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? about Roll Cages

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by Hellraiserharris, Jan 11, 2011.

  1. Hellraiserharris

    Hellraiserharris New Member

    When installing roll cages and you are planning on connecting them to the frame of the vehicle. What do you do about it going thru the body. Wouldn't that make the body act like its has solid mounts?
     
  2. Mike S

    Mike S Sponsor

  3. timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    You'll find lots of opinions about this.

    Back in the olden days, the front hoop was just bolted to the floor of the body. This protected you just fine in the event of the typical slow rolls that are common on the trail. Some will tell you that you have to tie in to the frame for safety. That assumes that the body will tear loose from the frame in a rollover. I've only seen that happen to a Wagoneer with about 3" of body lift... this was a terrible crash on the highway, but even then, the passenger cabin stayed intact.

    Note that the seats are bolted to the body, not the frame, so the passengers are going to go along with the body, wherever it may go.
     
  4. Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    I didn't connect mine to the frame, but did incorporate seat and seat belt mounts. I wanted to allow the ECJ frame to flex like it was designed to do.

    Just be warned - this topic tends to become a hot one..;)
     
  5. bobracing

    bobracing web wheeler

    These will get you through the body:
    http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&path=39&product_id=100

    Then as shown above a bushing (ears will have to added) will help with vibration and allow the body/frame to flex a little separately.

    I presonally don't like a tube welded directly to the frame, prefer to see a <> shaped plate welded inbetween the frame and tube.
     
  6. aallison

    aallison 74 cj6, 76 cj5. Has anyone seen my screwdriver?

  7. Hellraiserharris

    Hellraiserharris New Member

    Posted via Mobile Device
     
  8. Hellraiserharris

    Hellraiserharris New Member

    I am connecting the roll cage to the frame to help strengthen the frame. I am also planning to box in the entire frame. So either the cage passes thru the body or plates sandwiches the body. Is it wise to just use solid body mounts, so it doesn't tear up the body.
    Posted via Mobile Device
     
  9. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    yep, and here's mine.
    seen lots of slow and high speed rollover vehicles, both on the pavement and off road.
    as I have inspected the vehicles, sitting in a body shop parking lot, I've only seen a few bolts that have pulled thru the vehicle sheetmetal.
    properly bolted, roll bars mounted to the body will work and save your life.
    keep in mind they are designed to work only once.


    to the original poster, boxing the entire frame will make the frame very stiff; instead of flexing (as originally designed), it might just break; or in off camber situations, the amount of lift to the front end might scare you.
    boxing in my opinion is only needed for steering and suspension mounting areas.
     
  10. 1974Sixer

    1974Sixer Member

    It seems to me that regardless of attaching a cage system to the frame or to the body, the most important aspect of fully utilizing a roll cage is to attach the seats and restraints to the cage system.

    In my thinking, a single hoop roll bar would be better suited to be attached to the frame since it's the only thing between the passengers and the ground during a roll over and considering the seats and restraints are attached to the body.

    I always sort of figured that if I were in a rollover and in a caged system, I probably wouldn't care if I were tumbling with or without the jeep as long as I were held inside the cage.

    So with that said, I think I'll I have to decide for myself as to wether or not I'll attach to the frame and I suppose it will depend on wether or not I have a cage that I feel will stand alone and protect if it comes detached.
     
  11. BOHICA

    BOHICA Whipper Snapper

    And if you're really worried about it, you can do like they do on cars and just weld a plate between the floor and the tube to spread out the load.
     
  12. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Last edited: Jan 12, 2011
  13. unclebill

    unclebill Banned

  14. jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    lots of things are wrong/done wrong in the video
    look closely at the driver at the end
    he's out of his seat, wonder if his seat belt was even on ?
    but I'm not gonna bash the guy
    nobody thinks it will happen to them
    anyway, I'm sure the bar is bolted to the sheetmetal as we've been discussing.
     
  15. unclebill

    unclebill Banned

    i am not denigrating that man.
    i just didnt get it.
    i have no speakers on this comp so i couldnt hear if the engine was dying or what.
     
  16. duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Having personally tested the bolt-on type in a 55 mph complete end to end flip in a CJ5, I can say if the body wheel well mount type is bolted well, they work just fine. It shoved the body rails/wheel wells down 3 to 4", but nary a single bolt pulled and there was no flex in the bar (2 1/4" dia). That said, when I mounted the bar in the 3B, it is frame mounted with heavy spring bushings so things can still flex a bit. The holes in the floor were just siliconed in with black RTV.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. scott milliner

    scott milliner Master Fabricator

    I think he had it in 4 high and the motor kept dieing.
     
  18. hudsonhawk

    hudsonhawk Well-Known Member

    If you tie in the cage to the frame be aware that the front of the frame will flex and the back won't. This will cause wear and cracking of the frame in front of the A pillars. I could feel the floor flex under my feet. It was strange.

    Mine eventually turned almost into a tube buggy with the front tubes running under the sheet metal. But I never had a frame flex issue after it was complete. Of course this was on a purpose built rock crawler too, so it saw some severe use.