smoothlandin

First thread, here goes.
94 2 door, time for a cage and sliders. I replaced my floor with 20 gauge steel and have done a lot to this money pit, and due to some unfortunate rot in my unibody, I need a cage to stiffen it up.
I've pretty much decided to cut my rockers out for 2x4 or 2x6 square tube, and I've designed a simple cage, with tie ins to my "frame" and whatnot.
I'm thinking 1.75 dom tube, but has anyone used square tube? And what about cutting and welding angled pieces vs. bending? I'm not sure I want to drop 700 bucks for a bender plus 600 for steel.
I have all other tools I could need at my disposal.
Thanks

cherokee90

You can buy pre bent cages online for like 400-500$ you just have to weld them. These are 10 point cages to. Just google it, it might turn out cheaper And look better?

Agent_Oragnge

X2 on pre manufactured... takes out all the guess work

however if you're a "honey i'll be in the garage " kinda guy then make yours.
1.DOM drawn over mandril tubing will be the strongest cage possible. thats why every racing in every form requires those cages. they are the safest.
2. i've made a cage out of tubing before and cut in 45 degree angles almost all the way threw the pipe and bent it together to form a 90 degree angle in the pipe. it works but ulimately its a cage for looks and i would never trust it to protect me.
3. square tubing again will be for looks as the 4 90 degree angles that make up the pipe are what hold the pipe from collapsing (round tube has infinate angles that keep it from collapsing) and also it would be a "looks only cage"

i could explain further but then we enter the word of quantium mechanics, and how a 4D univers could acctually exist in the 3D world we live in.

smoothlandin

I have been looking at essentially offroad. Like maybe a jeepspeed cage?

PingPong

I wouldn't recommend using mitered joints, or square tubing. Given how much a xj wieghs 1.75x.120 is probrably the best choice. Also If you rig has a lot of rust it might be best just to find another body and transfer all your parts to it. You will be money ahead if you do that.

smoothlandin

If I could find another 2 door I would switch parts in a heartbeat. But finding one in New England that's better than mine has proven difficult at best. Mine looks mint till you crawl underneath.
Last months totm really helped give me some ideas, and this jeep wouldn't be that hard to restore but its my dd at this moment, so I kinda have to do it piece by piece.
So I'm thinkin cage and sliders to compliment my stiffeners. Once that's in place, I'll cut out and replace the metal that's rotted and I'll be good.
Any advice on this is much appreciated

PingPong

Dont just look in the NE... getting a vehicle shipped is relatively cheap. My rig looks like a beat down POS.. but mechanically and structually it is sound. Point being look on CL, Ebay and other jeep/offroad sites, and I am sure you can find a rust free 2dr. Matter of a fact I scrapped one about 8 months ago