3rd Gen Bolt in Cage

[JWaldz]

To be honest.. I rather have an internal cage on my dd over an external and I rather have both ext. and int. on a trail rig. It will add weight but I think the right suspension will hold it up well. Expect to lose some mpg especially with an int. cage, bumpers, skids, big tires, ect. That's the biggest problem I see using it on a dd.

With that said, I myself would still go for one because I do wheel pretty hard at times and while yes I'd like to keep my truck dent & scratch free, I much rather save my life than save my truck in the event of a rollover. Sh!t does happen some times and you can't always expect things to go right. I've seen rollovers occur very quickly on obstacles you wouldn't think it could ever happen. It only takes a second.



OL You have a pm coming your way.

 

[NOT ME OR SOMEBODY]

What about a modular design ? Like in three parts.

1) Have a rear roll bar like the uh.... was it second gen? that are modded to fit in the third gen. This offers minimal coverages and give you a place to mount stuff to. Ie fire extinguisher ect.

2) Then a mid section that could only be added if the rear was purchased first because they would have to be tied together.

With this rear and mid section the protection would be pretty good I would think for the driver and passenger in the front and also the rear seat passengers, since it would end right behind the front seats.

In the mid section I envision a bar that starts on the rear floor say behind the front passenger seat that goes up and across the ceiling and back down to the rear floor on the drivers side. and of course ties into the rear portion

3) Then the other option would be a full kit with a front section that requires the rear and mid section purchase first that extends down the " A " pilars and around the front windshield.

I hope you can picture what I am suggesting.

I am not sure how all this would fit together as I actually hate Fabbing stuff together from scratch and welding and so on. Mostly because I am not that good at it.

My brain doesn't work all that well in that realm. Give me a massive electical panel with bundles of wires some plc's with a bunch of relays and weird black boxes and modules with some variable drives that commincates with multiple other panels with newer and older platforms in them and I feel at home.

 

[Rc4r]

I think the A design in the front would be sick!

 

[thorridder]

i will say all of this is interesting. i have kinda been wanting to get a cage but will wait till the armor goes on. but would still lean more to the exo because that just looks so bad**s and if something or someone hit it it wouldnt mess up the truck and would help more than just in a roll over. but maybe thats just my thinking on it.

 

[99runnerwa]

One thing to keep in mind with the exo cage is legality if you plan to drive the rig on the road. I am not an expert in the laws of each state but i believe that some places have rules against exo cages.
Big John, I understand what you are saying. Those are the reasons i havnt tried to make my own. If a cage can be designed so that it not only will allow me to be comfortable in my rig but also provide protection in a roll over or other accident then i will be all for it. As it stands right now comfort out weighs the added safety.

 

[Big John]

One thing to keep in mind with the exo cage is legality if you plan to drive the rig on the road. I am not an expert in the laws of each state but i believe that some places have rules against exo cages.
Big John, I understand what you are saying. Those are the reasons i havnt tried to make my own. If a cage can be designed so that it not only will allow me to be comfortable in my rig but also provide protection in a roll over or other accident then i will be all for it. As it stands right now comfort out weighs the added safety.

That's why I've thought of going B pillar back. I'm 6'6" and just can't afford to give away even an inch of room. I looked at it yesterday while I was driving it and just to clear the doors and dash, I just wouldn't fit. And putting any tube next to my head can't happen either.
If you go with a B pillar back to a C, I think that would be plenty to keep the already roll resistant structure from caving for the average guy.
If you're going to wheel it hard, I think the best bet is an exo. I personally hate them, but they do have their place. I know I can't afford to replace doors and such so that seems like the only way to go for those who like to play on their side. I don't think these rigs as they stand are built for that anyhow, so I guess it all depends on how hard core the individual actually is.

 

[Big John]

I understand your position, and thank you for the information since I did not know that much about cages.




I certainly do, as that is exactly the point of my first reply to your comment. You could have explained why I was wrong in a constructive way. You didn't have to belittle anyone. I understand your reasoning now that you've thoroughly explained why a cage is not something for a daily driver. I respect that.

Coming in here and saying "Seriously???," as if I was supposed to be an expert on cages, was uncalled for. Not all of us work with metal all day. I am here to learn new things, not to get *****ed at by people who are unwilling to show me why it was an unreasonable suggestion to make.

Thanks for taking the time to explain, after the fact, but you can see why that would piss someone off. If you didn't know something about something that I knew plenty about, I'd have posted why that was an unreasonable thing to say and explain why. When I read your reply, I pretty much read, "It's funny that you're uneducated on this subject, as you've said something that I find stupid. I will happily tell you that you're being stupid without stating the reason, then proceed to rub it in your face by saying Seriously????."

All this because I found it amusing that someone (never mentioned you personally BTW) would choose their cargo cover over safety?... Seriously???

 

[AddictedOffroad]

This is great feed back.... Keep it coming.. The idea will be tight and clean.. That is why it needs to be bolt in.. Otherwise a weld in kit ( cheaper) would be tough to put in and retain stuff like : headliner, interior,

It will be a FULL cage front to rear.. The ability to tie into the frame will also be present. However, that addition may need to be welded...

Jimmy, this is something I have already started looking into as well for my rig.

IMHO frame tie-ins are worthless inside a full body rig. Especially a 3rd gen 4runner. Most of the mounting points are directly above a body mount, so there would be no possible way for the cage to push through the floor. Not to mention how much the body on these rigs moves above the frame anyway. IMO, it will twist itself apart and rattle a very good amount. So, a frame tie-in would be worthless.

Also keep in mind that an internal cage will severely limit the functionality of the rig. Seats won't fold down anymore, massive head room issues up front, etc.

For a full blown trail rig, I see no issue with it. I have been seriously contemplating building one for my rig recently. I just don't want to loose the function of the interior at all. That and since I have a 3rd row seat in mine, it makes it really hard.

 

[LINY4Runner]

That's why I've thought of going B pillar back. I'm 6'6" and just can't afford to give away even an inch of room. I looked at it yesterday while I was driving it and just to clear the doors and dash, I just wouldn't fit. And putting any tube next to my head can't happen either.
If you go with a B pillar back to a C, I think that would be plenty to keep the already roll resistant structure from caving for the average guy.
If you're going to wheel it hard, I think the best bet is an exo. I personally hate them, but they do have their place. I know I can't afford to replace doors and such so that seems like the only way to go for those who like to play on their side. I don't think these rigs as they stand are built for that anyhow, so I guess it all depends on how hard core the individual actually is.

You could do a hybrid int/exo...make all the bars that normally would crowd headroom and put them up through the roof, and then back down...then you'll have a sweet roof rack too!

 

[AddictedOffroad]

You could do a hybrid int/exo...make all the bars that normally would crowd headroom and put them up through the roof, and then back down...then you'll have a sweet roof rack too!

This is the best of both worlds. However, getting it to seal, fit tightly, and be functional is VERY hard to do.

Jeff's rig is one that I really do like. He claims it seals pretty good, but its very hard to say.

 

[AddictedOffroad]

This is one way I have considered doing it. Except, I would simply be using the dimpled plates to add to the factory chassis to help stiffen up the A/B pillars a lot more.

 

[LINY4Runner]

I'd seal the tube to the roof panel with a nice bead of warmed up MIG wire

 

[StreetKill831]

This is the best of both worlds. However, getting it to seal, fit tightly, and be functional is VERY hard to do.

Jeff's rig is one that I really do like. He claims it seals pretty good, but its very hard to say.

Does he have a build thread on here?

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

All this because I found it amusing that someone (never mentioned you personally BTW) would choose their cargo cover over safety?... Seriously???

I was kinda goin for the whole "If it's an easy thing to maneuver around, then why not?" mentality.

I couldn't tell you how difficult that would be since I have no idea.

 

[Big John]

I was kinda goin for the whole "If it's an easy thing to maneuver around, then why not?" mentality.

I couldn't tell you how difficult that would be since I have no idea.

I was just playin with you man. I was actually laughing when I typed it thinking... He'll either laugh at it himself, or flip out:boxer:

My remedy to having a cargo cover and a cage --> "If" the cage were to be in the way, most of the cover may bend around it anyhow.
The better solution would be to make a cover that mounted to the cage (hinged if you'd like) then all your stuff would be stowed safely outta sight and you'd then have an actual shelf instead of a flimsy cover for more gear.
Problem solved:bravo:

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

I was just playin with you man. I was actually laughing when I typed it thinking... He'll either laugh at it himself, or flip out:boxer:

My remedy to having a cargo cover and a cage --> "If" the cage were to be in the way, most of the cover may bend around it anyhow.
The better solution would be to make a cover that mounted to the cage (hinged if you'd like) then all your stuff would be stowed safely outta sight and you'd then have an actual shelf instead of a flimsy cover for more gear.
Problem solved:bravo:

lol, usually just depends on how bad my day was at work. Yesterday sucked

hey, if this thing ends up being made for a reasonable price, that is certainly an option.

 

[JWaldz]

Does he have a build thread on here?

I doubt it.. he's on pirate though

 

[J-money$$$]

I dint realize he chopped the back. I saw some old pics of his rig when i was gathering ideas for my tube doors and it still had the full back. Still i think it looks great.
Im excited to see what OL comes up with.

 

[Outdoorlogic]

I will see if I can get some good pictures of a ZJ ( Grand Cherokee) That I did am inside outside cage for all the reasons everybody has stated.. Plus the drivers was like 6'4 so there was no way it would work..

Okay does anybody know how to snag pictures from another forum? I thought I had these in my photobucket

Outdoor Logic Takes on "The Black Pearl"

 

[Outdoorlogic]

Scotty Check out the ZJ I did... We did that exact thing you posted...Looks cool and super functional

This is one way I have considered doing it. Except, I would simply be using the dimpled plates to add to the factory chassis to help stiffen up the A/B pillars a lot more.