Assman603 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Recently I've been debating with myself on where I wanted to go with my Comanche build. I finally decided on expedition vehicle. So I had some free time on my hands this weekend, and decided to start with a bed cage/roofbasket/lightbar. After about 150 feet of tubing, 1 spool of welding wire and 8 cans of monster I got a majority of it done. Before: Image Not Found After: Fabircation process: And so it begins... All cross sections and supports cut. Notching tubing the redneck way. Top of mounting plate. Bottom of mounting plate. Top hoop fitted and secured. Fabrication cheating... All tacked up. All tacked together and mounted. The picture up top is after all of the finish welding has been done. All I have left to do is notch and weld on the tube for the light bar and lay in the cross supports to the top of the cage. Overall it didn't come out too bad. Everything is pretty straight and clean looking, I made it so I could still fit my toolbox and the seat that goes in the bed and actually offer some form of protection to those passengers. If anybody has any ideas on how I can improve on my design/fab sills. All feedback is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdriver1 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftpiercecracker1 Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcharge Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 What are your plans for this? Mounting it to the bed, and especially to the bed rails isn't going to do much in a roll over other than take some pressure off the cab. Even with the bottom of the rail being plated I don't think that would do much in a roll over. Worst case scenario it rips out the sheet metal or twists the hell out of the bed and does nothing. I wouldn't nitpick the design so much if you weren't putting people in the back and relying on that to protect them. There's no main hoops and no triangulation at all and it in no way ties into the uniframe. You definitely have the skills to build a proper cage as far as being able to measure, cut, notch, and line up things, but as far as design goes I wouldn't expect much from this outside being used as a roof rack. What was the material? Is it actually tube? HREW? DOM? I'm also really curious to see the bed seats, they sound pretty cool. I'd be curious to see close ups of the welds as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 What are your plans for this? Mounting it to the bed, and especially to the bed rails isn't going to do much in a roll over other than take some pressure off the cab. Even with the bottom of the rail being plated I don't think that would do much in a roll over. Worst case scenario it rips out the sheet metal or twists the hell out of the bed and does nothing. I wouldn't nitpick the design so much if you weren't putting people in the back and relying on that to protect them. There's no main hoops and no triangulation at all and it in no way ties into the uniframe. You definitely have the skills to build a proper cage as far as being able to measure, cut, notch, and line up things, but as far as design goes I wouldn't expect much from this outside being used as a roof rack. What was the material? Is it actually tube? HREW? DOM? I'm also really curious to see the bed seats, they sound pretty cool. I'd be curious to see close ups of the welds as well. Before you start criticizing too much it might have been more prudent to read his original intentions and goals and wait awhile to see what happens. So I had some free time on my hands this weekend, and decided to start with a bed cage/roofbasket/lightbar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcharge Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 What are your plans for this? Mounting it to the bed, and especially to the bed rails isn't going to do much in a roll over other than take some pressure off the cab. Even with the bottom of the rail being plated I don't think that would do much in a roll over. Worst case scenario it rips out the sheet metal or twists the hell out of the bed and does nothing. I wouldn't nitpick the design so much if you weren't putting people in the back and relying on that to protect them. There's no main hoops and no triangulation at all and it in no way ties into the uniframe. You definitely have the skills to build a proper cage as far as being able to measure, cut, notch, and line up things, but as far as design goes I wouldn't expect much from this outside being used as a roof rack. What was the material? Is it actually tube? HREW? DOM? I'm also really curious to see the bed seats, they sound pretty cool. I'd be curious to see close ups of the welds as well. Before you start criticizing too much it might have been more prudent to read his original intentions and goals and wait awhile to see what happens. I did, and the sole reason I nitpicked was the bed seats. I like the looks of it, but there's people at risk and that's a lot more at risk than looks. Nevermind the fact that he asked for constructive criticizism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 I thought it was more of a work based rack.... They don't make these type for our trucks... And you could use it to have a tent on top and cargo in the bed of you go mild trail riding and camping.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbain Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 At one point in time I planned to make mine an expedition rig.... here is the bed rack I planned to plagiarize.... :D Looks awesome keep up the good work.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 I should have been more clear in my original post, The bed "cage" isn't going to be used as protection in a roll over. But as protection from the elements. I'm in the process of making a canvas cover for it. I also do not plan on putting anybody in the bed during any type of off roading scenario. It's mostly for giving my friends rides around town. But I would eventually like to brace it up and put the proper support structure in for it to provide protection in a rollover, what do you think the best way to go about doing that would be? The tubing is old water lines. 90% sure it's HREW, but it's first generation steel from the early 1900's with at least an 1/8" wall, and has held up very well for bumpers etc. even after several front end collisions with rocks and trees. The rack is mostly going to be used for holding equipment for wheeling, camping, airsoft, work, but eventually I'd like to mount an expedition tent up top. Interior update, picked up some racing seats and Simpson 5 pt restraints at the swap meet in Lebanon Valley, NY last weekend. Swapped in the center console from my 89 Cherokee parts rig, and eventually I'll swap in the tilt steering column too. Finally swapped out the idiot lights for the gauge cluster out of the Cherokee too, scavenged the coolant temp sensor, and the oil pressure sending unit, so now all of my gauges function. Did my first oil change since buying the truck this summer. Also, did a head liner and center roof console. Question: I need to make a bar that runs across the back of the seats for the shoulder restraints, what would be my best option? The seats do tilt forward, so I am able to retain storage space behind the seats for equipment/school bag, which is nice. Here's some updated pictures: For the guy who wanted to see the back seat set up. It's just the 3rd row seat from an '87 Suburban, which made it's conversion to a flatbed dually, so it had no need for the seat anymore. But the arm rests literally fit perfectly between the bed rails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 If those Simpson belts are the cam style, pull the sticker off the back and make G*DF****NGD*MN CERTAIN that cam bolt is tight. A friend of mine had a VERY BAD experience in a burning car with those belts because the cam bolt got loose and the release handle came off. My friend's alive, don't worry, but still you'll never see me with Simpson products after that... I bolted those brand new belts in to the car less than a week prior. That sticker is there telling you that bolt is tight and hasn't been tampered with. The hell it is... On a more positive note, what racing seats are those? They look like they go pretty well in there. How were they to mount up? Also, I really like the cage. I eventually want to do something similar, then stretch some canvas or something inside it. Inside means I can still use the cage to support a roofrack without compromising watertightness. And in the old days, a lot of roll cages and the like were made with old plumbing pipe, as it was often the best stuff available for it. Can't say it was all that effective, but it was better than nothing. A lot of the workbenches and tool and/or scrap metal racks in the shop I was in at school were made out of old pipe, and they were supporting a crap ton of weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 14, 2014 Author Share Posted November 14, 2014 I actually plan on doing that exact same thing with the canvas cover. I found a place I can get a roll of waterproof canvas tarping relatively cheap. And ill probably just fasten it to the inside of the cage with a bestop snap kit which can be found on ebay pretty cheap. I'm not sure what brand the seats are. I picked em up for $85 at a swap meet. I just cut some angle iron to fit as new seat rails, then fastened that to a set of comanche seat brackets. I now that you mention the whole thing abiut the cam bolt I will double check them. I also have a set of rj's harnesses that I was thinking about putting them in. I just might now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 This should probably be moved to project MJs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcharge Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Looks great and I like it for a rack and as a cover. That said, the only way to make it safe for a roll over is to add triangulation and tie it into the frame. However, being that the steel is that old I highly doubt it's HREW and probably more comparable to Sch 40 which is pipe rather than tube. They're not the same thing. Tube is structural and designed to withstand outside pressure. Pipe is non structural and designed to withstand internal pressure which is why cages are built with the former. That stuff would likely be fine in a flop but I wouldn't trust it for more than that. For a real protective cage DOM is ideal but HREW is fine in most cases and you can pick it up pretty cheap. You definitely have the necessary skills to do a proper cage if you wanted to. If you wanted to mount it the same I'd at least do this. Add tube where the red is (both sides) for triangulation and run plate on both sides (left and right, over and under) of the bed where the blue is. The added triangulation is a massive difference in strength and the plate will allow for more even distribution of force across the entire bed and it will make it far less prone to ripping out of the sheet metal. That said, I have no idea how structurally sound MJ beds are or what would happen to a cage mounted to just the bed would do to one in a rollover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 14, 2014 Author Share Posted November 14, 2014 I really appreciate all the advice! I actually just found another Comanche for sale locally, I'm going to take a look at it monday. I would really like to use this rig as just my DD and a casual wheeler. It's fairly rust free, which is rare in these parts, and it and it's in great shape. Whereas i would rather use something in less good of shape to build up as a serious trail rig. As far as the rack goes, i think I'm pretty much going to leave it as is, aside from putting a canvas cover inside it. It will act more as a utility rack/cap for the bed than a roll cage, seeing how i don't ever want to put this guy in a position where I would roll it in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcharge Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Pictures of the other one? The top bar on the front of the rack looks like it would make a great lightbar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 waaaay ahead of you. updates: Just ordered a set of 33" BFG M/T KM2's and a set of knock off bushwhacker flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddFoot Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 napier or other for the flares? nice bed rack. i made my stinger out of black steel pipe just like your bed rack and hit it on everything peoples trucks cars rock wall the ground with all the jeeps weight on it. it will hold up good off road for low speed and will hold up rear ending a truck too. just don't over do it because the pipe is heaver than tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 not sure the brand of flares, some ebay knockoff of a bushwhacker. they're made for the TJ, but i used TJ flares on my cherokee and they fit better than i could have hoped. so i'm definitely going that route. especially because $180 shipped for a set of bushwhacker look-alikes is a lot better than $500 for the real ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddFoot Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 your pics aint workin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogote Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Old water line? How much does that weigh? I am thinking of building something similar to carry a canoe, long boards, or ladders, but will buy something lighter and easier to work with. If you were eventually looking for some roll over protection from this, additional bracing won't matter. No part of a roll structure should be made from pipe, it needs to be tubing. There's a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-man930 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I dig it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 Tires came in on friday. Used my weekend to get them mounted and balanced. As well as find some mud before the snow comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorcharge Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I wish my MT/Rs had white letters. :(Tires look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 I wish my MT/Rs had white letters. :( Tires look good. Thank you, they ride even better than I thought they would. For such an aggressive tire they have very good road manners. But what really surprised me was their capability in the snow. No problem tanking through 8-9-10" of snow with part time 4WD on. I took a run up Stinson mountain after Thanksgiving dinner, beautiful views after the snowfall 2 nights ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assman603 Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 I haven't logged in since just after thanksgiving. So I figured I would give a quick update as to the progress being made with my build. I picked up a new steering box spacer and a DIY winch bumper kit from JCR off-road, as well as a set of Rugged Ridge TJ bushwhacker style flares, and so far I'm very pleased with the outcome. All ready for a face lift. New vs. old steering box spacer. The JCR spacer is much heavier duty. Uni-body tie in bracket. I actually mounted it upside down in this picture, but corrected myself before welding the bumper together. Installing the steering box spacer: Finished product: I still need to do the finish welding on the bumper, as well as paint it, and install the rear flares, and the new shoes and pads that I ordered. The Comanche is still progressing and I hope to be posting up more frequently as the weather gets warmer and I have more time to work on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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