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G's LJ Build (It's not the devil I swear)

69K views 472 replies 45 participants last post by  Steven_mc 
#1 ·
I've deciding to move my build thread from another forum to this one. Decided to because of a lack of comments, posts and info. After seeing the threads from gspup and Imped I realized that I wasn't getting nearly as much feedback so I moved it here.

First few posts are going to be to get everyone up to speed. This is my second Jeep. Jeep number one was a 2001 TJ Sport and stayed bone stock for the entire time I had it. I then started to look for an LJ Rubicon and found this beauty (It's not the devil, I swear).

Here are a couple of pics stock:




Had a buddy draw up some plans then immediately took it to 4 Wheel Parts and built what I thought was the best Jeep I could build. Here is a list of mods from that trip:
RE 5.5" long arm lift kit
Bilstein Shocks
35" tires
Rear drive shaft
Smittybilt spare tire carrier
Smittybilt tube sliders
Custom exhaust

Pics from stage 1:


 
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#129 ·
gspup said:
It was a very good thing I put them on. G's wifey busted his new steering set-up mall crawling the other day :rofl: So we crawled under the LJ last night, sleeved the lines with kevlar wrap and re-routed others to keep them from rubbing through again. I'd figure I'd update this build because there isn't much happening in my thread.
You have done enough work on it, update away.

Also, drove to work today and went to get a car wash and the manager cane out and denied me a car wash. A car wash denying me a car wash? Are you serious?

No leaks too.
 
#132 ·
Cage Ideas

Went to work on some cage design today with a buddy. Take a gander at some of the screen shots. It's not complete but it is a good start. Some questions that you guys might be able to help me answer.

1. For the rear seat belt, do the mounts on the cage need to be in the exact same place as stock or can they be be moved some? I would like to bring the C Pillar on a slightly steeper angle if we can move those rear seat belt mounts.

2. Does anyone have the bends and distances laid out for the A-Pillar? That's pretty hard to estimate w/o tearing it all apart.

Note it's not finished but please feel free to comment and provide me any feedback you can.





 
#133 ·
There is no need for the bends in the A-pillar dash tubes. You can get straight tube down through the dash to the floor and it will be stronger. I would do something like Poly Performance and build a 2 piece A-pillar with a sleeve in the windshield area so you can rotate it into position before final welding. When I did Lu's cage it made it very easy to line up the A-pillars and door surrounds.

I will see if I still have the bend program for the A-pillars on my last cage. If i am remembering correctly the proper angle at the top is like 58* and so the bend at the dash would be like 32*. Those numbers sticks in my head for some reason but I'll see if I still have those dimensions saved.

Also, the windshield overhead bar, is there a reason it bends right before it welds to the A-pillar? If possible, I would run a straight bar and then bring the overhead diagonal right into the same joint between the windshield overhead bar and the A-pillar bend. That or if you want to keep your design like that at least add in a gusset between the bend in the windshield top bar and the bend in the top of the A-pillar.

Lastly, I would move that short little piece of tube supporting the bent diagonal brace in the C-pillar window area up to the actual bend in that tube so that it supports the bend. I assume you are trying to keep that area open for back seat access? otherwise I would just make that bent piece straight into the node on the B-pillar.
 
#136 ·
There is no need for the bends in the A-pillar dash tubes. You can get straight tube down through the dash to the floor and it will be stronger. I would do something like Poly Performance and build a 2 piece A-pillar with a sleeve in the windshield area so you can rotate it into position before final welding. When I did Lu's cage it made it very easy to line up the A-pillars and door surrounds.

I will see if I still have the bend program for the A-pillars on my last cage. If i am remembering correctly the proper angle at the top is like 58* and so the bend at the dash would be like 32*. Those numbers sticks in my head for some reason but I'll see if I still have those dimensions saved.

Also, the windshield overhead bar, is there a reason it bends right before it welds to the A-pillar? If possible, I would run a straight bar and then bring the overhead diagonal right into the same joint between the windshield overhead bar and the A-pillar bend. That or if you want to keep your design like that at least add in a gusset between the bend in the windshield top bar and the bend in the top of the A-pillar.

Lastly, I would move that short little piece of tube supporting the bent diagonal brace in the C-pillar window area up to the actual bend in that tube so that it supports the bend. I assume you are trying to keep that area open for back seat access? otherwise I would just make that bent piece straight into the node on the B-pillar.
Thanks for the input Mike. See my responses below:

A-Pillar bends: Wouldn't those bends allow the cage to be more out of the way? If you don't think they are in the way for you then I wont mess with it and keep it easy.

A-Pillar Sleeve: Can you expound on that concept I don't think I understand.

Windshield overhead bar: The bends are for aesthetics and just something to make it look different and not so cookie cutter and will look really good once the gussets and grab handles are modeled in. It will basically make a tube loop, I think you will like it once you see it finished.

Good point for the shorty to move up to the bend, I'll make that change tomorrow.

Any input on the seat belt mount location?
 
#137 ·
Mike makes some great points. I would also include a cross bar or two for seat mounting and it you plan on suspension seats, get them first and wait on the cage til then. My seats are mounted to my cage and I sit about 1-2" higher than most TJ seats do. Seat belts (road legal ones) will mount off the seat itself, 5 point harnesses will come off some left to right B pillar mount. Personally, I would try to get an X in the B pillar plane too. Did you create that opening between the B and C pillar because you wanted access for rear seat passengers?
 
#140 ·
There will be a shoulder harness bar in the B-pillar plane. I should get around to ordering those seats just haven't had time. I'm going to go with the Corbeau Baja XRS seats and will be making mounts for those off of the cage as well.

The tube between the B and the C is mainly structural but also creates a little more room for people and by having that small horizontal gusset it also creates a ladder step which I think is a pretty cool feature. The opening might get bigger not sure yet. Need to add the rest of the tube in and see how it all is looking. I also need to make sure there is clearance with the soft top arms.

I also would wait until you mount your seats to make your seat belt attachments. If using a harness, the shoulder straps are mounted 2-4" below the top of your shoulder. Someone makes a really nice double shear mount that I wish I had seen before I made my mounts. I think I saw it on Ballistics site.
I should have been more clear about the seat belt mounts. My question is not so much for the front seats but the rear seat. I will be using the stock rear seats for now and currently the LJ seat belt attachment to the frame is about 36" back of the B and 6" South of the top of the cage. I think I would like to possibly bring a slightly steeper angle to the C-pillar but don't want to screw up those seat belt mounts. I'm ok with leaving the C in about the same as it currently is now but just like the looks of the steeper angle to make it look faster. :thumbsup: Look fast go fast right?!
 
#138 ·
I also would wait until you mount your seats to make your seat belt attachments. If using a harness, the shoulder straps are mounted 2-4" below the top of your shoulder. Someone makes a really nice double shear mount that I wish I had seen before I made my mounts. I think I saw it on Ballistics site.
 
#139 ·


poly kit had the front a pillar that went down to the floor then a weld slug with the remaining A bend to the B pillar



I also agree your cross pillar should just go straight instead of having the small bend and also do a rear bar similar to this from your B to C instead ot eh opposite direction for added strength
 
#439 ·


I also agree your cross pillar should just go straight instead of having the small bend and also do a rear bar similar to this from your B to C instead ot eh opposite direction for added strength[/URL]
Sorry for the hi-jack, but I have seen more and more cages that don't use the brackets to hold the windshield. I am in the process of building my cage, could you please school me on how you hold the windshield without those ugly brackets? I really like the clean look of your cage.

I appreciate your help.
S.
 
#142 ·
That A-Pillar two piece looks like a great idea. Does the bottom of the cage seriously not get in the way of your feet though? The last thing I want to do is to get curse that cage every time I'm struggling to get into it.

For the B to C brace. Lu, do you run a bowed soft top and do the arms interfere with the brace going in that direction? My idea is to run the brace directly inside of those arms to keep the lines clean. I'm not sure it would provide all that much more strength by putting the brace in the opposite direction (I will ask my engineer though) and I for sure do not want to X up that hole. Also by running the brace in that direction it looks faster!
 
#158 ·
I use Lenox hole saws in a JD2 notcher with a Milwaukee hole hawg to turn it . I can build two cages with one hole saw and I dont use any lubricants when I am cutting . I just go slow and let the hole saw do the work .
 
#161 ·
More work done on the cage.






Things to still be done that I don't know that I'm going to change on the model or not:
Shoulder harness bar
Straighten the A-Pillar (but that will for sure happen because not having to bend that is going to be awesome)
Move the 'ladder' step on the b-pillar up to meet the bend on the bend and also match up to the shoulder bar
Dash spreaders
Seat mounts
 
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