Roll bar, roll cage??

[ShutUpHippie]

So after all of this tippy business and people rolling their rigs here and there... I have decided to think seriously about getting a roll cage or bar or whatever installed.

Would something like this keep me relatively safe?
http://z.about.com/d/4wheeldrive/1/0/_/I/PANA0058.jpg

Or should I be looking at something that wraps around (I want to go internal) and touches all points in my truck?

Like this:
http://coloradok5.com/photos/data/500/1004DSC00110.JPG
http://coloradok5.com/photos/data/2/1004cage_5.jpghttp://coloradok5.com/photos/data/500/1004DSC00143.JPG

I would love to keep my dash though.. I'm sure that many of you have either installed or designed these things... what do you think?

Rob

[Brody]

The top picture is adequate and would keep from getting squashed. Your passengers would hate you because they would get squashed. Your windshield would hate you because the frame and the windshield would get broken and trashed.
Best things about it: You can find these in junkyards for a song and they make a great starter bar that you can always add onto...front and rear. I have actually seen about three of these in yards in the last 6 weeks. I think you could probably get the bar for around $40....

The second picture is probably the best all round setup without going to the extreme of the third picture. It will do everything that you want it to, strengthen the frame, protect the passengers and more. You can look at the two and you can see where you can pretty much build the second bar off the first bar.

The third picture is a really sweet set up...expensive to do, too, but again, you can pretty much start with the first and built into this. I did my exo over the course of 2-3 years.

Things to watch: A great many of the Chevy/GMC (and other) roll bars are simply a plate mount through the bed and wheel well. This is pretty much good for one shot and one only. The thin sheet metal that these are bolted through, even with a bottom plate, has been known to simply punch through the thin metal in a hard roll. What you want to do is to tie the cage/roll bar in to the frame. This is most easily done but doing a mount with tube stock welded to your frame, with a plate on the underside that matches the roll bar/cage plate and justs bolts through. Do this for each and every mounting plate on the bar and it provides a really good, strong roll bar/cage.

The last thing to watch for is using triangulation and/or gussets at all the corners. This is critical and it provides an incredible amount of strength and resistance to shear forces which would otherwise twist and tweak you cage, rendering it pretty much useless.

I didn't look at more than the first three pictures. The third one pretty much summed up a cage...

[ShutUpHippie]

So if I were to find a roll bar similar to the one in the first picture, you (or whoever else is handy with a welder/etc) could tie it into the frame relatively easily then?

I'll have to look around.. that kind of roll bar will sit inside my top though correct?

[ShutUpHippie]

and... which junkyards are we talking about here? I might have to investigate this week.

[1freaky1]

Rob if you do the roll bar like the top keep in mind a lot of the ones out there are bolt together pieces, I would definitely get a welded one and add more to it for more of a cage to protect everyone riding along. Look at it like this would you rather be upside down lean forward with the damage to the windshield and all or more laying flat on a full cage.More is always better in the case of roll bar vs. Cage.

[ShutUpHippie]

I think I'm going to start with the basic top one, then as time goes on, options will be pondered. If I find one that bolts together, can it be made into a welded one? That seems like it could be easy enough.

[1freaky1]

Yeah it can be welded but most bolt togethers are not as heavy gauge as welded ones. Also adding on to it over time is no problem as long as it is well planned out.

[BlackRubi]

Keep in mind that if your passengers get squashed really well, they can't really hate you. LOL. Sorry, I forgot to put my filter on.

[Haku]

Honestly, if you can afford it, its worth purchasing a quality cage all at once. Here is a pretty decent looking one that comes pre-bent and notched and will protect the front seats very well for $420. Even made with 2" DOM, which is the standard for full size rigs.

http://shop.eoronline.com/product.sc?productId=2&categoryId=2

They also make an 8 point version that extends that to cover the back part, but its more like $700. Supposedly this place also makes a decent cage for the K5..... http://www.swracecars.com ....though it isn't on their website as such. Could give em a call to find out.

I think for what its worth, if you are going to be trying harder stuff, its worth having some protection. I for one hope to have the funds together to purchase an exo cage for my rig by the end of winter, as I push my rig pretty hard these days and have already flopped it once. A decently built cage seems like a easy price to pay for not getting me or my rig hurt too badly.

JH

[Brody]

and... which junkyards are we talking about here? I might have to investigate this week.


Sorry...forgot about the bolt together cages. I didn't realize people still made them...thought they went out with the chrome, triple tube Smittybuilt light bar crapola...don't get one...about s functional as a Pet Rock..

U Pull it off of 64th and Pecos had one in a full size a couple of weeks ago. It was in a Jimmy or Blazer. I saw one at Colorado Auto Parts about the same time. Keep an open mind because tubing can be easily modified without compromising it's strength...

[Funrover]

Start with the one from the first pic. and add on as time goes. Also I would get the dimensions of the 70's Dodge Ramchargers, they had the rollbar (real one) factory with all those models.

[sunk]

Your K5 is a half cab like mine, It is considered "roll bar". Obviously, if you were to roll and had people in the rear it would do little to protect them. A full roll cage would protect you and your passengers, and is what I would like to build. You can always start with a hoop and add on to it as you can afford it.

[Roostercruiser]

i always thought k5's came with a roll bar in back. when did they stop doing that? i know the older ones did right?:confused:

[Brody]

As of yesterday, the roll cage I spotted at the junkyard in a Jimmy or K5 is no longer there. These show up from time to time and probably can be had for around $40-50, so people like me that go to yards-Sean, Jeff, etc-maybe can keep an eye out for one for you. You will just have to be willing to grab it ASAP as they obviously don't last too long..

[KnuckleHead]

I agree with getting something now to start with and as time and money go just add to it. At least you will have something and not nothing. I my self am a fan of Brodys and plan to go that way when I can....

[sunk]

I think exocages look cool...on smaller vehicles. Ive had friends in the past that have built exocages on their fullsize rigs, and it looks like too much. Of course, those guys were just learning to fabricate, Im sure they could have done a better job.:lol:

[gm4x4lover]

Start with a custom built rear hoop and add on from there. I think thats what i am going to do in each of my vehicles.