Roll Bar/Cage Options

[Airmapper]

I need to think about my 70 Bronco's safety a bit more. I'm hoping (or at least having a bad case of wishful thinking) that it will be drivable this summer. I'm looking for some input on what is out there that might suit my needs and situation best.

I currently have a basic 4 point roll bar that was in it when I bought it. Each corner is held by one bolt to the rotted floor pan. So, it's just holding my Bikini top up.

What I would like is a family cage. While I'm not even sure if I'll keep the rear seat, I may use it one day. I'd also like to have a roof rack, so a full family cage gives me more options.

I do not have a welder at home. So my fabrication ability is very limited. An option I am keeping in mind is buying a welder and a weld it yourself kit, not sure if I will get a welder soon or not, but it's a need for this and any other fab project to come.

I looked at BC Bronco's roll bar. My favorite features are the utilization of the body mount locations, and the bars running over the frame rails, pretty much trapping it from punching through the floor pans without needing to weld mounts to the frame.

But, I think the BC bar is ugly. The design grew on me and while it isn't my favorite aesthetically, I definitely like it's ability to be a "bolt on" option. The problem with it is, I'm going to be running a gear banger shifter, which will interfere with the A pillar, a feature I'm not that crazy about regardless, but looks somewhat necessary for better support. So it's not a 100% solution.

I also have a concern about not crossing up my seat mounting and seat belt mounting to different structures. I was hoping I would not have to buy all new seats and such as well, but I do need at minimum shoulder belts. I need to be careful not to set myself up to be ripped in half.

Thanks for any ideas, maybe you guys can suggest how to combine some of my ideas into something that I can actually use.

 

[lowbush]

I need to think about my 70 Bronco's safety a bit more. I'm hoping (or at least having a bad case of wishful thinking) that it will be drivable this summer. I'm looking for some input on what is out there that might suit my needs and situation best.

I currently have a basic 4 point roll bar that was in it when I bought it. Each corner is held by one bolt to the rotted floor pan. So, it's just holding my Bikini top up.

What I would like is a family cage. While I'm not even sure if I'll keep the rear seat, I may use it one day. I'd also like to have a roof rack, so a full family cage gives me more options.

I do not have a welder at home. So my fabrication ability is very limited. An option I am keeping in mind is buying a welder and a weld it yourself kit, not sure if I will get a welder soon or not, but it's a need for this and any other fab project to come.

I looked at BC Bronco's roll bar. My favorite features are the utilization of the body mount locations, and the bars running over the frame rails, pretty much trapping it from punching through the floor pans without needing to weld mounts to the frame.

But, I think the BC bar is ugly. The design grew on me and while it isn't my favorite aesthetically, I definitely like it's ability to be a "bolt on" option. The problem with it is, I'm going to be running a gear banger shifter, which will interfere with the A pillar, a feature I'm not that crazy about regardless, but looks somewhat necessary for better support. So it's not a 100% solution.

I also have a concern about not crossing up my seat mounting and seat belt mounting to different structures. I was hoping I would not have to buy all new seats and such as well, but I do need at minimum shoulder belts. I need to be careful not to set myself up to be ripped in half.

Thanks for any ideas, maybe you guys can suggest how to combine some of my ideas into something that I can actually use.

The seat belt mounts are the easiest to deal with, just move everything to the cage, seats and belts get mounted to the cage, no exceptions. Whether you run harnesses or traditional belts is up to you, but all the bungs for bolting them on need to be tabs on the cage. Same with the seat mounts, thats all pretty simple and standard.


As for getting a welder and doing it yourself, cages are the one project I personally recommend that you not learn welding on, build a bumper or something first. The only exception to that is if you hire a licensed welder to come and double check all your work.


As for this kits a lot of people like the extreme kit, I personally like the Bailie Bilt cages due to the double B pillar and the floor bars, problem is he only sells them as a complete cage. So you can't get it in kit form. All of the cages offered for the Bronco market have seen some form of damage or another to my knowledge and all have held up, if you go with one that does not have floor bars you will have to tie it to the frame to ensure that it is safe.

 

[Mountain Ram]

I was looking at the bailie built cages and saw they were made from HREW. I have always heard DOM is required for a cage and chromoly if you can afford it.

 

[okorangebrnco]

I have the Bailie Bilt Family Custom in my Bronco. Granted I live 10 miles from Gordon, I would still buy one and pay freight if I lived in Alaska. Simply put, his cages are extremely basic and simple that provide protection in all the key places. Before you rule out Gordon, I would highly recommend calling him because the R&D that goes in to his products is well worth the phone call and he will shoot you straight.

 

[lowbush]

I was looking at the bailie built cages and saw they were made from HREW. I have always heard DOM is required for a cage and chromoly if you can afford it.

HREW is acceptable so long as the wall thickness is correct. DOM is better, there are arguments for and against chromoly the for is that you can use a thinner wall so you can put less metal in the truck so for race applications it works, but chromoly can be brittle which means it can actually stress crack and it has to be stress relived by annealing it. For everyday application chromoly is just not the right choice. People like it because it is in "race" cars but that does not mean it is superior for street applications. Personally I think DOM is the best choice, but a thicker wall HREW is as strong as a thinner wall DOM so it's all tradeoffs in the end. I would not think twice about running the bailie built cage and would not worry about safety if I was, it's a well built cage and will hold up. Would it be better if it where made out of DOM absolutely and I am sure if you where interested and where willing to pay the premium you could probably get them to make you one with DOM. When I get to building mine I plan to use DOM as well and it's a good choice, I hope to convince Bax to let me give him some money to help me build one of those fancy cages he has been building lately.

 

[Airmapper]

The seat belt mounts are the easiest to deal with, just move everything to the cage, seats and belts get mounted to the cage, no exceptions. Whether you run harnesses or traditional belts is up to you, but all the bungs for bolting them on need to be tabs on the cage. Same with the seat mounts, thats all pretty simple and standard.

I would need to raise the seats to do that correct? The bar would have to go under the seats to mount to. But I could be mistaken. I'm pretty tall, 6'4", and my seats are low as they get now, I fit, but I wouldn't say I have room to spare, especially when it comes to seeing out the windshield.

The only exception to that is if you hire a licensed welder to come and double check all your work.

Of course, I agree. I didn't mention it here but my Dad is that welder. I'd either get him to do the welds or have him making sure I was doing it right. I've been wanting him to teach me a long time, just have to get set up. He welds small stuff for me a lot, but he does it at work and a cage might be hard to pass off as a "government job."

Really though, since I'd like to do this quick, buying shop equipment and starting to fab may not be the best plan. I want to learn to fab, but like you say a cage isn't exactly a good first project.

As for this kits a lot of people like the extreme kit, I personally like the Bailie Bilt cages due to the double B pillar and the floor bars, problem is he only sells them as a complete cage. So you can't get it in kit form. All of the cages offered for the Bronco market have seen some form of damage or another to my knowledge and all have held up, if you go with one that does not have floor bars you will have to tie it to the frame to ensure that it is safe.

I looked at Gordon's cages, it looks good but I'm still in sticker shock. I'm sure its a fine product, but I'll have to let these prices soak in. Then again I'll be in that much and more if I buy a welder, and a lot more work to get it done.

The only thing I'm not liking about most cages is they seem to depend on the floor pans. I'm not feeling like that is secure, and if I go that route I need frame mounts, which again means a welder so I'm still not quite prepared to get one and install it in a short time frame.

 

[lowbush]

Iwhich again means a welder so I'm still not quite prepared to get one and install it in a short time frame.

Not necessarily, many of them, I think extreem is one of them sell the frame tie-ins and they do need to be welded to the frame but there are a lot of good mobile welders you may want to check Craigslist to see if their are any in your area, for $200 bucks you could have one come out and put them on. Or if your father is a welder you could probably rent an welder at one of the tool rental places for $50-$75 bucks for a half day and buzz them on.

 

[skerrybronco]

I need to think about my 70 Bronco's safety a bit more. I'm hoping (or at least having a bad case of wishful thinking) that it will be drivable this summer. I'm looking for some input on what is out there that might suit my needs and situation best.

I currently have a basic 4 point roll bar that was in it when I bought it. Each corner is held by one bolt to the rotted floor pan. So, it's just holding my Bikini top up.

What I would like is a family cage. While I'm not even sure if I'll keep the rear seat, I may use it one day. I'd also like to have a roof rack, so a full family cage gives me more options.

I do not have a welder at home. So my fabrication ability is very limited. An option I am keeping in mind is buying a welder and a weld it yourself kit, not sure if I will get a welder soon or not, but it's a need for this and any other fab project to come.

I looked at BC Bronco's roll bar. My favorite features are the utilization of the body mount locations, and the bars running over the frame rails, pretty much trapping it from punching through the floor pans without needing to weld mounts to the frame.

But, I think the BC bar is ugly. The design grew on me and while it isn't my favorite aesthetically, I definitely like it's ability to be a "bolt on" option. The problem with it is, I'm going to be running a gear banger shifter, which will interfere with the A pillar, a feature I'm not that crazy about regardless, but looks somewhat necessary for better support. So it's not a 100% solution.

I also have a concern about not crossing up my seat mounting and seat belt mounting to different structures. I was hoping I would not have to buy all new seats and such as well, but I do need at minimum shoulder belts. I need to be careful not to set myself up to be ripped in half.

Thanks for any ideas, maybe you guys can suggest how to combine some of my ideas into something that I can actually use.

Came across this the other day, they have some nice cages
built on a jig and taken apart for shipping and you can weld it yourself or have it welded
http://www.broncobob.com

 

[apiper]

Cage

I am extremely pleased with my bailiebilt cage. Would buy another one without hesitation. Great yet simple engineering from a very knowledgeable and capable guy. Man I should be getting paid for this endorsement!

 

[Airmapper]

I've been putting some thought into it, and as far as the design goes, I do think I'm liking Bailie's best because of the double B loop actually crossing the floor over the frame rails.

My biggest concerns now are headroom (I'm 6'4") and seat mounting.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[lowbush]

I've been putting some thought into it, and as far as the design goes, I do think I'm liking Bailie's best because of the double B loop actually crossing the floor over the frame rails.

My biggest concerns now are headroom (I'm 6'4") and seat mounting.

Thanks for all the input.

My personal opinion is that it is the best cage on the market. I talked to Gordon once about buying one of his cages 5 minutes on the phone with him and you can tell he has put a lot of research into the safety of that cage, but my project has dragged on and I have not gotten around to that part of it yet. If I buy a cage it will be his cage for exactly the same reasons, double B pillar and floor bars.

 

[Yeller]

I'm a fan of cage mounted seats and belts but if the floors are questionable I'd be quite satisfied with a peice of flat bar under the floor bolted to the floor and tabbed to the cage, with anouther peice accross the front bolted in a few places to the floor. Gordon will add tabs for that if you can tell him where to put it. Also if your not running the auxilary fuel tank you could also lower the seats in the floor. That's what I did, my seats sit 5" lower than stock, I'm 5'11" and look like I'm 12 driving it but I like it. Got a friend that keeps threating to put a "Lady of Gudalupe" sticker on the tail gate

 

[Yeller]

forgot to mention, I've wrecked and rolled a lot of HREW tubing and I know the thought and consideration Gordon gives to his work, I'd have no issues running his cage. Almost did his cage in my truck but I wanted something a little different.