Cage For Missy!

[AZRedRockJK]

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Okay, in preparation for the upcoming April Moab trip, we decided that Missy needs a cage for her TJ. After all... if anyone is destined to land on her top... Missy is. (Insert Redline, Axle-breaking comment here)

So, on Dec 11th, we'll take her Jeep over to Bob @ TnTCustoms, and work will begin. Full cage with future seat tie-ins added in later. Then we'll sell her hard top and get a bestop Supertop.

Stay tuned here for more info and of course pics!!

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[4x4_MMMH_4x4]

you should pay mousee to build a cage for my cj:P... well a better cage anyways :ROL: cant wait to see her cage tho!!! post pics soon

[sevenslats]

sweet. got any teaser pics, from previous TnT jobs, or something?

[AZRedRockJK]

sweet. got any teaser pics, from previous TnT jobs, or something?

Yes I do.

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[ChevyKev]

sweet. got any teaser pics, from previous TnT jobs, or something?

Yes I do.

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Ok - now share! :lol:

[AZRedRockJK]

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Step One: Selling the Hardtop

Looks like today, we'll be selling the hardtop. Then we'll order a Bestop Supertop to replace it. Gotta be able to drop the top quick, and enjoy the cage, right?

This will be the first time the top has come off the TJ... pretty sad, huh.

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[LawsonEOD]

Yes!

[Leni]

YES!!!!! :shock:

[AZRedRockJK]

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Okay, as requested... here's pics of a similar TJ cage that Bob built. The rear portion of Missy's will be alot more sloped. This guy has kids, and wanted it to be shaped alot like the stock sports bar. Her's will be loosing the rear seat, and have a nice sloped rear to pivot around in tight spots. The last pic, is of a unfinished Scrambler cage, which shows what the rear of hers will be like. We'll also be getting the seat tie-ins, but at a later date. Hers also will have a access hole in the dash side piece, so that we can still access the screw to remove the stock speaker if needed. This TJ doesn't have one. Oh, and the front header bar will be closer to the windshield. His has the stock soft top which has larger hinge fasteners.


http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_135_full.jpg

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http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_145_full.jpg

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[AZRedRockJK]

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Here's the last shot of the hardtop on the Jeep before it sold yesterday. I drove around town all night in 40 degree weather enjoying the open air. Ordered the Bestop Supertop last night. Nothing like going topless... try it ladies.


http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_131_full.jpg

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[mousee]

nice work! love the angles. :yes1:

[sevenslats]

Nice. When is the work being done?

[Chetnak]

Man nice looking cage!! :weld:

[AZRedRockJK]

Nice. When is the work being done?

Starting on the 12th. Now that the top is gone, and the TJ will be used only for short trips to the store if anything (weather), I'm going to start gutting the interior in preparation.


Man nice looking cage!! :weld:

Bob only builds 'em right. Missy needs good stuff, cause she WILL find any flaws if there's any. :lol:

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[AZRedRockJK]

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And, now a few shots of the TJ topless. It's so much better having the open air...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_146_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_147_full.jpg

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[sevenslats]

I've been telling you that for 4 years now. :lol:

[LawsonEOD]

Top down is one of the best things about the wranger.

[crazy4ink]

I sold my hardtop and got an OEM softtop. I had a Besttop Supertop and was not happy with it at all. Since it doesn't use plastic door surrounds like OEM, there were all kinds of extra wind noises and air leaks. Plus, the 2-piece doors are a PITA to get aligned correctly so they don't allow water/mud to seep around the weatherstriping that they come with.

[AZRedRockJK]

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Well, hopefully we have better luck with ours. Here's a few pics. Installing the bows and hardware... easy. But the fabric top piece... PITA! I'll mess with the 2-piece soft doors soon. They'll be used on trail days. Hard doors the rest of the time.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_150_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_151_full.jpg

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[naturalbornmudder]

sell the full hard doors and go for the 1/2's :F:

[AZRedRockJK]

sell the full hard doors and go for the 1/2's :F:

You just like the half doors so you can run your fingers through the mud as you drive. :ROL:
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[mousee]

:ROL:

[AZRedRockJK]

sell the full hard doors and go for the 1/2's :F:

You just like the half doors so you can run your fingers through the mud as you drive. :ROL:
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Wait, you probably could with full doors too. :P

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[akxj]

not to sound like an +++++++ here...buuuutttt....you ever thought about some bumpers for the ol' missile first...if missy's gonna destroy anything i would put money on the bumpers first...then go with the cage...also, man bob does some nice work; especially for a guy who said 3 words to me in an hour when i met him...

[AZRedRockJK]

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3 Days left till the cage work. Gutted the interior in preperation...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_152_full.jpg

Bye bye cheesy sport bar!...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_153_full.jpg

Yeah, Eric... she may tear up her bumpers, but for the Moab trip, we thought a cage would be best done first. The steep obstacles, paired up with her foot style...

If she kills the thin bumpers, then we'll get some done up then. Bob's still coming up with a plan for TJ bumpers anyway.

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[sevenslats]

That looks so wrong with the doors still on.

[AZRedRockJK]

That looks so wrong with the doors still on.

Yeah, I gotta get mirror brackets and get the 2-piece doors put together. Give me time. Bob needs the hard doors on during the cage build, cause they're thicker than the soft ones. Then he can get everything set in the right spot.

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[naturalbornmudder]

I think it is gonna come out real nice.

My lil' T is going under the knife for some custom cage work right after the Christmas holiday.

[AZRedRockJK]

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Well, today the front legs, and rest of the feet were bolted in. The horizontal dash top bar was tacked in. And we bent the main hoop and got it tacked in. Tomorrow the bars that tie the main hoop to the front legs will be bent and tacked in and the halo and rest of the support pieces will follow. Going to make custom enclosures for her speakers and dome lights, since we had to loose the stock soundbar. I'll post up progress pics soon.

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[LowNSlowNeon]

not to sound like an @$$hole here...buuuutttt....you ever thought about some bumpers for the ol' missile first...if missy's gonna destroy anything i would put money on the bumpers first...then go with the cage...also, man bob does some nice work; especially for a guy who said 3 words to me in an hour when i met him...

I disagree...


IMO - A good cage should be one of the first mods done to a vehicle.....


It's like the Honda guys back home.... Thousands and thousands on parts to go fast or to look nice but nothing to an alarm.. and then cry when it gets stolen.

You wheel a vehicle off-road you should think safety... a good roll cage will protect you.. I'd rather smash my bumpers in than my head. :lol:


[/soap box]

[AK20]

I see where Eric is going with the bumpers, almost mandatory for a good winch mount...which in my opinion is one that should be HIGH on the to-do list, as Nate said in another post, your gonna get stuck no matter what kind of mods you have...getting out safely is key. Bumpers are solid points for extraction, usually depending on build more reliable than factory tow points or tow hitches. Now as Gary stated wheeling in Moab is nothing like here, I agree with him that a cage would take priority IMO over bumpers in that case. But for up here you ++++ near have to try to roll your rig over, in Alaska bumpers would take priority in my book over a cage...now for me a cage will be one of the last things I add to my truck, of course I'm not in to rock crawlin and body damage is the least of my worries!

[LowNSlowNeon]

I see where Eric is going with the bumpers, almost mandatory for a good winch mount...which in my opinion is one that should be HIGH on the to-do list, as Nate said in another post, your gonna get stuck no matter what kind of mods you have...getting out safely is key. Bumpers are solid points for extraction, usually depending on build more reliable than factory tow points or tow hitches. Now as Gary stated wheeling in Moab is nothing like here, I agree with him that a cage would take priority IMO over bumpers in that case. But for up here you darn near have to try to roll your rig over, in Alaska bumpers would take priority in my book over a cage...now for me a cage will be one of the last things I add to my truck, of course I'm not in to rock crawlin and body damage is the least of my worries!

My "Cage" goes in next week.. Im so excited....hehe.. Still got the stock cruddy bumpers though.. and no winch yet... everyone I wheel with has awinch anyhow.. :ROL:

[AK20]

I had the same attitude about winches before, but trust me people get tired of burning there winches up pulling other people out....especially when there heavy assed fullsize Chevys's!! Anyway sorry to hijcack your thread Gary, I'm sure your wifes cage will turn out nice...when you gonna get one to match?

[akxj]

Well, not to sound like an +++++++ again, but i do know missy's driving style pretty well; i've seen her in action enough times to know nothing is gonna stop her or that jeep...is putting a cage on there a good idea for her (YES IT IS!!!) do i see bumpers a better thing yes and no...going to moab, the cage would be a good idea....then again so would making your own bumpers gary!!! hahaha...yeah, i too am tired of my winch almost burning up BECAUSE OF SOMEONE NOMINATING ME!!! boy, now who was that; man i'm never gonna let you live that one down...hahahaha...anyway, i'm sure the cage is gonnna turn out nice man...TNT seems to put out some good stuff...

[sevenslats]

:nopics:

[AZRedRockJK]

:nopics:


Cool! I see the thread is recovered. Good discussion on the cage vs bumpers. We got the painted cage bolted in last night, and it looks bad @$$! I will post up pics tonight (or tomorrow if daylight is gone by the time I get off work), now that the topic is back.

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[naturalbornmudder]

missy is relatively tall. Are you worried about her hitting her head on the bars? I was measuring yesterday for my cage and found it rather difficult to lay out the bars out of range of my melon.

[naturalbornmudder]

for me, bumpers came first. Then as I started 3 wheeling and 2 wheeling, and even once being on one wheel, it was time for a stinger. That gave me courage so now it is time for a cage. The main reason for a cage, is 55 Mile trail. My favorite trail, the one I do the most acrobatics on, is startign to get a little rougher each time we go up. What used to be play ruts are now a threatening obstacle. I hope erosion adds to the effect this year. I will be trail bossing the first 55 Mile trip of the summer.

[AZRedRockJK]

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Okay, as promised... more pics. Had to first figure out why I could not log in to the forums. Yes, Missy's tall, but more so with her legs than upper body. She tested out one of Bob's cages in another TJ, and plus, with the new Supertop, the bars can be slightly higher than with say a hardtop or factory top. Okay, onto the pics...

First, some shots during the build...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_156_full.jpg

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http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_159_full.jpg


Measuring for the rear 'luggage rack'. We're gonna get one of those ATV bags and velcro it down...


http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_160_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_161_full.jpg


A look at the front feet. Notice the access holes for the dash speaker screws. These tie into the Rock SliderZ underneath...


http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_162_full.jpg


This one shows how the rear tappers back. This is an option for those who rarely use their rear seat. An added bonus is the ability to pivot around objects while in tight off-camber spots. Plus it looks alot cooler than sticking to the factory sportsbar shape...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_163_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_164_full.jpg


And here's a look at the custom speaker pods. Since the factory sound bar was lost with the new design, we had these fabbed up. Originally, they were planned to be made from a tube and flat sheetmetal. But Matt @ TnT thought up these trick ones...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_165_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_166_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_167_full.jpg


When finished, the cage was trailered over to our garage for painting. We went with the favored Rustoleum 'Hammered' paint like was used on the CornerZ and SliderZ...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_169_full.jpg

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[crazy4ink]

Looks really good so far! What is the lower basket in the back for? Does the spare go in it or under it? Just wondering. Since you gutted the interior for the cage install, are you going to Rhinoline it while you are at it?

[AZRedRockJK]

Looks really good so far!* What is the lower basket in the back for?* Does the spare go in it or under it?* Just wondering.* Since you gutted the interior for the cage install, are you going to Rhinoline it while you are at it?


Thanks. The basket in the rear is something we thought up after the cage was underway. First, it was a good way to keep the spare tire in place, because it will slide underneath. Then more was added in, to form the finished 'rack'. We're gonna get one fo those ATV bags that velcro down usually on the front of ATVs. They adjust up for more or less contents. It'll sit on top of the bars.

Now for my favorite pics... the finished ones after the install. We put the carpet back in for now. We'll see later on Rhinolining...


http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_170_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/484000-484999/484231_171_full.jpg

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[AK20]

Turned out incredible! Kudos to the builder.

[LowNSlowNeon]

Very nice cage!

[canchaser]

looks good hope she never rolls it lol ;)

[AKJeeper]

That's just downright awesome work! I love that cage! *drool*

[AlaskaToy]

looks great missy and gary!

[Chetnak]

Dude thats an awesome cage!!!! Love the soundbar..

[mousee]

that looks really nice! :yes1: I like how the top view almost looks like the nuclear sign :) give the builder a thumbs up.

[AZRedRockJK]

that looks really nice! :yes1: I like how the top view almost looks like the nuclear sign :) give the builder a thumbs up.


Yeah, Missy said the same thing when she saw the 'from above' shot. Got the speakers and dome light wired in today. Fun snaking 6 wires past the seatbelt mounts. I'll tell Bob everyone likes.

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[nissan720]

looks good man i like the way designed the spots for the speakers.

[jeepin_al]

Wow, that is probably one of the most thought out functional cages I have had a look at. I really like the tire carrier and the slots for the door straps. Again, kudo's on a great cage, hope you never find out how well all that triangulation works.