Working on some cage designs for my XJ and looking to get some input. Here's what i've got so far. The drawings are just rough estimates but its a pretty good representation. I'm shooting for a practical/strong exo cage thats not overkill. The frame/floorboards all have been beefed up and the cage ties into the sliders that are welded to the floorboard and frame. Basically its just one big piece of steel.

On the drawings the orange tubes make X's behind the Bpillar and Cpillar that goes through the roof and ties into the halo. Then from the center of each one of those X's there is a tube going to the center of the halo where all the tubes come together. Everything else is pretty self explanatory...

constructive criticism?
http://porc.purdue.org/uploads/forums/xj_cage7.jpg
http://porc.purdue.org/uploads/forums/xj_cage8.jpg
http://porc.purdue.org/uploads/forums/xj_cage9.jpg

How much weight are you adding above the CG??

How much weight are you adding above the CG??

The floorboards and framerails recieved a large amount of beef (3/16" plate). So while I am adding some tube up top I don't know if it will be enough to worry about. The added weight below the COG should counteract the tube on top.

Aside from that I couldn't think of an efficient way to make the roof halo strong enough to withstand a roll without this design. It ties in each corner and each pillar. The other designs i started with were lighter, but didn't do a very good job matching pillar nodes.

Why not just build an internal cage and be done with it? seems like a lot of extra tube (weight) just to preserve sheetmetal

Why not just build an internal cage and be done with it? seems like a lot of extra tube (weight) just to preserve sheetmetal

x2

Garrett from Heartland off road owns this XJ. Pretty similar to what you are after.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/319521893/1319525948058759758xFBBCk

http://community.webshots.com/photo/318880753/1318902539062943235THyBDS

http://community.webshots.com/photo/318749391/1318757455037662523CLIpMN

another vote for too much metal.

and I've got a heavy ass rollcage in mine

With all that steel, why not just build a buggie and wrap cheap xj metal around it? Looks like a core off road racing desgin. I vote for to much steel for an exocage. Looks sweet though! Do you plan on rolling this thing alot? Mabye it will be alright if you end up on your lid EVERY weekend:D . my .2

I would deffinatly add more tube into the design:D

:flipoff2:

Why not just build an internal cage and be done with it? seems like a lot of extra tube (weight) just to preserve sheetmetal
i agree that will add a shit load of weight :smokin:

OK here is my opinion. That is a lot of extra metal....but.... the way I see it is external cages on XJ's are virtually for protection against minor lay-overs and rock beatings, not extreme roll overs so you could probably loose some of that "extra" tubing and some weight with it. If your trying to keep a newer jeep looking decent that's cool but I think that I'm with Chris on the internal cage. All the rollovers on externally caged XJs I've seen that are bad enough to really screw up a normal cherokee have usually mangled the exo cage pretty bad anyways. Good luck with whatever you decide.

If your trying to keep a newer jeep looking decent

That cage would be counterproductive. :flipoff2:

IMHO your overthinking it, and overkilling it. Start bending some tube and build your main structure... once you get that done you will know what else to add. :D

Needs more triangulation. :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

how do you make the internal cute orange tubes hook up to the external nasty silver tubes? :confused:

how do you make the internal cute orange tubes hook up to the external nasty silver tubes? :confused:

the internal X's go through the roof and connect to the halo up top.

I'll work on another design with a little less exo tube....

My reasoning for the exo is because i can't just unbolt a body panel and replace with corner guard or other such bolt on replacement panel if it gets f'd up. So I need to maintain the sheetmetal.... to some extent. Also since the frame and body are one if i bash in the body then i'm essentially bashing up my frame. And if I roll it I can't just unbolt the thrashed body and replace with a new tub, the jeep is scrapped or beaten back to submission and looks like total shit.

Here's the newest rendition. A little less exo tube. I think it will still serve its purpose and it shouldn't be adding too much weight

http://porc.purdue.org/uploads/forums/xj_cage11.jpg
http://porc.purdue.org/uploads/forums/xj_cage10.jpg
http://porc.purdue.org/uploads/forums/xj_cage12.jpg

Add a little extra room on the upper rails. The XJ will crush in a roll so you will want a little head room when you roll the drivers head on a rock, right between your tubes. I like the tubes down the center pillars too cuz you dont want to tear your unibody if you flop on a rock. I like the added beef of the first design, just run the second design in a thicker tube and thinner for the rest. The x design for the interior in the second seems sufficient.

Mucho tube = mucho $$$, keep that in mind too if your on a budget. :D

not to be a pee pee, but This is a DD to keep looking nice right?
So when your windshield is cracked and it needs to be replaced, are those bars bolted?
Thats all I could think of, Im no help

not to be a pee pee, but This is a DD to keep looking nice right?
So when your windshield is cracked and it needs to be replaced, are those bars bolted?
Thats all I could think of, Im no help

38.5"SXs on recentered H1s, Ford 60s, Full hydro, 4-linked front, custom leaves rear.... Sorry but not a DD. Actually no longer street legal, so try not to jump to too many conclusions.

But I do like your idea about making the center bar removable. I heard there was someone on this board that sold clamps you could weld to the tube. Anybody know who that is?

Mucho tube = mucho $$$, keep that in mind too if your on a budget.
Got around 125ft. of HREW 1.75" .120wall. Could probably get more if i needed it. The last design used right at 120ft. So if i go that route i'm allready set.

My reasoning for the exo is because i can't just unbolt a body panel and replace with corner guard or other such bolt on replacement panel if it gets f'd up. So I need to maintain the sheetmetal.... to some extent. Also since the frame and body are one if i bash in the body then i'm essentially bashing up my frame. And if I roll it I can't just unbolt the thrashed body and replace with a new tub, the jeep is scrapped or beaten back to submission and looks like total shit.

Sorry, I didnt mean to jump to conclusions,,,I must have missed your specs in another thread...just sounded like it was a street driven rig.

Sorry, I didnt mean to jump to conclusions,,,I must have missed your specs in another thread...just sounded like it was a street driven rig.

its all good... i've about put it over on its top a couple times and when the day comes it does go over I'd like to be able to roll it back and drive it off the trail. Not end up with a crumpled up piece of sheet metal. Interior cage would be great at keeping me and my passengers safe but the trail rig is toast. An exo will protect the passengers and the rig.
Still looking for those clamps... I might just have them cut at a local shop

Got around 125ft. of HREW 1.75" .120wall. Could probably get more if i needed it. The last design used right at 120ft. So if i go that route i'm allready set.



That's optimistic.

I'll be set = I can buy enough off my buddy to make up for what i bend wrong the first time :)

the groceries in west lafayette will never know what hit them....




http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128990

I'll be set = I can buy enough off my buddy to make up for what i bend wrong the first time :)

yeh we've got quite a stock pile between us but i'm still not a huge proponent of the exo.

Let's just start bending some tube man. F all this cad shiat.

Well, here's my XJ before the cage:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/OTSfront.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/underside.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/smashedsidefull.jpg

Here's my cage:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/passengercomp.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/topinside.jpg

Here's my rig after I barrel rolled it completely over and back on its tires:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/passside.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/driversfront.jpg

Here's how it sits now:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/rignow.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/rignow2.jpg

I really don't think that an exo is going to save the sheetmetal or yourself any better than a nice interrior cage. The only thing that I would suggest is that you protect the front corners of the XJ so that the radiator can't be crushed. After my roll, the radiator was slightly damaged, but I was still able to drive it 4 hours home from the trail. My next XJ will have tubing welded to the rain gutters and will go down the outside of the "A" pillar and continue down under the front fenders and out to the front where it will be tied into the front stinger hoop. That will pretty much be all the tube you see outside of the vehicle. Having access to the rest of the sheel metal without having to deal with bent tubing on top of that is really key to making the XJ survive a little bit longer. I bent both "B" pillars and the pass. side "A" pillars, and being able to bend them back into shape made it easier for me to replace my windshield and fit a new set of doors.

If you wheel an XJ hard, you HAVE to look at the body as disposable. Plan all of your work on the body as such.

Here's my "new" project waiting till the end of wheeling season to get a new makeover:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/muddyjeep1/newrig.jpg