is the factory rollbar strong enough to build the rest of an interior cage off of?Or start from scratch.I saw a write up of "Daves cages" front hoop and it looks pretty cool.Just leery of the strength thats all

Fatty used the factory hoop, and we all know he wouldn't do that if it wasn't Tin Bender approved. :skull:

well if fatty trusts it so do I ...listen to the wise men for they speek the truth and the truth will set you free...can I get an amen

AMEN!

Lol, preacher Jim!! :D

I like the factory hoop, it has some nice mounting points and it's made of 2". We built the rest of the cage with 2" so it worked well for what we had in mind.

get yer rain coats on holy water loaded up in the super soaker......squirt squirt squirt.....

I've had that same question...
No doubt the bar can hold the vehicle wieght...

It's the mounting that does scare me!!...
C'mon...I mean it's just screwed onto the sheet metal wheel wells...one of the most prone areas to rust and corrosion...

Seems like the factory bar could use a horizontal down low behind the front seats...then 2 vericles up from the chassis..

Then do your cage.

Anyone agree??

when i took the stock bar off my long term project it was all body fill and tar that was holding the roll bar on.........maybe weld a piece to the frame and to the bottom of the floor under the bar and bolt the roll bar to your frame brace..........
-Mike

Originally posted by jims4x4
is the factory rollbar strong enough to build the rest of an interior cage off of?Or start from scratch.I saw a write up of "Daves cages" front hoop and it looks pretty cool.Just leery of the strength thats all

The only thing I would add is make the base/feet of the stock bar a little larger so it distributes the potential load a little more - unless you bring it through the tub to the frame of course.

r@m

Originally posted by slider
I've had that same question...
No doubt the bar can hold the vehicle wieght...

It's the mounting that does scare me!!...
C'mon...I mean it's just screwed onto the sheet metal wheel wells...one of the most prone areas to rust and corrosion...

Seems like the factory bar could use a horizontal down low behind the front seats...then 2 vericles up from the chassis..

Then do your cage.

Anyone agree??

That would help as well - in a way it is too bad the Sam seats have to pass under the stock roll br in order to get a comfortable seating position - if they didn't then you could properly triangulate the structure under the hoop.

r@m

Originally posted by slider
I've had that same question...
No doubt the bar can hold the vehicle wieght...

It's the mounting that does scare me!!...
C'mon...I mean it's just screwed onto the sheet metal wheel wells...one of the most prone areas to rust and corrosion...

Seems like the factory bar could use a horizontal down low behind the front seats...then 2 vericles up from the chassis..

Then do your cage.

Anyone agree??

Yep. I welded a support to the frame and welded a plate on top of that which bolts to the rollbar mount. I think if you tie it into the frame it's plenty strong.

Do you have a pic of your support?

Originally posted by jonesk9
Do you have a pic of your support?

Ditto :D

And Chris, what tubing is your rear bumper made of? 2"x3" ?

Thanks :D

i watched a buddie of mine flop his zook end over end then a complete barrel roll. the factory bar saved his ass he and the passenger got out in damn good shap considering. it is a hell of a lot stronger than i gave it credit for. and its just erw with a .080 to .100 wall thickness. but a pretty strong design. but this was also a rust free texas zuk. mike

Originally posted by slider
I've had that same question...
No doubt the bar can hold the vehicle wieght...

It's the mounting that does scare me!!...
C'mon...I mean it's just screwed onto the sheet metal wheel wells...one of the most prone areas to rust and corrosion...

Seems like the factory bar could use a horizontal down low behind the front seats...then 2 vericles up from the chassis..

Then do your cage.

Anyone agree??

Good points, however the hoop by itself doesn't mean anything. The entire cage when tied together is where the strength is. We did add a few pieces of tube to triangulate the main hoop though, it didn't have a any lateral support. I think the condition of the sheet meatal is also a consideration when doing any type of tube work on the rig, mine was is great shape it's a 94' .

FATKID...

That this is Fk'n awsome!!!
What's the other diameters of tube that you used?

I used the factory hoop, along with another factory hoop (I went with a double bar setup), when I built my cage. I've flopped my rig plenty of times, and got 3 full rolls down a hill once. Never even tweaked my cage.

I flipped one pretty hard (2 times sideways, then 2 times end over end....backwards) and the stock bar held up remarkably well!!! It still looked somewhat like a samurai!!! ....and drove out of the woods after swapping a tire (that got cut) and re-seating beads on 2 other wheels.

I don't know that I would trust it as much if the wheel wells had been cut on though.....exactly where do people with "hard core" trail only rigs tie their main hoop to the frame?

Originally posted by fatkid


Good points, however the hoop by itself doesn't mean anything. The entire cage when tied together is where the strength is. We did add a few pieces of tube to triangulate the main hoop though, it didn't have a any lateral support. I think the condition of the sheet meatal is also a consideration when doing any type of tube work on the rig, mine was is great shape it's a 94' .


I agree 100%, did anybody know how thin the stock bar is?? It's around .095:eek: So it does need help other than just a add on kit.

If anybody gets the Dave bar, get his main hoop too:D

Originally posted by jonesk9
Do you have a pic of your support?

I'm Chris R, not Chris V, but here's the best picture I can find of mine......:) Another poser shot!;)

http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/758236-support.JPG

1.5" tube welded to the frame with a plate on top, which bolts to the feet of the factory hoop.

Originally posted by slider
FATKID...

That this is Fk'n awsome!!!
What's the other diameters of tube that you used?

When it come to tube we use it all, it just depends what were working on. We have dies to bend 3/4", 7/8", 1", 1.25", 1.5", 1.75", 2", and 1" square.:)