CJ7 cage?

[mudnut]

I posted this on one of the other boards that I belong to but want to get a range of ideas/advice/input...

I'm strongly considering a cage for the CJ, I love the look of the sport bar but am concerned about the lack of coverage for the back seat along with the really open feel over head especially when hitting the trails.

The way I see it I have a few options, just looking for input on the best one along with other ideas. I can guestimate the cost of a couple of these options, mainly the off the shelf solutions but have no idea what a custom job would cost... ideas there would be cool too.

1) Buy a YJ cage, have a fab guy tie it together with more tubing making it a true cage. Thinking that I would be able to have shoulder belts in the back this way, a little more protection for my daughter.

2) Keep the CJ sport bar, have more bars added to form a cage.

3) Scrap the factory bar and have a new cage built from scratch.

4) pick up a bolt together solution from someplace like Rock Hard 4X4 Parts and either add it to my current bar or pull a YJ bar and build it up that way. Not sure if anybody has any experience with these. I have been looking at their front bumper too, looks pretty stout although I like the open tube design better and they don't do one if those.

No matter which route I go I want to retain the option of a soft and hard top. I will eventually want harnesses and I want grab handles, padding is not a large concern but safety is.

[CJ8Ted]

You can never be to safe, with that being said you have to build for what your planing on using the Jeep for (axles, lift, or even a cage) unless you have an unlimited budget. I don't do High Black/Red trails and I don't do hard stuff with the kids in the back. But I wanted more protection for them so I got a CJ5 roll bar and cut/fit it backward and welded it onto my bar. They have more protection than I do and that is fine with me. No it is not a full cage or even a trail cage but I can use my hard top or my bikini top with ease and it only cost me time and a few welding rods.

Ted   

[hillbilly]

got a kinda rough looking cj roll bar for a project ill never get too. take a look sometime see if its what your looking for or can adapt ill send a pic here shortly.  need a email addrs

[Rick_Bear]

Call Hoak's 4x4 in Wrightsville, PA. 717-252-3602

Although it has been some six years since I brought mine, I really can't see the cost has gone too crazy expensive.
I bought a front hoop that came with two spreader bars and purchased two additional spreader bars. It cost some $150.00
It's bolted to the floor inside and out with 1/4" plates, not tied to the frame and welded together. You'll need to add additional cost and labor to tie it to the frame rails.

After I rolled my CJ5 without one. I purchased this. Yes, I was running a "high-black", border line "red" trail at the time but was amazed at how it survived without a cage.
No, it doesn't have the "full" bars to the back of the tub. It's a front hoop with four spreader bars to the existing roll bar.

You and all passengers that would be in the back are protected in any un-foreseen roll-over.

I went with this option with my CJ5 because 80% of the vehicles weight is in the front (with rear passengers) to center with the motor holding the majority along with a winch. In a roll-over the back of the vehicle is highly unlikely to ever hit ground. The heavy front (and gravity) will keep it towards the cage which clears an adult passenger of six feet sitting and belted in. The only possible "slight" exception would be an end-over, and I've witnessed footage that if carrying a "full-size" spare on the back offers the clearance of impact in the vehicles favor protecting any passengers from head injury. Scrap everything I said if you plan to drive extreme trails within a competition atmosphere.

Everyone has their personal choice and I am not looking to influence you in any un-safe direction. Just offering an opinion based on research and experience.
Good Luck...