My "Hero" Blog

[Jeep450r]

Ha, I wish my bender was high tech!

I've been bending some tube recently. I got my external halo all bent up. It has a total of 6 bends in the loop above the windshield, all of which were kept in the same plane. It looks like 4 bends, but the two bends in the middle are actually two 2* bends to make 4*. 2* wasn't enough the first time around.

The cage is going to be super tight to the body. I wanted to weld it to the drip rails, but I cant fit the tube in the bender to bend the "tree slider" portion to the contour of the drip rails.

Working on the cross braces/spreaders right now.


My plan for the B pillars is kind of weird. Because of how tall I am, the B-pillar will need to slant back. Something like this is the plan.

What will this do to the strength of the cage? I will have hip bars going forward from the b pillar, and will have some backwards support behind the C pillar.

Will it work?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

at the very least its better than nothing. My gut feeling says the angle of the force coming off the B pillars should be perpendicular to the force coming down onto the roof to be "optimal" as far as strength in a roll .I would think being a math major and having a bunch of calculus based physics for electives id remember more, but i don't remember at all. maybe in some diagram where the force vectors that you are concerned about (sideways roll) and start just intuitively thinking about the strength in the proposed rolling situations. All rolls are different anyway. Therefore, it seems it might be less than optimal, maybe you are still like 80% of the way there though? but perhaps safer than no pillar, and safer than an external B pillar that wraps upward, perhaps, and it is still going underneath the spreader. perhaps a leg coming from the back of the jeep to the B pillar and it would be fine since downward.

 

[Jeep450r]

Im going to keep trying to figure out another option, but so far this looks like the only way for me to go while still keeping the rear seats accessible.

Got one spreader done. Herra frush (or "hella flush" as most honda rice car drivers would say). 6 bends total.

Looks a bit crooked but thats because I tweaked the halo on accident so it isnt sitting level in the picture.

Now to make the other three spreaders match!

 

[dsdtdemon]

I'm no expert on cages at all, but from a purely mechanical standpoint, It will certainly be weaker than if it was perpendicular, though I can't really say how much. Assuming the force is perpendicular to the roof, that puts a bending moment on the lower weld, which puts the forward side in tension right at the weakest point.

Without doing any real calculations, I would gusset the interior angle. That way, your maximum bending moment is transferred away from the weld, and is also lessened because your moment arm is shorter.

 

[Mike1331]

yea for that b-pillar angle to have optimal strength your going to have to sacrifice rear passenger leg room for X bracing.
A much better option all around to accomidate your bean stock is to lower the seats with some custom suspension buckets and brackets and have the b-pillar sit perp. Those seats look like leather so are most likely auto, my auto seat bracketry sit way higher than my last xj with mechanical seats.


Can your winshshield come out with that halo location?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Im pretty tall and I sacrificed comfort for a per B pillar. I could have had both possibly if i would have modified seats, and bent tube to fit the line of the B pillar, but it seemed like way too much work. Now i sit straight up, which is good for posture i guess...

 

[Jeep450r]

Thanks for the input guys. I am going to change my plan a bit with a bend, but I will be gusseting it a bit to make up for it. I think it will work and ill post up the idea when i get around to it.

And thanks for the reminder mike, i will make sure I can get the windshield out.

I did a bit on the cage after work this week. I was planning on having a TON more done over the weekend but decided to hit up the Sierras instead.

Heres where she sits now, with all 3 spreaders done. Don't laugh at the mess on my hood!

There will be a nice shallow bend along the sides to follow the contour of the body as well.

Next step is to cut some holes in the roof!

 

[Jeep450r]

After work today I got both B-pillars bent, and cut one hole in the roof before the battery died in my drill. Not much to say about todays work, but I'm getting pretty excited!

I wont get much done tomorrow due to a birthday celebration for my aunt, but hopefully I will get the other hole drilled in the roof.

And as always any comments, suggestions, or even harsh criticism are welcome.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

thing is looking good . nice bends !

 

[Mike1331]

dayum, nice hole tolerance bud. You'll be able to weld that tube to the roof to seal it. I Like that your keeping and cutting up the side panels to make fit, straight luxury crawlen.

You'd be super fly if you can make an X brace for that b piller that takes the same contoured bend as the b.

 

[Jeep450r]

Thanks guys. I thought about welding the tube to the sheet metal, but I think itd be a lot easier just to seal it with silicone. that way I don't catch my headliner on fire if I burn through haha.

Anyway, I got the other hole drilled and the second b pillar slid in. C and d pillars should be a breeze.

My goal when it's all said and done is to have enough room for me to sit in the back semi-comfortably. Sounds crazy with me being 6' 5" but even with the pillars as is with the seats all the way back, I have plenty of room!

 

[blondejoncherokee]

looks real good man. damn. with my bar behind the seat I'm pretty uncomfortable not being able to lean the seat back, and I'm only 6'1, so i couldn't imagine having another 4" and trying to fit in there....


"so i couldn't imagine having another 4" and trying to fit in there....
"

thats what she said....

 

[NorCalChris]

Jon couldn't handle the extra 4 inchs. 3 is plenty.

 

[Jeep450r]

I finally made it back from the SierraFest today. I had a KILLER time up there with all of you guys. It was great seeing all my old friends, and making some new ones.

Over the course of the weekend, I took some pictures of my Jeep, and had some pictures taken of me. I sorted through a few of the pics already and will post them up as I find them!

I didn't get any pics of my heep while with the group on Saturday, but I went back and ran some of slick rock on Sunday. I wheeled in to the creek and had lunch by the water. Then I played around on the rocks out there for a while and convinced my girlfriend to snap some pics. Heres a few.

More to come some time tomorrow! Saving the best for last!

 

[JOSEJALAPENO]

Jon couldn't handle the extra 4 inchs. 3 is plenty.

:roflmao: :roflmao: :guitar:

 

[Jeep450r]

Annnndddd some more pics.

I had a killer time out on slick rock both times I went. Can't wait till the next time I can make it out there!

 

[connor0770]

Annnndddd some more pics.

I spy an imperfection...:anon:

 

[Jeep450r]

I spy an imperfection...:anon:

Hah! It will be on for the cantina. If it's not, I will give you your hammer back.

Got some done on the heep yesterday. Got the C pillars through the roof and I've been starting the base plates to mount them to the floor. Here's the progress.

We are cleaning out the shed today... Which means we will be cleaning out the garage some more. Which means more room to build the roll cage! Progress today will be slow but I should get some work done on the cage.

 

[Jeep450r]

Got some more done today and yesterday. Just getting all the small things worked out is taking some time. Im being super OCD, but hopefully it pays off in the end!

Got my triangulation all "done" with the exception of my C-to-D Pillar bar (just a single straight bar). Almost got it done but I fried my last hole saw.

B-pillar mounting plate. The tube is not in the correct place, and I dont think the plate is either, but you get the idea. It will be welded around the edges and plug welded to the floor, then (eventually) holes will be drilled for frame tie in plates.

Heres a suuuper crappy shot of my C-pillar plates. Plate wil be welded to the floor. Tube will be welded to the plate and to the side of the wheel well if all goes as planned.

Rear shot:

Random shot:

Put it to work tonight holding down the garage floor.

And finally, the to-do list.

Im getting there! If all goes as planned, what you see now will all be welded in place by the weekend. Just need to get my hands on a nice welder.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

110v mig works...