Put a Roll Cage in my 2nd gen 4Runner
09-19-2005, 06:14 PM
#1
Put a Roll Cage in my 2nd gen 4Runner
So it's time to put a Roll Cage in. Since using my 4Runner every other weekend to go off roading I decided it was time to do something that would ease my mind alittle bit when I'm on the trail or the hiway for that matter. Time to Cage the 4Runner. I know a thing or to about doing one of these, and in the past I've rolled a couple of trucks (okay 4 trucks) and most of them where during off road compitition so there was always a cage to help protect me. And after you see how a correctly built roll cage can hold up to that kind of punishment, it dosen't take much to realize there nice to have. A well built cage may not only help save the passangers life but can also cut down on the amount of damage your truck receives. All the trucks I have rolled where repaired within a couple of weeks without having to replace the whole cab mainly due to a tight fitting strong cage.
Now I don't go 90 miles an hour blasting my way by, instead I like to cruise. But that still doesn't mean somthing won't go wrong, and the next thing you know your on your lid down in a ditch. And another thing I live in SoCal where 3 outta 5 drivers are idoits, That's the main reason for my Chromoly bumpers and rock sliders, to try and keep them from wrecking my day.
So first thing is, my 4Runner can't be down for more then a day at a time so I did my cage in stages and finished it in two weeks instead of the normal week it should of taken. 4Runners I find, are easier to cage then trucks, trucks you have to go through the back of the cab, not a big deal but reqiures more work.
First thing I did was removed all the carpet,seats and dashboard. I will be leaving the headliner in sence this will be a daily driver, I have no reason to go without interior and if I pull the headliner it would be almost impossible to get back in with the cage being tight. I will use Kevlar mats to protect against burning it up. There are many different ways to do a cage and mine will be basic. I will not solid mount this one to the frame but instead it will be installed like a regular cage you might buy or have built only mounting at the body/frame mounting area where it is the strongest.
My cage will not run around the dashboard but follow the a-pillars through the dash. This will be the best way to get leg room and it's stronger then going around it. It will be a 8 point cage made from 4130 Chromoly, the main hoop is 1-3/4" .120 wall and the rest 1-1/2" .120 wall. The floor plates are 1/4" with grade 8 bolts replacing the factory ones, since I need them to be longer to go through the plate and then through the frame mount. the plates are the first thing I install, these will be the feet of the cage.
When I go through the dash I will connect the dash bar structure to the Cage a-pillar tubes, Leaving all the dashboard mounting stock.
Pic1 My biggest reason for a cage
pic2 Rear part of the cage under construction
pic3 Put gauges back in so I could still drive around while in the building process.
Now I don't go 90 miles an hour blasting my way by, instead I like to cruise. But that still doesn't mean somthing won't go wrong, and the next thing you know your on your lid down in a ditch. And another thing I live in SoCal where 3 outta 5 drivers are idoits, That's the main reason for my Chromoly bumpers and rock sliders, to try and keep them from wrecking my day.
So first thing is, my 4Runner can't be down for more then a day at a time so I did my cage in stages and finished it in two weeks instead of the normal week it should of taken. 4Runners I find, are easier to cage then trucks, trucks you have to go through the back of the cab, not a big deal but reqiures more work.
First thing I did was removed all the carpet,seats and dashboard. I will be leaving the headliner in sence this will be a daily driver, I have no reason to go without interior and if I pull the headliner it would be almost impossible to get back in with the cage being tight. I will use Kevlar mats to protect against burning it up. There are many different ways to do a cage and mine will be basic. I will not solid mount this one to the frame but instead it will be installed like a regular cage you might buy or have built only mounting at the body/frame mounting area where it is the strongest.
My cage will not run around the dashboard but follow the a-pillars through the dash. This will be the best way to get leg room and it's stronger then going around it. It will be a 8 point cage made from 4130 Chromoly, the main hoop is 1-3/4" .120 wall and the rest 1-1/2" .120 wall. The floor plates are 1/4" with grade 8 bolts replacing the factory ones, since I need them to be longer to go through the plate and then through the frame mount. the plates are the first thing I install, these will be the feet of the cage.
When I go through the dash I will connect the dash bar structure to the Cage a-pillar tubes, Leaving all the dashboard mounting stock.
Pic1 My biggest reason for a cage
pic2 Rear part of the cage under construction
pic3 Put gauges back in so I could still drive around while in the building process.
09-19-2005, 06:36 PM
#2
Going Through the Dash
Going through the dash reqiures more work but the end results are worth it. I connected the A-pillar tubes to the dash board mounting structure. To do this I notched the dash-structure to accept my a-pillar tube on the driverside and on the passenger side I cut it down and removed part of the mount.
09-20-2005, 08:27 AM
#6
I'd consider some rear X bracing or at least something across like the front dash bar...more lateral strength if you flop it and more compressive strength if you roll it.
Looks good!
Looks good!
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09-21-2005, 07:16 PM
#11
If you have to ask, you can't afford it. 
I work in industrial fabrication and you don't use chromoly unless you ain't worried about paying for it.
Most expensive thing I've ever worked w/ on a project...6" Titanium pipe...over $800/foot.
Chromoly aint THAT bad, but if 1.75" 0.120" wall DOM tubing is like $3.50/foot down here...I wouldn't dare to even ask to see what chromo is...still a very nice cage.
I work in industrial fabrication and you don't use chromoly unless you ain't worried about paying for it.Most expensive thing I've ever worked w/ on a project...6" Titanium pipe...over $800/foot.
Chromoly aint THAT bad, but if 1.75" 0.120" wall DOM tubing is like $3.50/foot down here...I wouldn't dare to even ask to see what chromo is...still a very nice cage.
Last edited by waskillywabbit; 09-22-2005 at 03:30 AM.
09-22-2005, 12:13 PM
#14
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nice work, esp on the dash i would have gone through the dash on mine, but if i did, i would have lost the side vents, and thats no good in the winter here.
some cross-bracing and gussets and you'll have a pretty good cage with little or no comprimise as far as DD duty goes.
some cross-bracing and gussets and you'll have a pretty good cage with little or no comprimise as far as DD duty goes.
09-22-2005, 08:53 PM
#15
Sorry ,I left this thread kinda hanging. Here's some more photos.
When I went through the dash it was important to clear all the A/C & heater ducking that routes behind the dash. Alot of times this can be over looked and when you go to reinstall the ducking you find you have an A-pillar tube in the way so that's another reason to get that A-pillar tube as far up to the windsheild as possible (pic#3) and also following the stock A-pillar angle helps.
When I went through the dash it was important to clear all the A/C & heater ducking that routes behind the dash. Alot of times this can be over looked and when you go to reinstall the ducking you find you have an A-pillar tube in the way so that's another reason to get that A-pillar tube as far up to the windsheild as possible (pic#3) and also following the stock A-pillar angle helps.
Last edited by Scottz; 09-22-2005 at 08:56 PM.
09-22-2005, 09:45 PM
#17
Lott'sa Gussets
Since this 4Runner is still a daily driver and has to hual kids to school, go shopping and of course the hardware store, I wasn't able to get the all the tubes in that I would normally install (like X's) so I put gussets anywhere and every where I could. I figure this cage can be the foundation, and more cage work can be added later when it permits.
With this cage right up against the head liner, it would not allow me to get to the top to weld it, so instead I would build it in sections and then put it back in place and complete the welding on the under-side so it can be welded all the way around. This was a long process and probably wasn't totally needed but I thought I would do it anyway. Another plus to having a tight cage is HEAD ROOM. The biggest rule to follow is when your in your seat you should have at least 5" to 6" around your head from any Cage work and roll cage padding is a must. What good is a cage going to do'ya if you hit a bump and knock your a** out, or you roll over and your truck survives but your in a coma from hitting your head on the cage that was there to save you. :cry: This has happen to people I know and everyone of them had none of the things I mentioned. So mine had to be tight, so tight I couldn't get roll cage padding all the way around the tubes ,and that turns out to be another plus becuase I could split the padding down the middle and get twice the padding.
Pic#1 Main Hoop
Pic#2 Main Hoop B-pillar (next time I'll remove the car seat)
Pic#3 Rear seat
With this cage right up against the head liner, it would not allow me to get to the top to weld it, so instead I would build it in sections and then put it back in place and complete the welding on the under-side so it can be welded all the way around. This was a long process and probably wasn't totally needed but I thought I would do it anyway. Another plus to having a tight cage is HEAD ROOM. The biggest rule to follow is when your in your seat you should have at least 5" to 6" around your head from any Cage work and roll cage padding is a must. What good is a cage going to do'ya if you hit a bump and knock your a** out, or you roll over and your truck survives but your in a coma from hitting your head on the cage that was there to save you. :cry: This has happen to people I know and everyone of them had none of the things I mentioned. So mine had to be tight, so tight I couldn't get roll cage padding all the way around the tubes ,and that turns out to be another plus becuase I could split the padding down the middle and get twice the padding.
Pic#1 Main Hoop
Pic#2 Main Hoop B-pillar (next time I'll remove the car seat)
Pic#3 Rear seat
09-23-2005, 06:39 AM
#20
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That is awesome. I love how you took it through the dash, looks real clean. That is the nicest interior cage i think I've ever seen. Props man, major props.
