Roll Cages... multiple threads merged

[Rmc]

Solid solid, or poly poly, the issue with solid mount cage rubber body is the flex will eventually crack the body some place if the floor is welded to the cage. I guess move in unison or stuff will flex repeatibility until cracking. The only way to eliminate it is make the cage ( solid mounted) and the body poly but leave 1/4 inch clearance around all through floor bars and sikaflex ( polyurethane construction adhesive) them to remain flexible yet seal. But then the roof hitting the cage may become an issue depending on how tight the bars are to the roof.

[BDKW1]

the issue with solid mount cage rubber body is the flex will eventually crack the body some place if the floor is welded to the cage.

If your cage is done right, flex should no longer be an issue. That being said, I'm still in favor of bushing mounted cages on pre-runners..........

[Rmc]

Not frame flex, the body moving up n down in relation to the cage and frame as one is what I'm meaning.

[DMbronco]

Tony, thanks for the offer, I will be in touch. Should be near your neck of the woods for work next week.
Reason for question is the fab shop I spoke with pushed me toward solid mounting the cage.

RMC, since I already did poly body mounts, their idea is that theyll move much less than OEM rubber and work okay with solid mount cage.

Brian, is that poly preference just due to noise/ride quality?

[Wrightracing.net]

From past mistakes that I did, I say do poly on your setup. Check out Auto Fabs poly mount outrigger setup. The reason for you to go poly is the fact you want a civilized Bronco with much of the time on road. I my case the Bronco is a toy and only goes on the street when I head over to Jack in the Box at Grover Beach from Oceano Dunes/ Pismo.

On a couple trucks I have seen with mixed mounts the cage destroyed the body and on one guys truck it crushed his fingers between the A pillar and the cage. Way to much movement. That's why we plate the cage to the body as much as possible.

For your needs Poly is the best bet and make the cage as much a part of the body as possible.

Just my opinion.
And opinions are like farts,
Some stink and some don't.

[Rmc]

I see. Well I know one thing solid solid is noisy as shit.

[tcm glx]

Tony, thanks for the offer, I will be in touch. Should be near your neck of the woods for work next week.
Reason for question is the fab shop I spoke with pushed me toward solid mounting the cage.

RMC, since I already did poly body mounts, their idea is that theyll move much less than OEM rubber and work okay with solid mount cage.

Brian, is that poly preference just due to noise/ride quality?

Let's connect. I can work from home a day or two, just need to know when you will be in town so I can pick those dates and we can meet up for lunch.

[cs_drums]

I think the best thing to do is stay away from mixing. Either go all poly or all solid.

Something that is overlooked is where and how much you are doing tie ins and tin work. I think reguardless of poly, rubber or solid mounts how you tie it in is gonna make a huge difference. A stripped Ranger with a & b pillar plates seats dash, etc, etc mouted to the cage has very little wieght of he body and you can, and people do, just ditch the body mounts entirely. The reason I think solid body mounts are more important on a bronco is you will always have a considerable amount of body sitting on those mounts. Rubber and poly is gonna allow flex. Thin metal flexing turns into thin metal cracking. The idea of solid mounting and tieing in in as many places negates alot of the flex and makes the body, frame and cage into as much of one unit as you can.

As with everything there is a balance that everyone decides they are happy with performance VS reliability VS comfort VS Cost. Different shops/builders will weigh in differently with what the prioritize.

[BDKW1]

Brian, is that poly preference just due to noise/ride quality?

Mostly, I think it also makes your body live longer as it doesn't transmit nearly as much vibration.

[DMbronco]

Thanks for the clarification guys; this site is awesome!

For my use, sounds like poly is the way to go.

Feel free to PM me with any recommendations for fab shops local to San Diego/SoCal.

[Agui-E7TE]

Solo's cage should be bad ass. I'm definitely jumping on that one early on. Their work is top notch and they're super cool dudes to deal with.

As far as poly mounting the cage.. I've ridden in Tony's Bronco and it's seriously nice not feeling any weird vibrations through the floorboards. My GMC has a hard mounted cage and the body is also welded to the cage. We left the factory rubber body mounts on it but honestly, it's just a solid mount since the body is effectively welded to the cage structure.

What results from this is that after driving for more than an hour (especially in heavy traffic) my feet feel like I've been standing on a lawnmower barefoot for a while. I used cheapo Home Depot duct insulation and installed a thin carpet as well but even with the thickness of my Red Wing boots, I can still feel the damn truck rattle all the feeling away when I drive it for more than an hour. It's fine for that truck but I'd go nuts if my Bronco was like that. I just installed some thick floor mats so maybe that will help a bit.

[Jbfab]

Well the time has come to start my cage. Since i have the four door rear seat access isnt a problem. Can i get away with an x brace in the main hoops or would it be better to run a horizontal brace with the x brace.

[ChaseTruck754]

not sure why you'd NEED a horizontal aside from a belt attachment. The X stiffens the corners from coming in on a roll. I guess if there's a bend mid way up the B or C pillar & you were wanting to reinforce this you could.

[baja-chris]

It depends on what your doing with it but I like a horizontal bar as it will help prevent the side from collapsing inward as much in a bad wreck. Just make sure the front seat is positioned before installing the tubes between the front and back seats. And as mentioned, the horizontal tube makes a nice place to attach your harnesses.

[Baja]

I am hoping you all aren't tired of this thread yet, and will offer input into this question.

Is it all or nothing with regard to solid mounting vs poly bushings mounting?

It was my understanding that if you solid mounted the cage to the frame, then youd have to solid mount the body as well.

I have been told otherwise, what are your thoughts fellas? Can solid mounting the cage and keeping the body on poly work?

For some background, I am ready to cage my '96, but it sees 80% street miles and I like the street manners.
I need the safety and structural ridigity of a cage, but afraid solid mounting the body would make the truck less civilized than I'd like.

Thanks for any input, opinions, experiences

Why not poly mount the cage?

My thoughts are once you solid mount the cage to the frame, regardless of whether you do solid or poly body mounts, you are now fixed.

I am super happy with the road noise (or lack there of) with full poly on body and cage mounts. Happy to take you for a spin when you are ready.

Hey Tony...

I know that you are poly/poly mounted, but is your cage attached to your body in multiple areas?

I think that makes the most sense in a daily driven prerunner and it should not flex much more than a solid/solid setup. I am no expert what-so-ever, but I would think by welding the cage to the body in multiple locations, you are stiffening up the body, then by poly mounting the cage and body in multiple locations, I would think would stiffen the frame up and at the same time, it would cut down on the vibrations to the sheet metal.

I would like to hear everyones thoughts on this?

[tcm glx]

Yup. My body and cage are plated in multiple places. Double plated on the a pillar, plated on the b pillar and also along the lower rear bar. Further more also plated where it comes through he floor. Then poky mounted to the frame.

Love the setup. Quiet.

[Baja]

Yup. My body and cage are plated in multiple places. Double plated on the a pillar, plated on the b pillar and also along the lower rear bar. Further more also plated where it comes through he floor. Then poky mounted to the frame.

Love the setup. Quiet.

Yup, I think thats where I am leaning. Plus, if you have an issue where the body has to come off of the frame, you just undo a butt load of bolts and you can still lift it off.

[dtbback]

Hey Tony,

Do you have any pics of your bushing mounts on your outrigger set up?

[tcm glx]

Here are a few

[dtbback]

Is it the camera angle or are the bushing arms in the same horizontal plane as your outrigger? If so what is holding up the cage? The floor plating?