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Body protection, exoskeleton tubing size.

7K views 46 replies 16 participants last post by  kg6mov 
#1 ·
Ok guys, we have a nice electric conduit pipe bender. I want to do a type of exoskeleton. This isn't protection from a roll over, this is basically body panel protection. So now when its a tight spot in the trails I don't have to worry about dents. I can slide into and bounce off trees when I need to... which I will do this all the time.

Sense this is a conduit bender I have to use IMC conduit, not as strong as DOM but its all we can bend. We can do all sizes of conduit.

The plan is to come from the bumper to the rock slides, protecting the fenders, front & rear. To reinforce the fender area we will be going across the bottom window connecting both sides of the skeleton. I will also be cutting holes in the body and doing the same thing at the rear fenders, tubing will be ran through the rear cargo area. Possibly going up to protect the top of the jeep, but not sure just yet.

My question is do you think 1" conduit (which is like 1.25" OD) be enough protection?
 
#2 ·
Why would you try and protect the roof if you're not using it as a role cage? I'm not a fan of using tubing for protection. Steel plates bent to lay flat to body is the best protection from trees and rocks. The issue I see is if it's tube and you smash it hard enough, it's going to pressure 1 spot on the body. Now with my experience driving through tress, i've had a few inches of cleareance in some spots. A tube sticking out is asking to get hit IMO.

To answer your last question. I think it's strong enough to provide protection. Just not how I'd go about it.
 
#3 ·
Tubing up top is for slanted trees or maybe coming into a tight spot articulated where the top might hit a tree. I shouldn't be hitting any trees hard with this. You know how it is..., your in some rough slippery spot probably doing <15 mph, the tires are doing 50mph you start sliding towards a tree, normally you got stop and re evaluate, now I can just keep it going and bounce off or rub past the tree.

Not sure on the tubing layout yet, just go the bender a week ago and trying to get 100' of steel this weekend.
 
#5 ·
I really wouldn't bother with conduit, why not just plate armor and (real) tube fender reinforcement?

If you're not worried about your jeep looking like **** with an exocage and holes in the roof why do you care about protecting the body?

IMO you're going to end up in a situation where the cage fails because it's not a cage and you're going to be screwed.
 
#6 ·
If you're not worried about your jeep looking like **** with an exocage and holes in the roof why do you care about protecting the body?

.
X2

decent rock sliders will help alot. but a conduit cage of sorts will most likely end up looking worse than the dents will.

and these ZJ bodies will take a surprising amount of abuse and keep the windows in tact and doors operational.
 
#7 ·
Dood its not holes in the roof, its holes going through the cargo area. ...much different. :/

I already have rock sliders. Locked front and rear, winch, 5 speed, 5.5" lift, 33s, no front sway bar, etc. Its a wheeler, gotta slide off trees without body damage, thats it. No body damage, im trying to look good with my AC and pretty purple jeep on the trails like a pimp.

These steel plate recommendations I don't understand. Pics or gtfo.
 
#13 ·
use the search button and google. Look for yourself, don't come to a forum and ask for opinions and then get all macho defensive when we suggest better ideas.

and if it's a real offroader/crawler don't be a dumba** and put in a roll cage. Or let darwin take over. I'm ok with either.
 
#9 ·
Yeh dyn0mitemat has one of the sickest rigs on here, his armor is a good design.

If you're locked and lifted like that why not get a real pipe bender and do it right the first time? You don't sound like a punk kid with galvy flashing for a bumper. I guess I don't get it. :confused:
 
#10 ·
To answer your original question, I wouldn't go below 1.5 inch for something like a cage.
 
#12 ·
He's gonna use grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.


To the user who posted, pics or gtfo? Maybe you need to chill out or have some mandatory time away from JF.

Hunter
 
#15 ·
Ws seem to have some misunderstandings here. I'm not acting macho, its sarcastic humor and I think it was fairly clear.

Now driving with finesse? This is tight michigan woods trails, if the trees are only 3" wider than your jeep, the mud/water is deep and its its on a slope or covered in additional obstacles, finesse it all day you're rubbing a tree. Sliders are great until they stop and you crumple a fender and/or bust a tail light. (i have stage2 sliders already btw)

Guess I gotta show you guys whats up. Its going to be a slow project but pics will be posted.

Not sure if I would call this a cheap bender, $3500. http://www.toolup.com/greenlee_555d...379&gclid=CJfesLOhxLcCFUJlMgod-gEAbQ&skinid=5
 
#16 ·
ok, listen up. Senior members who kick my a** up and down this forum have all commented. Your question has been answered and we've given better options trying to help you with your jeep. Take it or leave it. But yes, you're being a punk a** and showing no respect to the rest of us when we're trying to help.

Most of us having driven on everything from moab to northeastern wood trails to the everglades. There's nothing someone else hasn't seen or been on. Take the gracious knowledge they give both you and I (which I try and relay what they've given me and I've learned) or don't, honestly, hope you flip your jeep and dent your jeep to he*l and back after all the advise you've given and have ignored.
 
#17 ·
x2

Tucson is right, they tried to help, you sound like a *******, sorry but every one takes forum posts and anything written in text differently(if you have a wife or girlfriend you should know this).
Also from lurking for a few months many people here don't take kindly to looking "pimpin" and anything that is a waste of time

sent from: somewhere
 
#18 ·
To me the lifted cool looking most rugged jeeps are the ones with all the dents and scrapes, badges of honor. I saw one I swear didn't have a panel on it that wasn't dented and it looked really tough as if all dented panels somehow strengthened it.
I can't imagine conduit being anything more than trail debri as it gets torn from the vehicle, what would you affix it to anyhow? the galvanized stuff doesn't weld very good, steel pipe would be a better, I hate conduit. Are you a commercial electrician?
 
#19 ·
The advice I got was 'use steel plates" & "get rock sliders" or "what you gonna do where the is no 1" tubing?" .. come on. This is advice I can get from almost anybody off the street with zero wheeling experiance.

You guys are trying to act like an exoskeleton is never used to protect sheet metal and it is all the time.

The "conduit" I ended up getting was, DOM 1.25 od, .120 wall. Its sweeter than I than the ridged conduit thats only a .060 wall.

I think this is a case of people with less clue than me giving advice. If you don't know the difference between DOM and ridged conduit of both the same size and thickness you should surrendered to this being a subject out of your league.
 
#21 ·
The advice I got was 'use steel plates" & "get rock sliders" or "what you gonna do where the is no 1" tubing?" .. come on. This is advice I can get from almost anybody off the street with zero wheeling experiance.

You guys are trying to act like an exoskeleton is never used to protect sheet metal and it is all the time.

The "conduit" I ended up getting was, DOM 1.25 od, .120 wall. Its sweeter than I than the ridged conduit thats only a .060 wall.

I think this is a case of people with less clue than me giving advice. If you don't know the difference between DOM and ridged conduit of both the same size and thickness you should surrendered to this being a subject out of your league.
I'm not a steel expert, but go read my previous statement again.

Reason why we suggest these things is they've been done and proven to work. Like steel plating rolled to match a body panel.

If you claim to be a "real offroader" take the advice, put in a rollcage on your "real wheeler/crawler" and don't worry about how she looks. Offroading can and will give you dents and bumps. If it's not a street queen and you're trying to look "pimp", well there's a whole different set of issues.

People with MORE wheeling experience from you and probably more technical experience on these jeeps gave you advice. If it's used all the time, then follow their lead, we don't care what you do to your jeep. But if you come in asking a question and get answers on how to BETTER your build, and choose not to listen and throw a hissy fit, you should surrender.
 
#22 ·
No hissy fit just exchanging ideas. We can agree to disagree.

Theres benefits to exoskeleton or sheet metal. I think the exoskeleton benefits far exceed this sheet metal protection. Ease of install and the amount of protection offered puts an exoskeleton a better option.

Now there is quite an argument as why not to make this a roll cage. It could be a bad decision not to fully roll it, but.. I like being light weight and as of now its just fender protection.

Anyways I was just asking if 1.25 was big enought and I think with a .080 wall and better it is.
 
#28 ·
And where might this "conduit" be anchored to?

I'm under the impression you're trying to make some sort of halo...
Says right in the first post, from the bumper to the rock slides. Let me guess someone is going to ask how I plan to mount it to the front bumper?

You guys do realize I wheel this thing every 2 weeks and we go pretty hard. Is there even anyone posting in this thread that wheels even once a month yr round? Even the hard core wheelers around here only average 6-8 trips a yr.

This is basically what I'm doing, except a lot less yellow and preferably not so ugly.
Mines gonna be tied into the sliders way smoother, no gaps. You guys act like I invented this idea. ..
 
#30 ·
This is the type of guy who thinks you need race car spec dom on a wheeler. Also I'm sure doesn't realize steel tubing and conduit are exactly the same except ones sold by OD and the other by ID, other than that its exactly the same. :/

I think for most you guys the last obstacle you wheeled over was a parking block at the mall. :p
 
#34 ·
I didn't say dom, I said steel tubing. Dom is more strength under load because its one piece with no welds, other tubing is joined by a weld.

Yup I asked about lifts, not sure about the drag link, never paid anyone. Not sure how thats relivent either, unless your trying to imply I couldn't possibly know anything because 6 months ago I asked a question. I read a lot and tend to have great ideas frequently. This is also a new hobby, but just like every hobby before it, I go all in and become proficient quickly. I'm kinda a baller like that.
 
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