Front shots of Raptors cage

[Raptor]

These are the only front shots I have w/me.


<IMG width=352 height=288 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/Front_1.jpg">
<IMG width=352 height=288 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/front_cage_2.jpg">

[Whizzy]

Thank you!
Looking good.
It may just be my eyes, but, is the bar that is going across the windshield, above the wipers, alittle bit high?
Just a question.

[gnob]

i have to say, that is a phatty exo!

[Raptor]

I suppose in a perfect world it is a bit high. I would have liked to put it lower, in fact we tacked it on lower but the wipers were hitting it so now there is abourt 1/8" clearance at full swing. I thought it might get in the way but really doesn't. I'm happy w/it.

[Chris Geiger]

Another X-Cage, Cool!

[TNToy]

<font color="yellow">
Is there a reason you didn't scoot that bar toward the front of the hood until it was in front of the wiper pivots? There's room there to clear the hood hinge if you do this, isn't there? Then it could be almost laying on the hood...

[crawler#976]

wow!!!!!!!

how many hours?
est. on cost of material?
what type of bender did ya use?

[TNToy]

<font color="yellow">Tough call - do I like this one or Geiger's better? Hmm...
</font>

[Raptor]

Not sure there is room to lift the hood w/it scooted to far forward. I wanted it to line up w/the bar going to the nerfs so as not to get any extra bends. The straighter the pipe the stronger it is. An exo is a kind of a fit and see kind of thing, there are lots of ways to do it.
There is about 90 ft. of DOM tubing. I got it through a friends shop so it was less than 2 bucks a foot. We ordered almost 300 ft. He's doing a flat bed on an Fj45. It wieghs just over 2 lbs per foot. We used a Mittler Brs bender w/the bend calculator. Took 3 Saturdays about 10 hrs a day to get it that far. The first day was pretty comical so maybe 25 hrs total. I bent it so it didn't cost anything ( borrowed the bender)but I did by the 1.75" shoe @ $490.

[Chris Geiger]

Here is an updated shot of mine...

[Bones]

Originally posted by Chris Geiger:
<STRONG>Here is an updated shot of mine... </STRONG>

Damn!! How does everyone paint these things without getting it all over the rig itself? It looks great, but if I did this, it'd be all over the place..maybe that's another reason to go CAMO!!

[TNToy]

<font color="yellow">Chris, Why did you paint your cage yellow? I think it looked cooler the other way (black). Afraid of being accused of being a Ned Bacon imitator? <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"></font>

[ 08-14-2001: Message edited by: MasterYota ]

[Chris Geiger]

Well personally I think external cages are a little ugly, practical but ugly. By painting it the same color as the truck the cage stands out a little less.

When I painted the cage I used a roll of the wax paper they use to mask cars when painting. I covered the entire cab with the wax paper and then sprayed the cage. This gets the outside of the cage painted. I used brush on paint for the inside of the tubing that is near the body as I was not able to get enough spray paint on it. I used Rustolume (sp?) paint, they had both bush on and spray paint that matches in color exactly.

The black color on the old picture was not paint, it's just the natural color of DOM material.

[ 08-14-2001: Message edited by: Chris Geiger ]

[Raptor]

I just got a couple drop cloths from the paint store. I put them under the cage all over the body and every now and then, especially under the bars, I put little holes in the plastic and put some tape over the hole to hold it flush w/the body. Then sprayed, and like Chris, I brushed it where the spray wouldn't reach.

[convertiyota]

Originally posted by Chris Geiger:
<STRONG>Here is an updated shot of mine... </STRONG>

DAYUM <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

That looks SOOOOOOO much better yellow. Congrats. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[ROCKDADDY]

I like the color matching exo also. I am planning on redoing mine and will match the exo to the color of the truck. Looks good Chris.

Raptor, great looking cage. Nice work.

[Bad Karma]

Hey, Chris, you ever toyed with the idea of trimming your front fender openings to follow the exo-cage? At first glance it seems like it would look really good.

[gonewheelin]

both of you have awesome cages woohooo

[Chris Geiger]

Originally posted by Bad Karma:
<STRONG>Hey, Chris, you ever toyed with the idea of trimming your front fender openings to follow the exo-cage? At first glance it seems like it would look really good.</STRONG>

Yep I agree it would look better cut to match the cage. It would also be much less likly to get hit and crack the fender if cut out a little more. I will get around to it some day, got a bunch of other things still on the to do list.

[CRAWLING82]

hi guys heres mine.<IMG width=576 height=376 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/hat.jpg">
<IMG width=576 height=376 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/hike.jpg">

[CRAWLING82]

i built this one too.<IMG width=504 height=329 SRC="http://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/uploads/marlin.jpg">

[mobil1syn]

chris that is one of the best looking exo's i have seen. very nice and well planned out. doesnt look over killed and tube crazy like some i have seen. good job. thats a killer rig too.

[toy 4 rox]

nice cage Raptor.its alot of work ha??