Installing a full roll cage on my FJ (1 Viewer)

[DeadguyLLC]

I have the factory one and I was looking at the metal cage ones. They just bolt on, so I would need to extend them anyways to weld them to the frame. Why no just do that with the factory ones, and buy these to make the top bars extend out for better head coverage in a roll over? any opinions? ***UNIVERSAL ROLL CAGE SPREADER BARS ~ NOS FJ40 LAND CRUISER CJ JEEP

 

[brian]

you know that's just the two overhead bars and not the windshield hoop?

 

[bigezvol]

Metaltech has everything you need.

 

[DeadguyLLC]

Brian, the roll bar I have has the windshield hoop, the rear hoop, and two bars connecting them but closer to the center of the cage when they should be on the outer edges. Basically, take the aftermarket roll cages that have 4 connecting bars between front and back, and only leave the center ones.

 

[bikersmurf]

I'd buy from MetalTech and have them bent to match your existing bars. If you've got a modified factory bar... I'd not put more money into it. Factory bars weren't awesome to begin with. That said, that's what I've got... and no plans to change it. I've not tipped over in 26 years, and it's much less likely to happen nowadays than when the local areas weren't all gated off.

 

[DeadguyLLC]

Why do you say the factory roll bars are no good?

 

[thebigredrocker]

I have a OEM roll bar I just removed from my 71. I also have a Metal tech cage in my 76. The way the OEM roll bar bolts together makes it easy to collapse and store. I would guess it's a much less stable design though. I would lean towards a Jackson or family cage.

 

[73fj40lc]

The factory roll bar is not high strength chromolly steel and the steel isn't very thick. It also isn't tied into anything but the tub and not to the frame itself. It will collapse in an aggressive rollover. The factory roll bar is missing the windshield loop. The windshield will also collapse in an aggressive rollover without the additional support of the windshield loop. If the windshield and roll bar both collapse then basically you no longer have any protection from the vehicle landing on you upside down and crushing you.

If you have ever seen pics of a 40 with a factory roll bar after an aggressive rollover it isn't pretty. It will get you thinking about how weak the windshield and factory roll bar really is.

 

[bikersmurf]

Why do you say the factory roll bars are no good?

As stated Factory bars are thin and get bent up in roll overs. In serious roll overs and high speed accidents they tend to bend. If money grew on trees... I'd be all over a Metaltech cage. However, it's way down the list. If I was going to roll it, it would've been when I was 18 not after having it for 26 years and having upgraded almost everything and got much older and wiser.

 

[73fj40lc]

As stated Factory bars are thin and get bent up in roll overs. In serious roll overs and high speed accidents they tend to bend. If money grew on trees... I'd be all over a Metaltech cage. However, it's way down the list. If I was going to roll it, it would've been when I was 18 not after having it for 26 years and having upgraded almost everything and got much older and wiser.

That is really cool to have had your 40 for that long. I have only had my 40 for 12 years. One day I hope that I can look back and say that I have owned it for 26 years. God willing and I am still living I plan on achieving that in 14 years. No plans of ever selling my 40 unless someone just offered crazy money for it. My son is 23 and he knows that one day it will be his but only after I am dead and buried.

 

[DeadguyLLC]

This is the roll cage I have currently in my FJ. It's not the stock one, but I have no idea of the strength. I'm wondering if I should just ad spreader bars on the ends, and tie it to the frame, or if I should get a whole new cage.

 

[bikersmurf]

Overall it looks fairly solid... the thing that makes me question what you have is that the front hoop appears that they reused the 'baseplate'. It's very hard to know what it was made out of.

Looking at your signature line, it appears you've got a serious trail rig. If you think it's only a matter of time before you end up on your lid, I'd buy a MetalTech cage and sell the one you've got. I'm sure yours would be better than nothing... unless it's made of exhaust tubing and is purely for show.

 

[Rock40]

I would not spend any more time or money on your current cage. As stated before, the rear factory roll bar is entirely less than adequate and your front windshield hoop is very poorly placed. The vertical bars should be bent to match the dash, that way the attachment foot tucks up into the foot well much better.

Get a MetalTech cage and be done with it. Get the frame tie-ins also but I'd strongly recommend running a poly bushing to help isolate vibrations/noise some. I can send you pics of my tie-ins if you'd like. A cage without frame ties sitting on sheet metal is going to be worthless in any sort of a crash.

 

[Rock40]

And now that I looked closer, your overhead bars look pretty kinked/crushed at the small bend. You have NO IDEA what material the PO used and clearly it wasn't bent in quality tube bender. If done right with the correct material, you should only see smooth radius bends, zero kinks or crushing.

 

[Downey]

(1) Deadguy, your photo in post #1 shows the wrong way to install the spreader bars, they are directly over the drivers head where they will crack the driver's head open in a roll over. The spreader bars should be positioned out in the radiuses to get away from your head, and to provide better angulation. Also, the bend in the spreader bar should be towards the rear to provide even better head clearance.
(2) No matter what brand of front cage you use, you should weld on tabs to attach to the side of the dashboard. Front cages wobble/vibrate on the highway, strapping them to the dashboard not only prevents the wobble, but additionally add the the strength of the entire assembly.

 

[73fj40lc]

An aftermarket roll cage without frame tie ins is better than factory. As rock40 stated failing to tie in to the frame puts the weak point on the tub were they mount. You need the tie ins to support the roll cage and to keep from crushing the tub's sheet metal in a rollover. If you go to the time and expense of an aftermarket roll cage it is stupid not to do the frame tie ins. I have seen many rigs without them and I always wonder if it is out of ignorance or just thinking that they don't need them.