Pictures of my custom rollbar

[78-FJ40]

Looks good 74. I'd also add the supports that dgangle suggested. I have them and never hit my head and I'm the same height as you. I actually use that bar to grab on to when getting in.

Beautiful area you live in.

Oh, and you might actually more uncomfortable looking seats then I do. I didn't think that was possible.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Any pics or details of the body attachment. I like the shape of the spreaders. This may be my winter project. After my body work is done.

For the rear, I cut the factory bar off and ground down flush to the original plates and welded the new bar in just like the factory one was.

For the front hoop, I made steel plates out of 1/4" mild steel and drilled them and the floor. I put another steel plate under the body for support. I might connect to the frame one day. The mounts are solid.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Post some pics of the blue 40 next to it.

Ask and you shall receive. It's my dad's '73. It has a built 283 with a nice cam and sounds sweet. It has electric exhaust cutouts on it just 'cause. Got a H42/3speed tcase. He is going to get it painted up nice one day soon. All he does is tool around on the road/dirt roads with it. My brother and I sprung it over with stock 40 springs and did a cut/turn on the front. Luke's hi-steer up front. Dad gets cheap labor from my brother and I, so we've done all of the work on it. 15/35 SS TSLs on it.

These are the only pictures that I have of it right now. These are a year or three old while it was still a work in progress.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Looks good 74. I'd also add the supports that dgangle suggested. I have them and never hit my head and I'm the same height as you. I actually use that bar to grab on to when getting in.

Beautiful area you live in.

Oh, and you might actually more uncomfortable looking seats then I do. I didn't think that was possible.

They are factory seats with the headrests removed. They seem comfortable enough, but a 2 hour interstate drive kicks your ass. I imagine that is the case in most 40s though.

 

[splitshot]

Another thing you might want to consider is adding a section behind the back seats just in case you want to go with shoulder harnesses later.

Looks good.

 

['74 UA FJ]

The nice thing about having a bender, bandsaw, grinders, tubing notchers, welders, torch, etc, is that you can do whatever you want to whenever you want to do it.

 

[Robert Sims]

The roll cage looks great!! I like the angled spreader bars. Good idea. I would add a short piece between the spreader bars at the point where they bend. I rolled my 40 in some river gravel. Was'nt doing anything crazy, just dug in to deep on one side and it was over before I could stop it. Kind of fun though now that I think back....

 

[watrob]

HI, I prefer not to have the outside bars near the doors so it is easier to get in and out of the FJ.

 

['74 UA FJ]

I would add a short piece between the spreader bars at the point where they bend.

I'm planning on it.

 

[Jetboy]

I like the look. Looks clean. IMO many of the cages I see are way overboard on lots of small dia. tube which ends up really heavy.

Only suggestion, as I have a simlar set up, would be to add a support under the front hoop to the frame with a rubber disk, like a body mount. That area of the front floor, at least on mine, has a lot of rust and I think it might just punch through the sheet metal in a roll. I don't have a good frame mounts on mine yet, but its on my list of projects. I'm just going to tie them into my sliders. Anyway that would be my key concern, and something reasonably easy to take care of.
Also For my rear mounts I removed the factory inner fender bracing and replaced with 1.25" squre tubing and 3/16 plate. I still need to tie them into the frame, but they were also a concern as I had some rust in that area and was worried about the metal ripping out. If your cruiser is in good shape it's probably not an issue.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Well, I tested the rollbar. I rolled the damn thing on Saturday, and the bar held up just fine. No dents, bends or any noticeable damage to the roll bar anywhere.

Not so much for the windshield frame and rocker:

 

[Volunteer]

Damn that sucks and sorry to hear it. Any roll you walk away from unscratched is a good one. Glad to hear the bar held up well. Will you change the design any as a result? Thats one way to test the new bar :whoops: What were you attempting when you rolled it ?

 

['74 UA FJ]

Nah, not going to change the design. I was attempting a steep loose hill that I got about 40ft up. I backed down and was turning around off camber and my right rear tire slid in a hole and it just went over. Did a 360 and landed tires down, sitting on a huge log on the oilpan, skidplate, axles. Had a dozer pull me off it and I cranked it up and kept wheeling.

 

[Volunteer]

Nah, not going to change the design. I was attempting a steep loose hill that I got about 40ft up. I backed down and was turning around off camber and my right rear tire slid in a hole and it just went over. Did a 360 and landed tires down, sitting on a huge log on the oilpan, skidplate, axles. Had a dozer pull me off it and I cranked it up and kept wheeling.

Gotcha, the best part about a cruiser push them over and go about your business.

 

[SouthBostonFJ40]

Thanks, good suggestions. I've taken all of this into account. I'm not going to add side bars right now for a couple of reasons. 1) I don't like banging my head on them. 2) This 40 isn't a hard core wheeler right now, so I don't plan on rolling it.

Gotcha, but I am predicting a hellstorm of criticism to come from this statement! Nice job nonetheless.

Yeah. I figured this much. Half of it will be from people with a factory roll bar...

Nice job I like it I don't consider myself a harcore wheeler either and I never thought I'd put my 40 on its side. Than it happened, and then a second time. 1st time was on the trail with a bad spotter, a beep owner not wanting me to make it to the top. The wheel came down in a ditch on the driver's side and pitched me on its side. 2nd time was putting around town on the way to pick up my 5 yr old and a stupid lady on the cell phone pulls out in front of me. I locked up the brakes and swerved to miss her putting the 40 again on its drivers side. Moral of the story accidents happen and there are stupid people in the world. Its never a bad idea to be too safe. That little factory bar saved my neck twice. I'm probably going with the meataltech family cage but with a wild hair I'd consider doing it myself. I like the way your design looks though I see where it would clearly benefit you by moving the center supports out toward the doors like mentioned above.

Well, I tested the rollbar. I rolled the damn thing on Saturday, and the bar held up just fine. No dents, bends or any noticeable damage to the roll bar anywhere.

Hmmm...


Glad you're OK.

 

[Liam]

Hmmm...


Glad you're OK.

well done....lol

sorry you rolled it brotha. It doesnt look too bad....

 

[Trollhole]

HI, I prefer not to have the outside bars near the doors so it is easier to get in and out of the FJ.

I know this is a crazy question, but what the hell are the front overhead bars mounted to? The windshield?

 

[CruisinMT]

they are attached to the front hoop