Roll Cages-

[IXNAYXJ]

For an interior cage, adequete padding is of course a must, as is careful bar placement. In my Hybrid/Halo set up, the beauty is there's no way my head could hit a bar. Best of both worlds.

In my friend's accident, the rig would not have been okay even with a cage. I figure he personally had a 1 in 50 chance of surviving that wreck. The way the roof folded was pure chance and the only thing that saved him. A cage, even a simple hoop with down bars and some triangulation would have improved his odds a lot.

Again, just food for thought.

-----Matt-----

 

[ExpoMike]

Man that is about the worst I have seen done on a trail roll in an XJ. Glad your friend made it out.

I agree that a cage is very worth it but has to be done right, especially one that is DD or spends a lot of time on public roads. I put a roll bar in my Miata because that A piller is not going to do anything to save my bacon. I chose one that put the bar as far back as possible, so the likelihood of my head hitting it is almost zero. Some bars put the main hoop above the top of the seat, way too close to my head. No thanks.

I think this setup (from the link above) is really the best method if you don't need anyone riding in the back seat. Keeps everything away from the front people but should provide a lot of protection in a slow flop/roll. High speed, I don't think it would do a whole lot depending on how it happened.

 

[BIGdaddy]

For an interior cage, adequete padding is of course a must, as is careful bar placement. In my Hybrid/Halo set up, the beauty is there's no way my head could hit a bar. Best of both worlds.

In my friend's accident, the rig would not have been okay even with a cage. I figure he personally had a 1 in 50 chance of surviving that wreck. The way the roof folded was pure chance and the only thing that saved him. A cage, even a simple hoop with down bars and some triangulation would have improved his odds a lot.

Again, just food for thought.

-----Matt-----

Yeah, I like your setup, pretty much takes care of the head-hitting issue, if that's the case. also like that it would probably save the upper roof structure for the most part, in a gentle but full-on flop or roll.

I agree, your friend's accident was blessed, and even with a cage would
be hard to survive, w/o angels "holding you safe", so to speak.

A cage is definitely on the top of my list. I'm thinking of incorporating a load barrier behind the rear seat, as projectiles can be as dangerous as the structure of the car hitting you. So it would be an interior cage at the C pillar and D pillar in the rear, and then possibly transition to the outside using sliders, front bumper and rear quarter armor as mounting surfaces for the passenger area (A pillar/B pillar).

 

[ExpoMike]

Hey Brian,

Here is what I think is the best bolt in cage for an XJ out there. Seem to be up and tight as you can get and if I was doing an internal cage, this would be the one I would buy. Pick your year and door config to see pics.

http://www.rockhard4x4parts.com/sport-cages.html

 

[BIGdaddy]

Hey Brian,

Here is what I think is the best bolt in cage for an XJ out there. Seem to be up and tight as you can get and if I was doing an internal cage, this would be the one I would buy. Pick your year and door config to see pics.

http://www.rockhard4x4parts.com/sport-cages.html

awesome, I've heard of rockhard, I'll have to check it out. I've seen there tj stuff, super beef. And I've seen a tj take a major hit and stay together after the roll, too.

 

[Metal Twister]

Rockhard builds good stuff at a very reasonable price. I have installed allot of their products and they are constantly well made.

 

[BIGdaddy]

just checked it out. very nice.

I really like the fact that the price is a discernable, plannable (is that word?) quantity. So many times, I've talked with a fabricator about a cage and the pricing is always so nebulous.

I like solid, transparent pricing and the fact that the engineering has been done, and thats its likely that someone has already rolled with one installed, producing a measurable result.

good stuff, thanks mike!

 

[BIGdaddy]

oh, and I like that I'd be able to install it, too. Thats fun!!

 

[sami]

Here's my buddy's XJ... Very similar cage that he's built. This is his go-anywhere Jeep.. Camping trips with the family and rock-crawling duty as well.. He's built it himself, and so far is $6k into the entire Jeep.

 

[sami]

One thing.. After actually reading the sequence of events in your friend's particular incident.. That type of incident IMO is the 1 in a million type deal.. Not many cages would've held up to that anyways. Most guys plan for a cage that could support a slower roll, or tip.. Planning for a high speed roll, or a 100yd plunge off of a cliff would take away from the overlanding type setup.. Many compromises would have to be sorted out..

I will have a cage in my Crusier when it gets built.. I for one want the added protection. But i will not engineer it for high speed rolls or cliff jumping.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Here's my buddy's XJ... Very similar cage that he's built. This is his go-anywhere Jeep.. Camping trips with the family and rock-crawling duty as well.. He's built it himself, and so far is $6k into the entire Jeep.

no pics?

 

[SWbySWesty]

count me subscribed. Do we know anybody with real world experience with the RockHard cage? I too like that it can be buyer installed and since mostly it's protection in case of a flop, I think it would be sufficient.

I'd also do some go-fast in the desert with it

edit: after pricing it out including the optional center bars and factoring foam costs, I think having a shop install it would be slightly more expensive yet professionally done and welded.

T&J Offroad in California (coincidentally near me) has a cage for $700. They estimate about $1400 fully installed if you bring it to them with no seats in it.

http://tandjperformance.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_43&products_id=8

 

[Root Moose]

I have a mental block or something with respect to putting a cage inside an XJ.

I just can't see where there is room for it without giving yourself a lobotomy if you ever had to actually use the cage for its intended purpose.

I like the idea of having a "family cage" style bar behind the rear seats (C pillar) that is clear of all passengers. My theory is that between the bull bar and that roll bar all roof will be flattened along the line drawn between those two points.

Yeah, not NASCAR ready and there are a lot of assumptions, probably mostly flawed, but with any luck it'll keep the roof from completely pancaking and provide a little more safety while not affecting utility too much. With that little bit of tube you wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security that the cage will save you either. You'd still drive like you don't have a cage.

The rear cargo area crushes like pop can in rear end accidents so the cage will help with that a little anyway.

$0.02 for now.

 

[IXNAYXJ]

One thing.. After actually reading the sequence of events in your friend's particular incident.. That type of incident IMO is the 1 in a million type deal.. Not many cages would've held up to that anyways. Most guys plan for a cage that could support a slower roll, or tip.. Planning for a high speed roll, or a 100yd plunge off of a cliff would take away from the overlanding type setup..

The roll occured at 2 mph, and while the tumble down the hillside was long, it was bouncng from tree to tree (in the Pacific NorthWest that's the norm), not some NASCAR end over end cartwheel at 200 mph. I agree, in that case, not much we could do while making the interior usable for normal use would have helped.

A very basic cage would have done a lot to protect him in this particular situation, which to me, is more apt to occur in an overland situation. Strange roads, bad conditions, driving into the sun, etc. In fact, the rig he swaps the running gear over into will be getting a cage like mine; he's seen the light.

As to the RockHard cage, there are a number of people out there who do good bolt in XJ cages. Problem I found with them is I feel like I'm sitting in a machine gun nest, only a little slit to see out of and no headroom. As Root Moose points out, those bars can hit your head if it's bouncing around inside. As somebody who's had a concussion from hitting his head on a rollbar in a street/track car, I empathize.

-----Matt-----

 

[michaels]

not mine, but a roll cage can be done right and still not interfere with the occupants very much. it won't save the roof, but it'll save the occupants. it could use more triangulation, but it'll do its job of saving livings, whether or not the truck is saved.

ignore the headliner. i don't know what the owner was thinking with that one...

i think it'll hold up fine for him and the bars are out of the way. it made of chromoly AND TIG welded, fyi.

there's a difference between a cage meant to save just the occupants, and one meant to save the vehicle AND the occupants. either one is an advantage to me. my truck will get a cage *one* day. no matter what.

also watch this:
and YES, it has a rollcage. i couldn't imagine that without one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjnBpruer8g&feature=player_embedded#