Dirt Master80

hey guys im looking to get some feed back on the three options i have come up with for the exo design on the roof of my truck. i just cant deside. im figureing bar lengths which = weight, design for stenght,and looks of course. I will be doing a entire build thread when im done so i dont want this to turn into a howed you do this or that thread. we will do that when im done. thanks for any input

the bars are in place so you guys can get an idea. option 1


option 2 with all three bars intersecting


option 3 two bars that intersect joints on the windsheild bar and main hoop with an x tying it all together

olharleyman

I vote option 3

Dirt Master80

option three was my original design but i was thinking maybe i need to transer weight(when i roll) more directly to the down bars at the windshield. idk i havent rolled a truck with a cage to know how it will work

desertcamper67

Have you considered having it come to a high point down the centerline of the truck to make it easier to upright the truck if it goes wheels up?

Dirt Master80

oh i wish i had pictures of that. i tryed a design like that with the main hoop, it looked rediculos lol i didnt even want to take a pic. but i was thinking the same thing you were

tc

Think triangles and nodes - option 2 is the best of the three. You want all the bars to tie into the same points and create triangles.

Another option would be to have the angled pieces come from the corner of the windshield to where you have the longitudinal bars in the back, then a V coming from there up to the center of windshield brace, so the roof would look something like this:
|W|

I think option 3 is more weight than you need.

mastacox

Option 2 looks good to me

b/s rules

tc is right, triangles are the strongest. go with option two.

Plumbrbob

how did you do this? and what is that? is that DOM? what bender are you using?



ha ha looks good option 2 i like. The notching intersection will make you wish you got that cool pipe notch tool we saw at the swap meet.

scuba

Option 2

Dirt Master80

haha rob. it sucks you guys are sayin #2. that means i wasted a little tube but i figured that was the best option. option 1 would of let me fit the tubes that i already cut,that is how i came up with the deign.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

I can offer no constructive thought to this post, unfortunately, because where I work photobucket is PROHIBITED. Sorry dude!! The red "x's" are pretty sweet though!!

Dirt Master80

im still looking for some more opinions.i only want to do this once

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

i like option 2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!do 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now go do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NorCrawler

option 3 would give another option for a small roof basket. =]

+ post some pics of the whole truck with the exo plz i wanna see

4rnr

one er two. two is more text book but i did one on my exo and mine turned out great.

In fact it was awarded the "by far coolest exo cage" in the May/June 2007 issue of 4WD Toyota Owner. So I did something right.

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Option #2 is probably the best bet. I like the look of #3, but looks don't mean squat upside down.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

All your support seems to run parallel to the vehicle length instead of perpendicular. More than likely you will flop or roll as opposed to endo, but you could do that too. I would brace the top x or some variation thereof and then triangulate it some and be done with it.

algranger

I vote option 3, the classic X

If you put it on it's side it will put the pressure evenly on the opposite side of the cage. the other ones will push up on the back rail.

Edit: Oh also when you bring the X together, put the intersection just an inch higher than the side points that way if you end up upside down the X wont fold in, it will transfer pressure over to the side rails.. see what i mean?

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

^^Good point