Rear bolt on exo cage idea opinions?

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darwink1

darwink1

Joined
Jul 24, 2007
Threads
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Location
Sudbury Ontario Canada
Ive been wanting to make something that protects the the back end of the vans body for a while now since thats where a lot of my "trail damage" has been concentrated. Planning to fix up and re seal the drip rails that are bent up eventually so protecting them a little would make sense Im thinking.

Now this isnt meant to be a real roll cage type deal, Im not running the baja, I just want something I can rub up against the trees and whatnot that would otherwise mangle my drip rails and rear cargo window area. Kinda like a drip rail slider that bolts up to the existing rear 1/4 protection...

Heres what Ive sketched out. Kinda lame pics but you get the idea.



Whats there now.



Id welcome any opinions or suggestions. Plan is to have it bolted to the existing wheel well hoops and rear 1/4 hoops so I can remove it and run the van like it is now.

D
 
I was thinking about doing something like that too. Here is what i have
ImageUploadedByIH8MUD Forum1425144700.207489.webp
something like this that can be used as a roof rack and maybe a light bar at the front. Thinking about putting the front tubes down the inside of the fender for a cleaner look.
 
Last edited:
Cool, glad I'm not the only one lol.

Well we hammered out a good chunk of the rear 1/4 cage dealie today. All the tubes were measured cut and bent, the c pillar hoop is fully welded, and all 4 saddles got made up.

Revised the design a little. The c pillar hoop goes over the van from wheel well hoop to wheel well hoop and is slanted towards the front of the van slightly to match the angle of the cargo window. A second and third bent tube will join the c hoop to the 1/4 protection on each side and will be tied together by a 3rd small hoop that will go over the back of the roof at the d pillar.

Great explanation i know but itll work out decent.... hopefully.

D
 
lcwizard said:
Make sure to make it removable. I did a 43 recently. Here's some ideas for removal
Click to expand...

So incredible, I really like the way you created that rear corner protector. Some guys use spring bushings/tube at joints so that you
can remove it in the event of damage. Like a hinge instead of a fixed point.
 
darwink1 said:
Cool, glad I'm not the only one lol.

Well we hammered out a good chunk of the rear 1/4 cage dealie today. All the tubes were measured cut and bent, the c pillar hoop is fully welded, and all 4 saddles got made up.

Revised the design a little. The c pillar hoop goes over the van from wheel well hoop to wheel well hoop and is slanted towards the front of the van slightly to match the angle of the cargo window. A second and third bent tube will join the c hoop to the 1/4 protection on each side and will be tied together by a 3rd small hoop that will go over the back of the roof at the d pillar.

Great explanation i know but itll work out decent.... hopefully.

D
Click to expand...

Pictures or it didn't happen.... please.
 
FWIW I had been thinking about some sort of a rub rail along the rain gutter a few years ago. I was going to make it out of UHMW (with steel or aluminum mounting) to keep the weight down. (I really don't want all that weight up high)

It was to run just over the rain gutter mounted the the side part of the roof where it is almost vertical... mounted to flanges bolted through the roof in a 1/2 dozen places along the way to distribute any impact/forces... sorta like a mini railing...

Can't wait to see what you all come up with.

mark
 
Yeah its gonna be bolted on at 4 points on the existing tube work with the saddles i made up. Has to be removable to fit in the garage with the big tires lol.


I like the 40 cage for sure.

D
 
woytovich said:
AWESOME Dave... really a work of art.
Click to expand...

Too bad the customer didn't like it. He wanted me to move everything away from the body 3 to 4 more inches. When it's redone it's almost as wide as a full size. I'll be too embarrassed to post that. It will be a branch catcher. I give those Columbian made unobtainable hard top windows about a month of driving through the back trails of New Zealand before a branch gets sucked between the bar and window and opens it for him
 
Sorry for the hijack...




How do I get you to make me up a set of rear guards like those above?... I'd deal with the straight sections and fine tune and weld it all together... I'd pay you to bend up the shaped pieces for sure... (hoping you have the pattern stored somehow - but not expecting that you do)

mark
 
Lol, if you lived down the street id say pop by and use the bender but.... I can take some rough measurements for you if youd like.

Got the cage dealie under way. The main structure is put together and welded and bolt holes are drilled to mount it. Ran out of tube so i didnt have enough to make the cross bars under the cargo window but those are the only two pcs left to make up besides some gussets and whatnot. Still have to weld some nuts into the mount holes too but have to take the whole contraption off to get at em.

Ill throw up a couple pics later.

D
 
Thanks D... I AM only down in NY!

I will probably be building (or trying to build) some rear side protection once the weather breaks (I don't have one of them there big snazzy garages to work in). I'll use pics of yours as inspiration!

Mark
 
Deal, ill post up some rough measurements when i get home.

D
 
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