New cage….

Well the new JD4 bender came and I finally got it put together and a portable table built for the 300 lbs bugger. I have proceeded to learn how to use it and this is what I came up with. (Ok so I have about 15’ of “Learning pieces” in the corner. But I can repeat bends now.) The main thing I tried to do here was come up with the best fit and but keep it functional. The front clip tucks in tight against the floor pillars, kicks out clearing the dashes, and then tucks back in following the windshield lines. I was able to keep it from contacting any of the body and allow for about .250 clearances near any steel body part for tub flex. The upper bars kick just above the driver and passengers dome and slope following the roof line forward. This gives the monkey driving and passenger protection from trail debris (rocks, tree stumps) coming through the cage when you excide 180*. Sitting in the stock seats I have about 4” of clearance above my head (I’m six one) yet a hard top will clear it as will the new soft top bows. (The front bow clears by just barely .250!) As you can see I built it off the stock bar, no shots of it finished in the rig… now that it is done I am going to sell this one and build a complete cage for the whole rig. (Side bars, hand holds, full rear bars, etc.) I will use the same front cage clip I came up with here, and may add some extra triangulation in the top bars.

Then tube out the body front clip….. Mooahhahaha, mad I tell’ya mad.

Ok so let me have it....

From the back...

Nice!

I really like the idea that you are going to rebuild it without the stock rear "grab bar" though.

Originally posted by Jason M
Nice!

I really like the idea that you are going to rebuild it without the stock rear "grab bar" though.
No shit, i barely leaned into the bank on upper 2 at tellico and bent that p.o.s in like 4-5"

The cage looks totally kick ass. Nice bending bro. My only question is why the hell you have a manhole in your back yard?

Oh yeah, i might be one of the last people on this BB who should be giving advice, but i've been doing a lot of research on cages recently (as i will be starting on mine VERY soon) and i've been told (and agree with) to run a bar from side to side between the front and rear main hoops to prevent the cage from shifting sideways.:D

Nice cage !
I think I'm about to go through the same learning curve. Just bolted my JD bender down to the concrete the other day. It's a really well built machine , can't wait to figure it out.

Want my thoughts? here goes... It's ugly with the rear stock bar attached. I realizive your gonna sell it though. As for the front hoop, it is totally unsafe... Take the bends out of it, I know you like your new bender, and its alot of fun to play with, but that only makes the cage weak by bending it like that. You should try and run the bars as staright as possible. Laugh now or take it from somone who has been in many of hard rolls! That cage will fold like a dollar bill when impacted.

Jason, yup its gone.

Bman, I was wondering if I was going to catch some junk for this. Yup I got my own man hole in my the corner of my driveway. It only leads to a 100 yard storm drain. Still good for dropping M-80's in.

72, I agree with you 100% if I was to build a competition or hard core only rig, then yes I would have an "X" on the inside of the main hoop. You would also see a vertical "X" between the driver and passenger in the middle, inline with the rig will all cage points mounted to the frame. But the end result will be a compromise of intended use and function. Heck I am putting a rear forward facing seat in, so the family can rid along. I will most likely be putting a cross bar low on the main hoop and run two supports up to the corners.

Reddog, Have fun with the new machine! I sure am. Just start off with cheep ERW before busting out the DOM stuff! The learning curve gets spendy quick.

Jeff, I agree with you on two points. The stock Cruiser rear bar is something to get rid of. I also agree ANY functional cage will fold on the RIGHT impact. In designing this front cage clip I used the guide lines from the SCCA rule book, (Looked at the NASCAR guide lines but we are not going 200+ MPH) as a resource and place to start. A few of the key points that I walked away with is not exceeding bending in two different plains and to not exceed 180* of bend per bar run. The two bends in each of the front pillars on this cage in the photo, purposely put the upper and lower (of the bends) inline with each other. This straight line is important here to not purposely exaggerate a stress relief point in one of the bends. I agree with you that any extra bends in a bar run will always be weaker than a straight bar run. At some point functionality needs to be added in and this design puts the cage as far forward as possible for the passengers w/ marginal trade off over all. Jeff I genuinely appreciate your opinion, but I disagree this will catastrophically fail in the majority of roll-overs.

My front bars are not 100% straight and I just landed theentire weight of my truck on the top corner of the front hoop, for what it's worth.

Helocat...love it!

I like the stock roll bar look...very distinctive Cruiser.

Why not make a halo style cage?

Noland, when I rolled my first Cruiser the design of the front hoop was bent in two planes and only connected to the rear duel hoop in the middle of the front and mid bar, sand rail style. I had people state it would fold up, but I trusted the old welder that built it for me and fortunately it did not fail. This was street roll and by far the most violent. Going 45+ I lost control in a corner, the truck climed the sweeping banked side of the road. The whole rig went airborne doing a half barrel roll and did a 5' flat drop on the front of the cage, then slid for 20' or so. (It left a hole in the asphalt where the impact initially was!) The street roll was by far the most violent. It sprung the cage but the Schmitty-built ERW held up and did not collapse. The force it would take to collapse the front hoop here would greatly excide the strength of the tub's sheet metal floor. (Yes frame mounts are the next step up)

Eric, That is a great idea and it would work on my rig. I am attempting to make this design usable on early cruisers with the wiper motor on the upper part of the windshield frame. If a halo was used in those cases the top of the pillar bars would need to still have the upper bend in them.

I think the paint looks great, Cruiser Roll Bar Grey;)

I like the stock roll bar look...very distinctive Cruiser. [/B][/QUOTE]

Me too, i plan on copying the stock bar, and just adding the front section.

Originally posted by Mustard Dog
I think the paint looks great, Cruiser Roll Bar Grey;)


Rust-o-lum dark gray, its scarry how well it matches up to the stock color!