Cage choices and Ranger interior

[phyler]

About to bite the bullet and order the back-half of a family cage from Extreme Custom Fab. Can't decide between the 30 degree and 12 degree. I have a hard top so both would work. Any opinions out there on the angle of the back hoop?

30 Degree: http://extremecustomparts.com/i-593640- ... pping.html

12 Degree: http://extremecustomparts.com/i-593652- ... pping.html

Also, my 75 is a Ranger. It has the original Ranger interior panels on it but the PO put 6x9's (that still work) in the panel right behind the main hoop of the roll bar. Since the current bar is just the bolt together Smittybuilt type, you just remove the roll bar and then you can get the panels out. Since I know that the cage should be welded versus making the spreader bars bolt in similar to the Smittybuilt, that will prevent me from removing the panels, the speakers and ultimately the hard top. Has anyone come up with a good solution to this? The interior panels are bolted down with the hard top and you have to "flip" them up to access the hard top bolts.

Glad it is warming up and a few trips are scheduled for the summer. The winter has been good and the Bronco fund is a bit more flush so I can get a few projects done.

Thanks!

[Justin]

I'd do the 12 degree. Every bend is a weak point in any given cage. It probably isn't a huge difference. The shallower bend also keeps the bars farther from the heads of your rear seat occupants. After that I don't see any difference other than aesthetics.

[Gunnibronco]

If you want to be able to remove your top without pulling the side panels, install grip-serts into the bed sides. You don't need the big tool to install them. They are for sale at Ace Hardware type stores, the bins with the grip-serts will include a cheaper set up to do the installations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWAStq241ug

I just swapped out a Smittybuilt cage for a new one more like the 12* model and like it. It was a full cage kit from Battlement Fab in GJ. The cage doesn't block the rear side window view at all.

[phyler]

Cool, I was leaning towards the 12 degree mainly cause it was just more out of the way.

Gunni, issue with the Ranger panels is they cover the top of the bolts/screws so I don't see how the Grip-serts would help. I'll try to grab a pic.


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[Gunnibronco]

Gunni, issue with the Ranger panels is they cover the top of the bolts/screws so I don't see how the Grip-serts would help. I'll try to grab a pic.

Yeah, maybe I haven't seen a Ranger panel. They are on the hardtop?

[phyler]

Here is a pic of panel with the speaker. There are screws on the bottom edge near the carpet that hold it down. You pull the roll bar then remove the screws. Then the entire panel flips up to reveal the hard top bolts. The entire panel is bolted down with the hard top.

Hope that helps with the brain storming. :)



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[Entourage]

I would go with the 12 degree to get a little more headroom and shade for the people in the back seat.

[Digger]

The 12° would be better for head space. If it were me, I would add some longitudinal triangulation. One hard roll and that cage will parallelogram. Lateral triangulation is important too, but harder to pull off with a family cage. Keep in mind that the average street rollover produces 3-4G's of force on roof edges above the doors. It's not to hard to fold a cage with that much force.

Off-road, forces are typically lower, but endo-ing over the nose will put a lot of longitudinal force on the forward edge of the roof.

[phyler]

Thanks, I figure this is one step better than the Smitty type bar I have in there now and will give me places to mount 3-point seat belts. I'm ordering the 12 today or tomorrow.

I was thinking of taking the existing "legs" of the Smitty bar and welding them to the main and rear hoops. That should stiffen it up a bit but doesn't account for all directions.

I also figure at some point I'll do the tie into the frame as well but one step at a time right now with the money I have available.

Not going extreme on the 4-wheeling so not really worried there. Just trying to do what I can with what I have to make it better on the street.

I'm hoping I can figure out a way to make the hard top bolts accessible with the Ranger panels in place so I can continue the long slow process of fixing various things without worrying about a more permanent object like the cage.