Build your own exo-cage, exoskeleton...don't buy one!
05-21-2010, 11:24 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pleasant View, Utah
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Build your own exo-cage, exoskeleton...don't buy one!
I looked long and hard to get some ideas relative to how to build an exo-cage for my 89 XJ. Knowing that I could purchase one for around a $1000 made me really think.... but I had to find a way to justify buying a tube bender... one that my wife would buy into! So Santa brought me a tube bender for X-mas, which when all was said and done cost about $850.00. I worked at trying to figure out how to make simple bends prior to diving into to a pile of .120 13/4 DOM and ultimately decided it was "Baptism by Fire" baby! So I started in a what turned out to be alot of fun to build and man is it strong!
I started with the rock sliders, and then just started adding a piece at a time following the contour of the jeep. I would bend a piece and tack it into place, then on to the next. Mind you, I have never built one before, but I think it turned out OK. My rear doors even open all the way, which I was pretty sure would not be the case, but it worked out! I'm into it about $600.00 in materials and have a new tube bender in the shop to boot! There are some tricks that I learned along the way! Here are some pics of our this years trip to Moab, Utah. Hope this helps someone else with some ideas.....
I started with the rock sliders, and then just started adding a piece at a time following the contour of the jeep. I would bend a piece and tack it into place, then on to the next. Mind you, I have never built one before, but I think it turned out OK. My rear doors even open all the way, which I was pretty sure would not be the case, but it worked out! I'm into it about $600.00 in materials and have a new tube bender in the shop to boot! There are some tricks that I learned along the way! Here are some pics of our this years trip to Moab, Utah. Hope this helps someone else with some ideas.....
05-21-2010, 11:57 AM
#2
CF Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Hollidaysburg, PA
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
Damn that's sick, That's really nice for a first timer too! You got some monster rear flex too. Can you PM me about your rear susp. set up?
05-21-2010, 12:17 PM
#4
CF Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Hollidaysburg, PA
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
I looked long and hard to get some ideas relative to how to build an exo-cage for my 89 XJ. Knowing that I could purchase one for around a $1000 made me really think.... but I had to find a way to justify buying a tube bender... one that my wife would buy into! So Santa brought me a tube bender for X-mas, which when all was said and done cost about $850.00. I worked at trying to figure out how to make simple bends prior to diving into to a pile of .120 13/4 DOM and ultimately decided it was "Baptism by Fire" baby! So I started in a what turned out to be alot of fun to build and man is it strong!
I started with the rock sliders, and then just started adding a piece at a time following the contour of the jeep. I would bend a piece and tack it into place, then on to the next. Mind you, I have never built one before, but I think it turned out OK. My rear doors even open all the way, which I was pretty sure would not be the case, but it worked out! I'm into it about $600.00 in materials and have a new tube bender in the shop to boot! There are some tricks that I learned along the way! Here are some pics of our this years trip to Moab, Utah. Hope this helps someone else with some ideas.....
I started with the rock sliders, and then just started adding a piece at a time following the contour of the jeep. I would bend a piece and tack it into place, then on to the next. Mind you, I have never built one before, but I think it turned out OK. My rear doors even open all the way, which I was pretty sure would not be the case, but it worked out! I'm into it about $600.00 in materials and have a new tube bender in the shop to boot! There are some tricks that I learned along the way! Here are some pics of our this years trip to Moab, Utah. Hope this helps someone else with some ideas.....
05-21-2010, 12:23 PM
#6
Registered Users
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 1,859
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1992
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I dont like exo's and in PNW they will get caught on anything in the trail. Trees and roots love exo's because are trails are so tight. Here they are worthless. But you did a great job even for a first timer! Looks tight to the body also!
05-21-2010, 12:33 PM
#7
CF Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Hollidaysburg, PA
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
Its okaaaay
Trending Topics
05-21-2010, 01:05 PM
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Pleasant View, Utah
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
The kid that I bought it from built it as one of his college "Stuctural Engineering" projects. It's all bolt on, no welds to the uniframe. I get 38" of flex before a tire leaves the ground!
05-21-2010, 01:15 PM
#10
CF Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Hollidaysburg, PA
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
05-21-2010, 03:11 PM
#15
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
Great job! I would love to have a tubing bender for exhaust at least. Bet you can get some small odd jobs and use it to make some extra change if you wanted.
I think if it were me I would put a removable bar across the doors about mid way up to protect them. Might get aggravating to move them but you could put one end on a swivel and a pin on the other end.
Wish we had places like that to play in around here
clint
I think if it were me I would put a removable bar across the doors about mid way up to protect them. Might get aggravating to move them but you could put one end on a swivel and a pin on the other end.
Wish we had places like that to play in around here
clint