due to a recent roll, im going to chop the top. i dont want to run the cage all the way up to the front bumper so it needs to tie into the a-pillar right below the windshield(the windshield is going too). the searches i did only showed the finised cage not exactly how to tie it in so that i dont "fold like a taco". anybody have a writeup on how they did it?

I don't have a write up, but I would probably still run some tube to the front bumper or down to a reinforced unibody rail, for strength.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/rob_laurali/33460008.jpg


you can kinda see where it ties in. I just used a 4x3x.250 angle about 4" long and welded it to the frame rail and then tied my rockers in to it and the rockers were tied in to three other places on the sleeved rails as well as the B pillar.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/rob_laurali/XJ/CAGE/Picture012.jpg

here you can see the top of the angle through the drain hole
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/rob_laurali/XJ/CAGE/Picture011.jpg


Its since been all tore out and a rear tube version replaces the body and cage etc.

I tied my external A pillar down bars into the side of the cowl, then to the rock rail and to the frame. The plate is welded to the tube and then both riveted and welded to the sheetmetal at the cowl. I like the protection of an exo, but don't like the look, so the forward bars stay underneath the fender. BTW, the welding isn't completed yet in these first two pics.

http://www.fototime.com/3CFC375B226C2F5/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/0863D224D07BA2E/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/B359D75BA2ECEB8/standard.jpg

The cowl and firewall area is structurally the strongest part of the chassis, with the most structural triangulation and thickest steel. So, I think it helps the overall rigidity and strength to tie a cage into that area. I cut it all apart when building the buggy, and got to see it all first hand. I still think it's important to tie a cage into the front of the rig. A few of us have had cracks where the forward frame section meets the firewall, and I had cracks on both sides of the front crossmember.......and this is with the frame around the steering box plated both inside, outside and on the bottom, and a very stout bumper with bumper mounts that run a ways down the frame on both sides. One of these days we'll have a thread about cracks, and I'll list all of the places I've had to repair stress cracks. :eek:

ttt

Goatman, I was just curious if you have a write up that I can go check out of the front half doors you did. Sorry about the hijacking.

youre fine, id also like to see a writeup on the doors...

Goatman, I was just curious if you have a write up that I can go check out of the front half doors you did. Sorry about the hijacking.

youre fine, id also like to see a writeup on the doors...

step one : remove doors
step two : cut metal away you dont want
step three : cover big gap up with metal and weld
step four : paint


OR YOU COULD SEARCH!



:flipoff2:

will do thanks scrprock by the way nice sig:)

Goatman, I was just curious if you have a write up that I can go check out of the front half doors you did. Sorry about the hijacking.


Sorry, no write up on the doors. They're cut down, then a piece of sheetmetal welded (carefully) across the top. It's cut below the outside door handle, but has the inside door handle, so you open it from the inside. The mirrors are motorcycle mirrors (Harley, actually) and are attached to a small L bracket on the inside of the door.

I wish I could claim credit for them, but I bought them mostly finished from Paul S when he chopped his XJ more and eliminated the doors.

cool thanks, they look real good:cool2: