Minimum cage for an XJ?

[JP]

Following Goatman's line of thought with a roof hoop that has the "A" pillar running outside of the vehicle and then tied to a "B" and "C" hoops or legs inside.

When going through the roof should the cage be tied to the roof sheetmetal or should the cage 'float' separate from the unibody? Would 'sandwich plates' and bolts work or should the tubes go through the roof and be welded?

Are the gutters solid enough to weld tube to? Does that make the roof a shear plane?

So many questions and I'm no engineer.

Thanks

 

[Phil]

Following Goatman's line of thought with a roof hoop that has the "A" pillar running outside of the vehicle and then tied to a "B" and "C" hoops or legs inside.

When going through the roof should the cage be tied to the roof sheetmetal or should the cage 'float' separate from the unibody? Would 'sandwich plates' and bolts work or should the tubes go through the roof and be welded?

My opinion is that the cage should be tied to the roof so that the cage will help stiffen up the body structure. I've seen some people post that they've put in an internal cage, and then can see relative movement between the cage and body as the (presumably) body continues to flex around the cage. It may be easier - at least for most people, Ron - to use plates to tie the roof to the body. If using plates, I think only one plate would need to be welded to the tube, and the other would act like a big washer (assuming one piece of tube passing through the roof).

Are the gutters solid enough to weld tube to? Does that make the roof a shear plane?

:clap:

So many questions and I'm no engineer.

Thanks

Me neither, but I play one on the internet. :shhh:

 

[JeepFreak21]

Following Goatman's line of thought with a roof hoop that has the "A" pillar running outside of the vehicle and then tied to a "B" and "C" hoops or legs inside.

When going through the roof should the cage be tied to the roof sheetmetal or should the cage 'float' separate from the unibody? Would 'sandwich plates' and bolts work or should the tubes go through the roof and be welded?

Are the gutters solid enough to weld tube to? Does that make the roof a shear plane?

So many questions and I'm no engineer.

Thanks

You still have a rig?
FWIW, CRASH welded his cage to the roof instead of letting it "float".
Billy

 

[JP]

You still have a rig?
Billy

Yea its been more of a storage container for the last couple of years. Now the kiddies are 3 and 5. They like being dirty and don't pee on themselves every 10 minutes so its time to get back at it. :clap:

 

[cracker]

That was my blue print!!!

 

[Matt S.]

Go away you foreigner!!! Just stay in Taiwan this time.


Do me a favor though, tell your wife that I will be by to pick the jeep up for you. Its safe keeping.

 

[cracker]

Go away you foreigner!!! Just stay in Taiwan this time.


Do me a favor though, tell your wife that I will be by to pick the jeep up for you. Its safe keeping.

:laugh2:

she'd love you to take that thing away :laugh:

I SO want to be out at JV this weekend!!!

 

[JeepFreak21]

If using plates, I think only one plate would need to be welded to the tube, and the other would act like a big washer (assuming one piece of tube passing through the roof).

:huh:
2 plates... one above the roof, one below. One tube passes through both plates and the roof. Both plates are welded to the tube? One plate is welded to the roof?
I think I may need a drawing :dunce:
Billy

 

[nhrocker]

:huh:
2 plates... one above the roof, one below. One tube passes through both plates and the roof. Both plates are welded to the tube? One plate is welded to the roof?
I think I may need a drawing :dunce:
Billy

I would do it so the tube passes through the roof. The plate above the roof would get welded to the tube. The tube would pass through the plate that's beneath the roof, and that plate would be bolted through the roof to the upper plate. So the plate under the roof wouldn't get welded to anything, it would just be "floating" in a sense and would sandwich the roof to hold it in place and allow it to draw the roof to the upper plate to seal itself.

In my case, I didn't have the tube pass through the roof. My internal b-pillar hoop has two tabs that are right beneath the roof. The tabs each have 2 1/2" bolts that pass through the roof into plates above. Those plates have sections of tube that bolt into the cross bracing of the exo with 3/4" bolts. It's not as strong as having the tube itself pass through, but it made it easier. For my use it should be strong enough.

 

[JP]

In my case, I didn't have the tube pass through the roof. My internal b-pillar hoop has two tabs that are right beneath the roof. The tabs each have 2 1/2" bolts that pass through the roof into plates above. Those plates have sections of tube that bolt into the cross bracing of the exo with 3/4" bolts. It's not as strong as having the tube itself pass through, but it made it easier. For my use it should be strong enough.

This is what I was thinking when I was talking about sandwiching the roof and bolting together. I want to keep the tubing as tight to the roof as possible inside and outside. Doing this though I don't know if there is enough room to get a good weld on a tube going through the roof between the inner and outer crossbraces.

 

[JeepFreak21]

I would do it so the tube passes through the roof. The plate above the roof would get welded to the tube. The tube would pass through the plate that's beneath the roof, and that plate would be bolted through the roof to the upper plate. So the plate under the roof wouldn't get welded to anything, it would just be "floating" in a sense and would sandwich the roof to hold it in place and allow it to draw the roof to the upper plate to seal itself.

In my case, I didn't have the tube pass through the roof. My internal b-pillar hoop has two tabs that are right beneath the roof. The tabs each have 2 1/2" bolts that pass through the roof into plates above. Those plates have sections of tube that bolt into the cross bracing of the exo with 3/4" bolts. It's not as strong as having the tube itself pass through, but it made it easier. For my use it should be strong enough.

Thank you.

Billy

 

[JeepFreak21]

I want to keep the tubing as tight to the roof as possible inside and outside. Doing this though I don't know if there is enough room to get a good weld on a tube going through the roof between the inner and outer crossbraces.

CRASH got his halo pretty close to the roof... but he (and his wife) are a hell of a lot better welders than I am.

What about cutting the tube that passes through the roof off flat, then dropping a slug in there. Then weld a piece of tube to your halo that would also accept the slug. You could do all your finish welding with the halo and the Jeep separated, except a horizontal band around the middle of each tube (just above the roof). :dunno: Would there be any benefit to making the halo bolt on? That would easy enough too.
Billy

 

[XJ_ranger]

so phil, when do you want to start bending?

 

[93xjmark]

When going through the roof should the cage be tied to the roof sheetmetal or should the cage 'float' separate from the unibody? Would 'sandwich plates' and bolts work or should the tubes go through the roof and be welded?

Thanks

I Built the interior cage from the B-pillar back, then the exo with the tubes connecting the two through the roof. The roof metal was a tight fit to the tubes and was fully welded shut after the cage was welded. I was able to get full welds on all joints inside and out. I had to use my 110v mig with a smaller gun on only two of the joints inside.

I was planning on sandwich plates at first, but this way turned out better and cleaner.
Wish I had better pic angles to show the pass-through tubes, but you'll get the idea.

 

[Matt S.]

Cool! So Phil, when we going to start this???

 

[Phil]

Cool! So Phil, when we going to start this???

I think a custom cage will be too much fab work. I'll probably just order a Jeepspeed cage kit and go from there.

:bs:

 

[JeepFreak21]

I think a custom cage will be too much fab work. I'll probably just order a Jeepspeed cage kit and go from there.

:bs:

Well, if you change your mind, you can borrow my welder and my bender.
Billy

 

[XJ_ranger]

all the headroom of an internal cage, and all the looks of an external cage...

I hate it. :spin3:

 

[Matt S.]

your lastara opie... only tards build an inside-out cage.

 

[Starboard M]

I Built the interior cage from the B-pillar back, then the exo with the tubes connecting the two through the roof. The roof metal was a tight fit to the tubes and was fully welded shut after the cage was welded. I was able to get full welds on all joints inside and out. I had to use my 110v mig with a smaller gun on only two of the joints inside.

I was planning on sandwich plates at first, but this way turned out better and cleaner.
Wish I had better pic angles to show the pass-through tubes, but you'll get the idea.

What holds the A pillar up? Is the front an exo?
Have any more pics?