XJ hybrid cage build

[99ncxj]

I've always wanted to put a cage in/on my XJ but it took a really long time to decide how i wanted to do it. Here is the progress from day one to where it sits now. It took right at a week to do it all.
day one, only had enough tube to get this far:

here is what i'm thinking for the cross brace and harness bar.

I added a little kink near the bottom to make the B pillar more vertical at the top

Added harness bar and X

then finished out the rear with C pillar, D pillar and rear seat harness bar. I'm thinking about adding a diagonal brace in the cargo area on either side but i'm not sure if its really needed.

 

[99ncxj]

Welded up the whole interior part of the cage and installed the floor plates.
Bent up the "roof sliders". It took a while since its so big and i'm doing all this myself. I've got the places marked on the roof where i will drill the holes for it to attach to the internal cage.

still need to cut to length but here is a rear view:

I was having a fit trying to get the roof hoop centered and to sit still on my wooden spacers so i found some cheap helpers laying in the back of the jeep.

 

[99ncxj]

I also finished making all the parts for the roof sliders to sit on. I was a little nervous about drilling 6 big holes in the roof but it actually turned out quite nice. the tube is very tight in the holes so welding it back up around the tube will be a piece of cake.

Welded up roof sliders and painted it and the internal part of the cage:

I cut the ends at the same angle as the hatch line and capped it off:

 

[99ncxj]

Got the seats put back in and installed the harnesses. I realized I put the harness bar just a little lower than i had wanted but the way the frame of the seat is, the angle from my shoulders to where the pull point is will work fine. Its about 5deg. I don't think the angle from the pull point (inside seat back) to mounting point will be a problem.

I need to decide if i'm going to weld up the roof where the tube goes through or just put black silicone around it so it doesn't leak. I was able to cut the holes just right so the tube fits real tight so welding shouldn't be too hard if i decide to go that route.

As you can see, I still need to build the A pillars and fender bars to the bumper. Also planning on a front hood (radiator) bar. I don't know if it will all get done before friday's ride since i have to be out of town for work on thursday but i'm going to try to get the A pillars done and the upsidedown "V" infront of the windshield done tomorow before towing it out to the farm for friday.

 

[99ncxj]

today i finished up the cage. I made both A pillars, both fender bars and a radiator bar and painted it up. I may still add the bars infront of the windshield but I didn't have time today for that.

 

[marvilusone]

Cage work looks sweet. Now I'm ready to see you test it out!!!

 

[TJcrawler97]

bad ass....nice design

 

[99ncxj]

Cage work looks sweet. Now I'm ready to see you test it out!!!

I tested it alittle on friday. No flopping, but some good tree rubbing on the front and top.

 

[92yotaman]

very nice i like it a lot

 

[1stgenxxx]

nice man...haven't seen that done before...I like how you kept it simple up top. I thought you might go crazy with tube up there and make it too heavy

 

[99ncxj]

all the roof tubing (cross bracing) is inside. the roof bars are really just so i can rub on trees or flop it on its side and not tear up the rain gutters or door openings. it still took right at 5 sticks of tube so its right around 200lbs of extra weight.

 

[J.C.]

took right at 5 sticks of tube so its right around 200lbs of extra weight.

Still, looks good and will provide lots of protection!

 

[Dylan W.]

I like the roof bar design. Let us know if it leaks or not. Silicone, or welding up there?

 

[Caver Dave]

I need to decide if i'm going to weld up the roof where the tube goes through or just put black silicone around it so it doesn't leak.

I bet it won't matter which you do... and either will eventually leak regardless. You may have better luck using a urethane sealer (a bit more durable than "sillycone", but still pliable) after wiping the areas down with acetone

 

[redneckjeep87]

damn justin lookin good....now its time to try that line out at DPG agian PUCKER UP haha

 

[BRUISER]

very nice job..

 

[RatLabGuy]

I need to decide if i'm going to weld up the roof where the tube goes through or just put black silicone around it so it doesn't leak.

I'm with Dave, I think it's gonna leak either way... but if you can, I'd weld it to the sheet metal, THEN silicone it anyway.
I'd bet that w/o the welds, you'll have small bits of body flex (normal) causing the hole to slide along the bar. Not much, but it'd only take like 1/8" or more to break a silicone bead, then it would leak.

 

[99ncxj]

yea, you can just barely hear the sheet metal squeeking on the tube going through the roof. I was able to cut the holes almost perfect so the biggest gap anywhere is only like 1/16". I think i'm going to weld it up. even if it does leak some, it won't be the end of the world. No carpet or headliner.

DPG and other hard core stuff will be much more fun now that i've got some personal safety insurance. My driving style changed alot this past friday since i didn't have to worry about crunching the body. I still crunched the side of the hatch and the body behind the rear side window some but its not too bad. I'm thinking about adding some short side body "sliders" right under the cargo windows that will go thru the body and tie into the C and D pillars inside. that will atleast keep me from breaking out the windows...maybe.

here are some shots from friday:

and a little video of the fender bars doing thier job:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLMfiAjStKI

 

[BUCKEYE PERFORMANCE INC.]

man u stole my idea. looks great i like the kinky on the main hoop.

 

[99ncxj]

man u stole my idea. looks great i like the kinky on the main hoop.

hey, nothing kinky going on here!!!

 

[andyxj]

Great looking design! I'm hoping to do something similar to mine in the not-too distant future. I really like the internal tied into the roof sliders.

 

[blackknight_4x4_]

nice xj

 

[wflaw45]

loosk great! ever thaught of running a bar from the roof slider down to your rear bumber? you could use that to tie in with your "fender sliders" below the rear window.

just an idea.
-W.F.

 

[CMjeep3]

my truck is in your video

 

[Yay!Gurrr]

I missed this when it was first posted but that a nice design for the roof slider !!