Roll Cage Frame Tie-in

[Steel Guitfiddle]

Hello folks! I'm new to the forum today, just picked up my first Jeep, a 1982 CJ7 , over the weekend. It has a new fiberglass body on it and I want to get the roll cage tied in to the frame. I see a lot of kits for this on the internet, I wanted to see if you guys had any suggestions as far what ones you think are best, or if I'd be better off trying to fab something up myself.

Just so you know, I have no plans to build this Jeep solely as an off-roading machine, it will be for moderate highway use as well as moderate off-road use. I just want it to be safer in the event of a rollover.

Let me know what you think! Thanks

 

[iCEMAN]

fabbed my own up. Plate on top and bottom of the 'glass tub. Tie-in welded to the frame. That way can unbolt it if ever need to. Plate on top and bottom to sandwich the tub keeps the stress down on the 'glass tub.

 

[GPER]

I used the 4wdh tie in kit for the roll bar then made my own for the front cage.

 

[Old Dog]

fabbed my own up. Plate on top and bottom of the 'glass tub. Tie-in welded to the frame. That way can unbolt it if ever need to. Plate on top and bottom to sandwich the tub keeps the stress down on the 'glass tub.

I did the same thing.

 

[Steel Guitfiddle]

Cool. I think I'll fab something up. I'm not sure, I've tried to find a little more info in this, but I don't know if my "stock" rollbar is actually stock because it bolts to the tub on the floor, and where the floor goes up (two bolts vertical, two bolts horizontal). Maybe this is something that someone modified when the put the glass tub on there in the first place. So from looking at the kits, they don't look like they will work with this. Seems like a nice piece of angle steel will work better here. If anyone has any pictures of what they did, could they post them up?

 

[73CJ]

This is a CJ5 with the rollbar mounting only to the top of wheel well.

1-1/2" dom tubing bolted solid to the wheel well with a plate underneath.

The lower mount has a poly bushing in to allow a little flex and reduce noise to the tub.

Upper front

Rear Upper

Can't the other pics to load, but they in my gallery.

​

 

[Old Dog]

Cool. I think I'll fab something up. I'm not sure, I've tried to find a little more info in this, but I don't know if my "stock" rollbar is actually stock because it bolts to the tub on the floor, and where the floor goes up (two bolts vertical, two bolts horizontal). Maybe this is something that someone modified when the put the glass tub on there in the first place. So from looking at the kits, they don't look like they will work with this. Seems like a nice piece of angle steel will work better here. If anyone has any pictures of what they did, could they post them up?

It sounds like a stock bar, thats's how my 83 is made.
On mine theres a 1/2" grade 8 bolt through it which also acts as a body mount point.
WARNING use this info at your own risk, it could kill you.

 

[iCEMAN]

Mine as well. I just tied into the vertical plate there as it was a straight shot then to the frame. I have the full cage with front hoop and those were bent to tie into frame.

I know when I went to 36" tires, had to redo the rear tie-in that is in the wheelwell due to it rubbing the tires on flex.

 

[Rescue Diver]

It sounds like a stock bar, thats's how my 83 is made.
On mine theres a 1/2" grade 8 bolt through it which also acts as a body mount point.
WARNING use this info at your own risk, it could kill you.

That's how I did my front mounts behind the seats. It was a no brainer to tie the bar into the body mount, plus it has the benefit of having a thick rubber bushing to reduce vibration.

I haven't fabbed up the rear tie ins yet, but I plan to do as others have said and have a plate under the wheel well. I also plan to use 1" thick rubber bushings between these plates and the under side of the fiberglass.

The bolts will go through the top of the rear roll bar plates,the fiberglass wheel wells, rubber bushings, then lower plates in that order.

 

[Old Dog]

I don't have much for pic's but here's one of the rear frame tie in, theres a plate welded on top of the tube that bolts to the stock rear plates.
The other pic is of the front inside, it ties to a piece of tube welded to the frame. It's important to have the plates different sizes so they don't cut through the body. so i've been told anyway.

 

[Rescue Diver]

I don't have much for pic's but here's one of the rear frame tie in, theres a plate welded on top of the tube that bolts to the stock rear plates.

That's pretty much what I'm going to do, except I have some square steel tubing instead of round, and I'm welding plates to the bottom of the tubes to bolt them to the frame rather than welding the tubes to the frame.

 

[Steel Guitfiddle]

Cool. I'm getting a lot of good ideas. Thanks everyone!

 

[TDUB]

I purchased a "family rollcage" from COMPLETE OFFROAD In Seven Springs, Iowa for my '79 CJ5 . The kit included 3 hoops and 4 spreader bars and all of the required floor plates. I also picked up the frame tie in kit. The fasteners are sold seperately. I used 7/16ths Grade 8 bolts. Measuring,cutting and welding were required, but it turned out great. It is comlpetely removable by disconnecting the 14 bolts. It is super solid and I am very confident that it will protect my "Little Jeepers" if we ever rolled. This was a do it yourself project that was done in 4 days for about $900 for everything......Best investment for my Wheelin Family yet...OIIIIO

 

[Scottys84]

It's important to have the plates different sizes so they don't cut through the body. so i've been told anyway.

+1. Plates of the same size can cause a shearing effect where it can basically rip the sheetmetal. Not sure it would make any difference on fiberglass tho. Different size plates for the top and bottom are the way to go. My last cage I built I welded angle iron the the frame that stuck out, kinda like a body mount. I even shaped them as such. I drilled holes in the floor with a hole saw, dropped the cage through and welded it to the mounts.

 

[Old Dog]

I purchased a "family rollcage" from COMPLETE OFFROAD In Seven Springs, Iowa for my '79 CJ5 . The kit included 3 hoops and 4 spreader bars and all of the required floor plates. I also picked up the frame tie in kit. The fasteners are sold seperately. I used 7/16ths Grade 8 bolts. Measuring,cutting and welding were required, but it turned out great. It is comlpetely removable by disconnecting the 14 bolts. It is super solid and I am very confident that it will protect my "Little Jeepers" if we ever rolled. This was a do it yourself project that was done in 4 days for about $900 for everything......Best investment for my Wheelin Family yet...OIIIIO

How about some pic's of the finished cage.