Ok the time has finally come and I have started on my EXO cage.

Yes, I have searched the archives and old posts and have found a ton of info on exo cages(thanks everyone) but I have not seen one like I have drawn up for mine so now I am just trying to figure out if my design is actually stronger or not a big difference at all.

I have looked at Dan's and Wanderingwillys a lot and like both there designs

IE:
http://home.off-road.com/~wanderingwillys/EXO/exo03s.jpg

http://www.patagonia4x4.com.ar/Album/Dan/new2.jpg

Well you can see in there design that the top hoop goes from the back of the cherokee all the way around the front corners and then back to the other side.
Then the both have supports from the rock rails up along the front of the door and up along the rear hatch.
Well after looking at these for some time I also noticed they have braced those corners, so that is where my design has come in.

But not being the most knowledgable about cages I was hoping someone here could enlighten me.

My idea is:
to make three main hoops on the XJ.
1: from the front of the rock rail up and over the cowl and down the other side.
2: from the corner of the first hoop up and over the windshield and down the other side.
3: from the rear bumper up and over the rear roof and down the other side. Then connect the hoops with cross bracing and such like dan and Wanderingwilly's did.

Hope this all makes sense.

Ok I am going to try to attach some pics so hopefully this help help you understand what I am thinking.

Again my question is:
do you think it will be stronger with my two hoops in the front or one hoop around teh top like the others and then connect them?

Thanks
Ken C

pics

pic 2

The only way I would spend as much time/money/weight on a rig as that tan cherokee did would be if I planned on wheelin with my kids and wife. I bet that cage weights upwards of 500 pounds! That is a lotta stick!

There comes a time in my book that your just protecting that body, trying to maintain your original look but your really fuglying it more than if you just let it get bashed up.

That tan thing looks alright thouhg. Just not my cup of tea.

Well that is exaclty what I do.
I Wheel with future wife and our dog (our kid).

The other reason for the cage is so that if I do roll (and they say if you have not you will, it is just a matter of when it will happen) The roof of the cherokee will not crush us.

I have never seen a cherokee roll and the roof not collapse, so I am trying to avoid that if possible.

Originally posted by BRUISER
pic 2
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=794767

With that much span between the frt & rr uprights, the rail on top will collapse easily. It will need some sort of leg down to the rocker rail.

Oops first pic was to just show what I was talking about with teh main hoop around windshield.

Here is a better pic of what the side will look like.

I think you're gettin there... :D We figured the 1 5/8 x 120 wall, added approx 230 lbs total to my rig...

http://www.pirate4x4.com/glenn2/exocage/exo10a.jpg

dans cage....

those pics were taken before a roll here in Moab when his exo "slipped" I say slipped and not failed because it didn't BEND just where it was on the rockers bent and the whole thing slid down about 2 inches..just enough to dent hi roof where the tubes were...

here is what needs to be done..(and what dan did on round 2)

make HEAVY DUTY rockerskids...these need to be supported by 3 sticks of 2x2 x 3/16 or 2x4 x 3/16 or thicker wall..

they need to go all the way across between both unibody rails and everything (dan had a really nice full lenght .25 skid plate built for his to) and triangulate the piss outa where the uprights go..

use .288wall uprights and yes you need to run 8 of em (4 on each side)

also that is still a big span to brace for the top...dan made a internal hoop behind the seats, and drilled holesaws in the roof, he sealed the holes well..they flex and hold up to seatle rain..anyways those tie into the roof crossover peices....


the way dans cage is now I would put it up with some of the best jeep cages I have seen for safety...

your on the right idea for top triangulation...I think you should get 3 diff size tubing though.....288 wall .120 wall and .83 wall

use thickest on uprights, 120 whereever rock could touch, and 83 everywhere else...

If I remember right dans cage is 465 pounds, including front bumper and .25 belly skid..it feels really stable to ride in

That's gonna be one heavy SOB when your done with it. You know if you actually do roll that rocks are probably gonna hit just where you don't have bars and crush the body anyways. :flipoff2:

You need an INTERNAL cage as well. Dan's rig has his exo cage tied to his internal cage at least behind the drivers seat, I thought there was another spot.

Wanderwilly's, I haven't seen it yet, but I heard he has his exo tied in to his internal cage in 8 spots!

Otherwise I could just see the tube bending in to the body in a roll.

Isn't this the same rig as the above picture??

I was at the same stage during my XJ. Build a exo and take it to the next level. Wandering Willys and Dans are both awesome examples. A full internal will do wonders for the rigidity of the unibody. It all depends how hard you wheel. I decided to get out of the XJ and build a CJ. I would never look back but I do miss the comfort. Good Luck

Glenn, It looks like the second picture from the top is the sam rig.

broncorob,

That's gonna be one heavy SOB when your done with it. You know if you actually do roll that rocks are probably gonna hit just where you don't have bars and crush the body anyways.

Ya well I am not worried about the body getting wrecked or dented, I am worried about my family and my self being safe when it does roll.

Ken C

twaldher,

You need an INTERNAL cage as well. Dan's rig has his exo cage tied to his internal cage at least behind the drivers seat, I thought there was another spot.

Ya I agree that is why I am putting this cage inside, but I just have not decided where I want to connect them at .

http://community.webshots.com/photo/32492513/32492851QDsqsk


Ken C

This was how I did mine - Travis was close there are 7 roof piercings rather than 8

With the shipping weight of all the tube I used and the difference in truck scale weights I added about 450lbs in cage alone - this doesn't account for the rockers 0.25 wall 2x2 and the front bumper 1/2" plate wrapped around the frame w/ 0.25 wall 2x3 wings

I have since added a little more to the inside in the form of a mesh hard deck, and the midspan to support it...

Matthttp://home.off-road.com/~wanderingwillys/xjpics/eek13.gif

http://home.off-road.com/~wanderingwillys/EXO/exo20s.jpg
http://home.off-road.com/~wanderingwillys/EXO/exo13s.jpg
This is the only place where I feel I could add to the roof (mid span above the WS) I wanted to add something through the roof but could not figure out a way to do it gracefully...
http://home.offroad.com/~wanderingwillys/xjpics/hard_deck2.jpg
Closed
http://home.off-road.com/~wanderingwillys/xjpics/hard_deck4.jpg
Open

Damn wanderingwillys,

Everytime I see your XJ it is just mean looking.

Well quick update:
I have all the steel and I have added onto my rockers so it will be easier to tie the cage to it.
Now I just have to start bending.

Thanks for all the info guys.
Ken C

Good GAWD!!~!~!~!~!

That this is way overkill but certianly will sustain the blast of a 40 megaton bomb!

If it were me I would just do the inside like that XJ. I would not do a exo, but I don't give a fark about body damage.

I do like the roof piercings and might do something like that and tie it into a low profile rack for those long trips.

1 1/2 schedule 40 would be my material of choice (none of the pipe is for plumbers shiat either!)

Wow, that is a sweet set up!

Wanna build me a cage? *wink wink*

Later.

Ken S.

this ended up weighin just about 275 pounds, schedule 40 1.5"ID, 1.9" OD, but i guess i ditched about 100 pounds in roof, doors and glass? theres a big "V" added to the rear of the interior but i cant get the pic to post

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=86884

Originally posted by Alaska ZJ
Good GAWD!!~!~!~!~!

That this is way overkill but certianly will sustain the blast of a 40 megaton bomb!


Overkill when it comes to personal safety???:confused: :flipoff2:

Ken, here is my roughed up version of a possible Exo. Whatcha think?:D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid35/p86b2df91702d00cd7f8fc7cae44547eb/fd2eb2e0.jpg

Here is a pic on it's lid in Moab. Seem to hold up well but did wipe out the winshield....

http://www.off-road.com/toyota/trips/moab2000/2788.jpg

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JS-Economos
[B]

Ken, here is my roughed up version of a possible Exo. Whatcha think?:D


That looks great assuming you're talking to me. But, I was hoping that it could be built on my Unimog.

Anyways, i'll shut up and let this thread go on to help with "Trying to figure out strongest exo cage" theme.

Later.

Ken S.

Hah, BRUISER is also Ken C.:flipoff2: :flipoff2:

It seems that we have another Ken amongst the...Kens?:D

Send me some shots of your Uni, I'll doctor one up for ya right fast... as long as you can let me *borrow* a pair of mog axles.:D :D

JS-Economos,

Overkill when it comes to personal safety???

Ken, here is my roughed up version of a possible Exo. Whatcha think?

Not bad at all.
Hopefully I can get started bending and welding once I get back from tellico.

Thank for more ideas.

Ken Carter

How do you mount the exo under the door behind the front tire?

Is it ok to mount it to the side step?
I am not allowed to weld or permanently mount anything to the frame because of regulations.
But I am worried that the side step will not be able to take the stress of a roll.

Robert VanLane

Give fatkid or Tin bender a call at 760 446 2292. They've done some very successful exos;)

I can't wait to see that thing Ken, its gonna be sick.

Heres your front shot. The hoodlines tie into the front bull bar ( as if you couldn't tell :p ).:flipoff2:

Rvl,
How do you mount the exo under the door behind the front tire?

Is it ok to mount it to the side step?
I am not allowed to weld or permanently mount anything to the frame because of regulations.
But I am worried that the side step will not be able to take the stress of a roll.

Robert VanLane

Well the plan we came up with was to mount the sides of exo to my rock rails, which are bolted through the (sort of frame rails on my XJ)
The rails I built are 140 wall (yes I like over kill - why not, this is not comp rig) and then they are attached with grade 8 bolts all the way through the frame.

I actually thought about welding channel along my frame to make it stronger but at this time I have not. Maybe in the future.

My opinion ( which probably does not mean sh*t) is that if you cross brace correctly you will not have to worry about the side steps failing. I am also planning on tieing the exo to a brace on the inside(kinda like wanderwilly or dan starc, but a little different) so there is not chance of it shifting in a roll, but only time or the first roll will tell.

Ken C