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How to protect doors and roof without going full exo?

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
I've had a quite a dillema on my hands lately. The last few times I've taken the Bronco out wheeling I've had to turn around on some trails I'd really like to check out for fear of body damage. Sometimes wheelin in the Northwest consists of leaning from one tree to another usually resulting in smashed roofs, dented doors and ripped off mirrors and door handles.

The result is that I'm very close to selling my 1979 Trans Am to buy a Samurai that I can beat on and putting the Bronco out to pasture. This would be a tragedy, right?

so what kind of tricks are there to protect these specific areas without going with a full exo? Since its rainy most of the time here i need to be able to take the top on and off so a full exo is out. Obviously in the summer, the doors and top come off and there's not much of a problem.

I've been thinking about some kind of roof sliders but wasn't sure if the removable top could take the weight of the truck pushing sideways on it. Anyone tried this? Has anyone tied in a roof slider system to an internal cage?

The next problem is the door area. Mirrors and handles keep getting ripped off. I've been trying to think up with a way I could run a bar horizontally along the entire length of the truck at about door handle height while still allowing the doors to open. I was thinking the tube could be hinged to somehow open and close with the door but have enough strength to hold up to a tree.

any ideas? things that have already been done?

thanks,
dan
 

brian72

Early Bronco Student
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
4,157
I have always had thoughts of creating an exo that would be removable. the pieces are pinned together. You would just have to mark the pieces and how they mate together.
 

BroncoDawg

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
672
Loc.
Bishop, CA
If your smacking mirrors and your roof, while others aren't, you may have a lot of body roll in your suspension. Stiffer shocks or springs could be a solution. Slowing down in squeezes and picking good lines will also reduce body roll. Lower tire pressures will also absorb some body roll.
The horiz. bar you wrote about at bed rail height sounds butt ugly, but mounting some lightweight slider material along the edge of the roof for gentle hits could work well.
Rear quarter panel protection is a given on our fat broncos.
Good luck.
 
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DanWheeler

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
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Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
If your smacking mirrors and your roof, while others aren't, you may have a lot of body roll in your suspension. Stiffer shocks or springs could be a solution. Slowing down in squeezes and picking good lines will also reduce body roll. Lower tire pressures will also absorb some body roll.
The horiz. bar you wrote about at bed rail height sounds butt ugly, but mounting some lightweight slider material along the edge of the roof for gentle hits could work well.
Rear quarter panel protection is a given on our fat broncos.
Good luck.


you aint from around here are you? ;D

Trust me, it's not my driving or my truck. Rubbing up against trees is just a fact of life here. I would agree that better driving can help but typically you pick a good line and everything is fine until you lose traction and start sliding into a tree on a hill. it just happens.

take this picture, put it on a 45 degree slope, add rain and mud and then move the trees in about 6" on both sides. Thats PNW wheelin!

208429739_8ha2v-M.jpg


BTW - i have never hit my quarter panel. Different areas, different problems I guess.
 

bronko69er

EB Addict
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
4,599
Loc.
Renton, WA
I have contemplated various forms of exo too, but want to retain the ability to run my hard top in the winter and the soft in the summer. I like Tito's "tree huggers", but not sure if/when they will be available to the public. I think a set of those that ran full length, and a bolt on "upper exo" that bolted to the tree huggers and could be removed to get the top off might me the way to go for PNW wheeling....
 

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Devin

Bronco Kineticist
Joined
Apr 29, 2004
Messages
3,956
Why do you have to have a full exo? Why not just do a "half" exo around the lower part of your body? Then keep an inner cage that fits under your hard top.
 

bronko69er

EB Addict
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
4,599
Loc.
Renton, WA
If you look at the above picture, you'll see one of the many off camber areas that ends up putting the drip rail area of the top in danger, while the lower area is clear.
 

Tito

CB Fire Starter
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
10,781
Loc.
Bakersfield, CA
I have contemplated various forms of exo too, but want to retain the ability to run my hard top in the winter and the soft in the summer. I like Tito's "tree huggers", but not sure if/when they will be available to the public. I think a set of those that ran full length, and a bolt on "upper exo" that bolted to the tree huggers and could be removed to get the top off might me the way to go for PNW wheeling....

Its in the works! And yup a bolt on setup that mounted to them would kinda give you this look which I really like (yeah defender 90ish but it is cool). I have an extra set currently but am thinking about making my own set of rear corner guards as well, that is a super vulnerable spot on the Bronco. I plan to also go off of my rock sliders over my silverbacks to the front bumper similar to what JBfab did.
 

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bronko69er

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Renton, WA
Thats secont pic was pretty much what I was thinking, except it'd be bolt on, and the upper "halo" wouldn't be as beefy. I'd just want a single hoop that followed just above the drip rail. For lateral support I'd tie into the B piller of the internal cage with a plate and sandwich type connection right below the drip rail. If I had an 8' garage door then I'd just run supports across the top. No room right now....
 

welndmn

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 12, 2001
Messages
2,112
Deal with the damage, its a part of wheelin :)

I would suggest aginst a bolt on Exo, as the first hit you take, it will know it out of wack, and it will never bolt on and off again.
 

bronko69er

EB Addict
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Oct 16, 2006
Messages
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Renton, WA
For me, it wouldnt really take any hard hits, just those occasional times where you need to just rub on by a tree and dont want to worry about crushing the drip rail or flexing the hard top.
 
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DanWheeler

DanWheeler

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Nov 8, 2005
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Kirkland, WA
For me, it wouldnt really take any hard hits, just those occasional times where you need to just rub on by a tree and dont want to worry about crushing the drip rail or flexing the hard top.

exactly, and its not so much the dents i'm worried about its damage that causes other problems like doors that don't close properly and mirrors and door handles that don't work.

Bronco69er, that picture looks really familiar for some reason. Is that the entrance to a trail at Evan's Creek?
 

Dan76

Sr. Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
895
Yes that picture is from the beginning of 311 if im not mistaken! :p
 

bronko69er

EB Addict
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Oct 16, 2006
Messages
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Renton, WA
exactly, and its not so much the dents i'm worried about its damage that causes other problems like doors that don't close properly and mirrors and door handles that don't work.

Bronco69er, that picture looks really familiar for some reason. Is that the entrance to a trail at Evan's Creek?

Yep, It is 311 at Evans, probably 1/4 mile from the parking lot.
 

Gummi Bear

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
3,647
It's dilemma's like this that cause us to wind up with more than one rig... ;D


You can be comfortable, with a top, or you can wheel the fun trails.

Build a good cage, add some rub protection like Broncoloupy did on his (very clever idea) and if you're still cold, bundle up. Add a rock top of aluminum, to keep most of the rain out, and I plan to add a piece of neoprene or similar fabric between the windshield and the rocktop.

If you're really clever, you may be able to put some canvas or plexi on the inside of your cage to keep out some of the crud.
 
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DanWheeler

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
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Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
Why do you have to have a full exo? Why not just do a "half" exo around the lower part of your body? Then keep an inner cage that fits under your hard top.


I think this would work with the addition of some simple roof sliders. DO you have any pics of a half exo? not sure if i've ever seen one or would recognize it as a "half-exo"

thanks,
dan
 
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DanWheeler

DanWheeler

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Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
It's dilemma's like this that cause us to wind up with more than one rig... ;D


You can be comfortable, with a top, or you can wheel the fun trails.

Build a good cage, add some rub protection like Broncoloupy did on his (very clever idea) and if you're still cold, bundle up. Add a rock top of aluminum, to keep most of the rain out, and I plan to add a piece of neoprene or similar fabric between the windshield and the rocktop.

If you're really clever, you may be able to put some canvas or plexi on the inside of your cage to keep out some of the crud.


Thats classic... guys from Texas and California telling me to leave the top off and just deal with the cold and wet by putting on another jacket. :p

Here is my formal invitation to come wheeling in Western Washington in November :D

Gummi Bear, do you have any links or info on "rock tops" or the rub protection Broncoloupy did? i wasn't able to find anything via google or classicbroncos search.

thanks
dan

no top in this? no way

241743363_wco4i-S.jpg
 

Tito

CB Fire Starter
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
10,781
Loc.
Bakersfield, CA
Ah come on, you can do it! ;D ;D
It was actually a beautiful day, we got to some real snow up at the top later on. I dont mind going topless but my boys are going with me anymore and its nice to keep them somewhat warm and dry at least.
 

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DanWheeler

DanWheeler

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Whats that bluish tint in the sky in that first picture? I have not witnessed that particular phenomenon... is that the northern lights?
 

Devin

Bronco Kineticist
Joined
Apr 29, 2004
Messages
3,956
I think this would work with the addition of some simple roof sliders. DO you have any pics of a half exo? not sure if i've ever seen one or would recognize it as a "half-exo"

thanks,
dan


No, I don't have any pictures - it was just a thought that I had. The problem that I can see with a cage that only came up half-way is lateral strength.

I can even imagine having a full exo cage that would still allow removal of the hard top (albeit it would be a PITA to remove). Just build in more clearance up top to allow the top to lift off and slide back (like I said, it would probably be a major pain to get it out, but you might be able to design something in there to help it "roll" out or something).
 
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