I like it

LOL

While this looks like it might work I think you should come build me one so I can judge for myself.

Can't wait for the completed project!

Got it bolted on today! Was actually kind of a pita! If I were to do another one I would weld as much as possible while still bolted to the Jeep. Then brace it 6 ways to Sunday when I took it off to finish weld. Things shifted quite a bit from the welding.

Was dark by the time I finished. I did take it for a quick drive and omg what a difference! I thought my Jeep was pretty tight and solid before but now it’s like a bank vault, the doors even close with a thud!

I didn’t want zip ties around the outer bars where they would catch and break off against trees and such. These little brackets are made buy making a couple of built up spot welds, then spanning them with some 1/8” steel rod welded on top. Makes an easy bracket to zip tie wires to.

I ran the CB antenna wire down the “A” pillar and drilled a hole with a grommet into the kick panel area.

Same thing on the drivers side for the light bar wiring.

The factory fender mounts near the doors require you to unbolt the fender then pull it outboard to clear the brackets. I moved the nutclips from the brackets to the fenders. Then I bent the original brackets rearward a bit.

Now I can slide the fender in from the front, behind the “A” pillar bar. Then install the bolts just like normal.

I notched the fender for the firewall mounts then lined the cut out with door edge trim. Used the heat gun to help the trim bend around the tight bends.

The wires from the cb antenna and light bar go in at the cut out.

I’ll get some better pictures tomorrow in the daylight.

Here’s some better pics of the finished project. I painted the roof white to help keep the heat out.

That looks great! Are you to do anything around the front fenders?

Yes. I’m thinking I might make the hoops and then skin them in sheet metal to the tubing. That’ll be next winter though, time to wheel now 😋

Look great. FYI you can get those tube flanges for $4.25 from Barnes 4wd

I am liking this build. An exo cage is not something I would want to be having on all the time, but when I hit the rocks it would definitely be a plus for our fragile bodies.

Very nice build, thanks for sharing. I know you already mentioned front fender hoops. Don't forget to protect the headlights and radiator.

Wow this build came out great!

Holy damn. Nice.

What are you bending with

Love how you think outside the box on these fab projects you tackle. Your thoroughness and fab skills very much pay off in the finished products.

I'm curious how you lifted the cage on/off? How much do you estimate it weighs?

I'm currently in the process of designing a rear bumper. Your integration of the cage, slider, and tube fender with the rear bumper has me reconsidering my approach. I was/am thinking of doing a wrap-around bumper to come under my cut and folded rear quarters. Planning on leaving space in front of the bumper wing for a tube fender to be braced directly back to the unibody rail, but the bumper wing directly interferes with a path for the cage D pillar to land on the unibody rail. I'm going to ponder the idea of not having the bumper wrap around but instead doing a hoop under the rear quarter panel that a tube fender and D pillar support could be tied into. First glance makes me think the fuel filler necks would interfere with the front of the hoop and the shackle would interfere with the rear. Might be neat to use a flange/bolt mount to the bumper mount to put the hoop behind the shackle, and maybe another flange connection to tie in the tire carrier spindle/latch. Anything you would do differently on the integration of the components in that area?