swearing, grunting, sweating, muscles aching, and I have been totally greasy-filthy-dirty, all swapping the drivetrains.

 

[BrettM]

Since I'm building the MJ now, here is what I'm planning (Subject to change). Your normal pickup rollbar but tied into the frame (ya, the MJ has a frame back there), then a halo over the roof with exo A piller legs running down the front (Ala Goatman) through the fender to the rockrail. On the inside I only plan a B piller hoop tied into the shoulder belt bolts and through the roof to the halo. Of course the B hoop and the Hoop in the bed will be cross braced along with the halo and a brace across the windshield wiper area attaching the two A piller legs together.

I have an MJ as well and as I've thought about the pros and cons, exo vs inner cage, I think that the inner plus exo cage isn't really neccesary for us. Since the MJ cab ends right behind the driver's seat, you can do just as much diagonal and "X" bracing as an XJ while keeping the cage entirely on the exterior. If/When I get around to caging mine, I will do a hoop just behind the cab with a big X going corner to corners, typical roof halo and A pillar bars, and some long straight bars going from the B pillar hoop to the very back of the frame.

 

[Scott Mac]

"difficult" is hanging 4x12 x 3/4" drywall on a ceiling without a lift.

"easy" is anything that doesn't require swearing, grunting, sweating, worrying, muscle pulling, or getting totally greasy-filthy-dirty. The task is laid out before you, and you do it step by step.

that's why I call it "easy".

if you disagree you should just sell your jeep now.

WTF are you doing hangin' 3/4" sheetrock? Does Chicago code require 2.5/3 hr fire ratings in residential structures? You knew I was going to bite on that one, didn't you?

Drivetrain swaps are easy. Difficult to accomplish in one weekend though.

When I do my cage it will be a combo.

 

[Beezil]

scott, how many years did you have to wait until someone mentioned sheetrock????

 

[XJJPR]

I have to agree with noone hear, what's new, it is medium easy/hard. It will depend on way too many things, like skill and mods while doing the swap. A straight swap from one rig to the other is the easy part but all the things you doing this time "correctly" to the new jeep can be the hard time consuming part.

Now about selling crap...



hinkley

 

[4ward]

Now about selling crap...



hinkley

You gettin' rid of that orange contraption so soon?

 

[XJJPR]

What to buy it?

Everything is for sale!!

hinkley

 

[Economos]

If you are on trails serious enough to require a roll cage in a 2000 XJ, you should not be DDing it.

I DDed my junk back in the day, ran lots of rock trails too. But i never put myself in situations that required a cage.

There is one thing you should know:

If you roll your rig, body damamge is ensured, no matter how much tube you tack on the outside of it.

My advice, keep your 2000 a DD and buy a 10 year old rig for trail duty. that's exactly what my wife and I do.

CRASH

Agreed. It would be nice to know that I have another rig to drive incase mine doesn't make it back, but I haven't quite reached that finacial status yet. :looser:

 

[JnJ]

I have to agree with noone hear, what's new, it is medium easy/hard. It will depend on way too many things, like skill and mods while doing the swap. A straight swap from one rig to the other is the easy part but all the things you doing this time "correctly" to the new jeep can be the hard time consuming part.

Now about selling crap...



hinkley

Well, not to agree with you but I never said it was hard, I just said it wasn't easy. It's kinda in the middle. And you are right bout the mods, if you were swapping stock to stock, then that would be a little easier. Start with new mods to the structure of the unibody and it'll increase in difficulty.

 

[mike harris]

Wanna hear the best advice in the world on this subject?Sell you're xj's and buy a M1A1 tank!Good luck flipping one of those!If you do I doubt you can put a dent in it

 

[JeepFreak21]

Wanna hear the best advice in the world on this subject?Sell you're xj's and buy a M1A1 tank!Good luck flipping one of those!If you do I doubt you can put a dent in it

Can I daily drive it?

 

[CRASH]

Agreed. It would be nice to know that I have another rig to drive incase mine doesn't make it back, but I haven't quite reached that finacial status yet. :looser:

For you pansies worrying about your financial status: I bought a 1988 XJ with 175,000 or so on the ticker and a blown headgasket for $300 bucks.

Get someone's old junk, keep your nice rig nice, and build the piss out of the hoopty.

In the long run you'll be happy.

CRASH

BTW< I saw a cherry MJ in the local pick and pull last year for $200, minus the motor.

 

[Economos]

For you pansies worrying about your financial status: I bought a 1988 XJ with 175,000 or so on the ticker and a blown headgasket for $300 bucks.

Get someone's old junk, keep your nice rig nice, and build the piss out of the hoopty.

In the long run you'll be happy.

CRASH

BTW< I saw a cherry MJ in the local pick and pull last year for $200, minus the motor.

Hey CRASHit, my Hoopty is my current rig :shhh:

 

[89TrailXJ]

Wow I am really impressed. I would love to do something like that with my 89, but maybe add bars in the door areas as well.

 

[ZachMan]

My advice, keep your 2000 a DD and buy a 10 year old rig for trail duty. that's exactly what my wife and I do.

CRASH

Sorry for sounding a little harsh before.

I do have other vehicles (97' Supra tt), but I chose to DD my Jeep mainly because of the Supras low mileage value. I am not worried about trail damage I'm not quite to the point of flipping everytime I go wheeling, but there have been a close call or two or three. So its no big deal to get sratches or dents its all part of the game. I also would have started on an older rig, but I keep building what I got mainly because its never had a single problem and its paid for. (In the past I've had problems buying lemons)