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BigDaveZJ
10-21-2004, 12:33 PM
I need to strengthen the unibody a bit in the ZJ after hacking the roof off, and this is what I've come up with so far. This MAY be the start to a cage, but will NOT be a cage in it's current state, simply a way to strengthen the unibody. Getting the tube to mount to the floorboard is easy, but I would also like to attach it to the roof line where I cut. I'm thinking just weld it up, but wasn't sure. Here's what I've got in mind, maybe add a x-member to the tube right by where it mounts by the tailgate.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/wheelinpics/choptop/choptop%20014tube.JPG

Pearce
10-21-2004, 12:44 PM
Maybe tie it to the seat belt strap holders as well.

Cody
10-21-2004, 12:55 PM
If you weld the tubes to the sheetmetal of the roof, I think you'll crack the welds and have problems as the sheetmetal will flex and the tube will not.

Suck it up and build a cage. I only had 200 bucks worth of tube in my first cage. Buy the tube, have a shop make a couple simple bends for a couple bucks, and then have Corey or Bob weld it up for you. I know the price of steel is higher, but it's your life. You did this to make it do more difficult trails, well more difficult trails have more painful concequences sometimes.

Cody

Alaska ZJ
10-21-2004, 05:16 PM
If you really want to keep the roof and attach that small portion to the roof do this.

Clamp it.

Take a pice of 1" flatstock that is 1/8 thick and a piece of 1.25" 1/8 thick stock.

drill some holes for about 15 3/8 bolts or so. Tighten it up and weld the 1" and 1.25" flat stock to your rollbar.

Personally I would just make a cage.

BigDaveZJ
10-21-2004, 06:26 PM
Just took her out on the highway . . . . . wow . . . . won't be doing that again any time soon!!!! The back started shaking pretty good, I looked back and could physically see the roof moving. It looked like the bridge in WA that oscillated all funny and collapsed or something. It was sweet!!! I think I'm going to at least start with your idea Brentt. Even when closing the rear doors I can see the roof move, so I think if I can reinforce the rear roof line enough I'll be all good, at least for now. A cage is DEFINATELY in the works, but being unemployed right now it's kinda hard for me to come up with the fundage needed for that.

Swamp boy
10-21-2004, 06:46 PM
I answered your PM This will solid it up alot...

http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top8.jpg

14gauge steel and a piece of 3/16" 1 1/2X 1 1/2 angle IT makes it very tough..

I drive mine all the time ... And highway speed here is 70 I have no problem going the required 5mph over speed limit.. :D

I even hit 90 today for about 65 miles while I had a yahoo in a TT running bear bait for me.... :lol: :lol:


Oh and a 4X8 sheet of 14gauge cost me about $130 prices are up since them but not that much... Might cost you $150 now.. But well worth it...

Oh and Window is from a Toyota pickup.. (but any small truck window will do..)

Good luck...


Carl

BigDaveZJ
10-21-2004, 06:52 PM
Here's the whole thing that Carl had sent me in the PM for future reference:


I had a feeling that the back was weak before I welded in the 14gauge plate steel in the back and then another piece of .125 DOM across from side to side. (Spare tire support )


I took a piece of 14gauge steel cut out the window shape and left the two sides long (scored on the inside with a grinder) once it was up the two scored sections bent right over the outside ofthe cab. (dotted lines)
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top4.jpg
Then I tacked it in place on both sides..I cut the roof flush and tacked that to the steel as well ..
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top6.jpg
Then I used a piece of 3/16 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 angle and welded it across at the bottom of the steel and let the angle stick out towards the back (For a tonneau to be put on later)
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top7.jpg
Better picture..You can see the angle..
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top8.jpg

Here is the finished product I thought..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/swampboy/Swampy%20Pics/f90f8626.jpg


Then Later I broke a light .. ON this tim out as a matter of fact..
http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top12.jpg

SO I decided to ditch the tail gate.. And replaced it with a piece of DOM across from one side to the other.. (Welded to the sides with a 4"X4" piece of 14 gauge on each side..)

http://jeephorizons.com/tech/zj_top/top11.jpg
YOu can see it holding the spare up.. I guess the pieces on each side of the tire probobly give it some strength as well (like a gusset)

Between the angle and the DOM in the back and the steel plate itself MY rig is very solid.. I can even open and close my doors while flexed out.. Couldnt do that before...

Sorry this was so long... But still quicker than your oil change... :lol: :lol:


Feel free to call if you have any more problems...

Carl


I'd like to keep it relatively open air, so I think I'm gonna go with Brentt's idea, probably will hit the steel shop manana.

Swamp boy
10-21-2004, 09:39 PM
Open an breezy... I lay the back seats down and open the slider and its almost wide open..

I am sure whatever you do will be cool... Post up some pics...

Oh and you need a squigly line ~ over your n.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

robselina
10-22-2004, 12:21 AM
dave - when i chopped the top on the waggy, i welded in 1.5" square stock as triangular braces in a few spots to stiffen it back up again. I welded the 0.120" wall square stock straight to the sheet metal w/o any issues after two years of wheelin, flopping it and numerous encounters with rocks....

OverkillZJ
10-22-2004, 12:30 AM
Just cage it you big pussy ;)

BigDaveZJ
10-22-2004, 01:44 AM
Just cage it you big pussy ;)

Buy me the DOM and you got a deal!

nmzj
10-22-2004, 09:57 AM
Dave, Cage it.

LOL

Jason

Trancezj
10-22-2004, 11:56 AM
My buddy is doing it really cool. But it's basically a cage so.. plus I don't think I've any pics of it but I'll look.. He's got the tube following the cut all the way around A-N-D then tied into the unicrap.

Trancezj
10-22-2004, 12:01 PM
http://www.jeepcrew.com/gallery/albums/album04/trey.sized.jpg
If you look really close you can see what he did. I need some better pics of it.

Kraqa
10-22-2004, 05:11 PM
hey dave,

if it were me i would put a x in the hoop behind the seats.

Swamp boy
10-22-2004, 08:08 PM
Or at least a crossbar and down supports..

Kinda like this without the door bars..(Or with them if you want :D )



http://www.swracecars.com/gif/8point.gif


Or you could just buy that cage for $169 plus shipping from PA...

BigDaveZJ
10-22-2004, 11:22 PM
Or you could just buy that cage for $169 plus shipping from PA...

link?

robselina
10-22-2004, 11:52 PM
Or you could just buy that cage for $169 plus shipping from PA...

link?

X2.

JpRngr
10-23-2004, 02:42 AM
http://www.swracecars.com/roll_bars.asp

Swamp boy
10-23-2004, 10:45 AM
Thats it...

And if you call them with demensions they make it custom for the same price.. At least thats what they told me..

Oh and they did it for Donzi when he ordered his SJ cage from them...

I am going with their 10 point cage but the 8 point looks like what you are wanting...

BigDaveZJ
10-23-2004, 08:12 PM
Got the cross bar in, MUCH more stable. Took her up to 75 with no issues except the same ones I've been dealing with for a couple years now, lol. I still want to strengthen it a little more. The roof is not really attached to the structural part of the c-pillar once you go above the window. There's some insulation type stuff to absorb some shock, but that's it. Right now the cross bar is just bolted to the roof and it's much better. I'm going to weld it to the rest of the c-pillar as well, and POSSIBLY run some more of the bar further down the c-pillar, but we'll see how that goes. Also cut some piece to cap the roof line where we cut, and will also be making some to cap the holes in the D-pillar/tailgate area. Working on pics, it's getting dark right now and I haven't eaten much today, let alone taken a shower, so pics may have to wait until tomorrow.

BigDaveZJ
10-24-2004, 06:51 PM
Here's the passenger side. There's 3 bolts on each of 5 plates sandwiching the roof, and then the ends of the main support bar are cut to mate up as close as possible to the c-pillar so they can be welded on.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/wheelinpics/choptop/roofstabilizer%20001.jpg

Driver side
http://www.mallcrawlin.com/wheelinpics/choptop/roofstabilizer%20002.jpg

Full view
http://www.mallcrawlin.com/wheelinpics/choptop/roofstabilizer%20003.jpg

Plates that I cut out of the removed part of the roof to cover the gaps, will be cut/grinded more to fit the lines a little bit better and then welded on.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/wheelinpics/choptop/roofstabilizer%20004.jpg


The main support bar is roughly 44" long and there are 3 plates that are 6.5" and 2 more that are 5.5" long. The plates fit perfectly in between the ridges in the roof.

Next step is to weld it up. I might make a better connection between the roof and the rest of the c-pillar somehow, haven't figured it all out yet.

Kraqa
10-25-2004, 03:20 PM
looks good, can't wait to see the final product.

why did you use so many bolts?? just curiouse.

gearhead313
10-25-2004, 03:28 PM
Does seem like a few too many bolts, but looks good regardless. I agree, weld it up solid.

Looks like you could clean up the inside channels and get some angle or something to run a new C pillar or whatever u wanna call it.

BigDaveZJ
10-25-2004, 05:15 PM
It's a lot of bolts, but it works. I used that many bolts for a couple reasons. I wanted the roof pinched tight in as many places and as evenly as possible. Also, I would've needed at least two bolts per plate, and since Fastenal sells their stuff in packs of 25 I just put 3 on each plate.

I'm thinking about cutting the "caps" into two pieces, and weld them in. Basically the top one would hit the roof line and then the piece of sheetmetal in the middle, and then the other piece would go from the middle to the bottom. Doing it that way I think I would considerably strengthen the c-pillar and distribute any load across a greater area putting a lesser load on any welds. I'm not building this to act like a cage AT ALL and will not act as if it is one, just something to stiffen up the unibody a bit.

Kraqa
10-25-2004, 09:50 PM
so will this tie into a cage in the neer futur?? 8) 8) 8)