Rollbar versus cage

My 77 came with a poorly built full cage. I took it out and replaced it with a much more expensive, yet equally poorly built cage (don't ask). The jeep has no lift, 31" tires, and when it leaves the road it travels only on easy trails. It does, however, carry my young children. Do I need a cage, or would a factory roll bar be sufficient? Thanks for opinions.

 

Get a professionally built full roll cage it should not be that expensive and the peace of mind is well worth it.

 

I agree ^^

I have never had one built, but I know on Extreme 4x4 they had a shop quote them a full cage for a CJ-7 (going in a scrambler) for $1100. Get a good one built. Just because you are going to do some mild wheeling doesn't mean an accident won't happen. Better to be safe than to worry about what might happen.

 

even a bolt in cage from a company is a good upgrade. If its your kids back there, definitly get a family style cage put in. (or not, depending on how much you like/dislike your kids)

Hooking the cage into the frame is not a 100% necessity, but it does add peace of mind. WE had a discussion on here a while ago about cages and rollbars with accident pics. Even wimpy factory Roll bars are good, but cages are better, and frame tied cages are best.

 

100% agree with all here. mine has the rollbar with front hoop tied in, all body mounted as well. not the best job, but it came with the jeep. i was goofing around and put it on it's lid-just ended flat out upside-down. with just a hoop, i could have seen it tweak a lot more than it did, bash up the front end quite a bit, possibly hurt my passenger and i, and the important part, lose the cooler of brews strapped to the back seat?!

i'm a big fan of a full cage, the fuller the better. personally when i get around to it, i will be redoing the cage, and extending it to cover the back seat as well-not just end at the hoop, then frame tying it all in.

like said above, accidents happen, wheather your goofing around or not. better safe than sorry, especially with fam/kids.

good luck

 

Fully agree. My wife rolled her YJ with three kids in it, while on a level 2 trail. That had the factory built cage in it. It now has been fully upgraded to a cage with frame tie ins. My cj5 now has a cage with frame tie ins because of that roll over. Peace of mind was cheap.

 

I got a "kit" that ties into the factory roll bar from a local Jeep shop for 225$ and welded it in myself. It came with a front hoop, 4 spreader bars and foot plates as well as hardware. I did the welding myself, added gussets as well as a 1-1/8 inch bar from side to side and extra bracer bars (1-3/4") from the factory bar to the front hoop at floorboard level, then fabbed up some frame tie-ins for it. Will post some pics once I get them on photobucket or someplace.

DEFINATELY go with a cage,,,, I have rolled BOTH CJ-5's I have owned, ( my '77= totalled,& my current '80) and even if you never even drive it on a dirt road a cage is just added protection regardless,,, money well spent in my book.

 

I agree with all said here. Go with a cage. You can roll on the street as well. A guy I know had a real nice Commando on 33" tires. At 55 mph someone cut him off. In an effort to avoid the other vehicle (he didn't) he ended up barrel rolling 4 times and endoing twice. While he didn't exactly walk away he is alive and within two months his life was relatively back to normal. Without the cage protecting him he would not have survived. The Commando was a complete loss by the way.... Absolutely nothing saveable but some interior trim and few odds and ends.

 

I am also thinking about a roll cage but have some questions. The entry and exit is it a lot harder to get in and out of the jeep. I am 5'9" and don't miss any meals so I am wide. I have 74 cj5 with fiberglass body already sort of tight fit and can you get a soft top on if you have the full roll cage.

 

A custom cage can be made to fit a soft top. I am 5' 11" and about 250 lbs. I don't have any trouble getting in and out of my 5 with a full cage.