TJ Cage

[Tumbleweed13]

I'm currently trying to figure out what cage kit I want to get. I like the Rock Hard bolt in cage, for its ease, to install. My main concern is how well it works if I do go over. Has anyone had the unfortunate oppuritunity to find out its durability?

My other option is a weld-in kit. I've been looking at the Genright and Poison Spyder kits. Are there any other high quality weld-in kits out there? What are your experiences with these kits, install, practicality, do they work well with the soft top, durability in a roll over? Any info would be helpful. Thnx.

[jimmyrig]

I have seen The Rock-Hard cage do its job. Will there be much left, not really. But if you walk away then its money well spent.
A cage only needs to work 1 time..
Any cage should be considered a replaceable item. Once you have been in a hard roll you should consider having it re-built or get a new one.
The weld in cage kits are great products produced by two very reputable manufacturers. You cant go wrong with either one.
**** My disclaimer a cage isn't the time to be testing out your new welder or having your buddy test out their skills either. Have it done by a professional or a proven garage fabricator. Words I hate to hear " oh it's not pretty but it is strong"

[freewaydan]

http://truckworld.tenmagazines.com/e...y.asp?aid=3761

http://jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43856

http://www.wranglerforum.com/f5/roll-cage-74749.html

http://www.stu-offroad.com/guards/sportbar/roll-4.htm

[4xfiend]

I think the biggest problem with the Rock-Hard cage is the fact that it uses the factory windshield spreaders, which are not strong at all. In the first link that Dan posted you can see how they bent during the roll.

[freewaydan]

I have a bolt in cage from rock hard in my YJ, in the kit they send
it replaced the front OE windshield spreaders with their stuff. Ill have to take some pics and post them. The only thing I don't like is they dont make a tie in to the frame rails from the dash for the YJ. I hope I NEVER have to find out how it works, or does not work

[platnumb4x]

I'm sure someone on this site (like Jimmy) could tie it into the frame for you.

[Lawrence]

I have the Rock Hard cage and I think it is a good way to go for those of us who do not have sufficient welding skills. Just as with any mod, you have adjust a few things. You have to trim the windshield plastic covers and in my case I also had to trim the door surrounds to fit around the clamps. It does not interfere with the softop functionality, it just gets the bows a little hung up when taking the top down, no big deal really. The factory front spreaders do look a little flimsy but Poison Spyder makes replacement ones if you want to upgrade.

[dadasjp]

Have you looked at the new Smitty Bilt cage? Anyone here looked at or have this? I was thinking it might be another way to go with a bolt-in.

[Materdaddy]

I have the GenRight cage: http://jeep.matandtiff.com/projects/cage/

They've changed it a little bit since I bought mine. I like mine better, I like the triangulation over the front passengers rather than a place to mount crap.

I hope I never use it, and I paid an experienced welder/fabricator to install my cage for the exact reasons Jimmy pointed out. IF I ever have to use it, this project was not the one I wanted to experiment w/ a buddy's welder on.

I also bought the weld-in because I was less afraid of a flop/roll off-road. I've seen a couple, stock cages and bolt-ins usually save the Jeep, people, etc. I'm actually much more concerned about an on-road (i.e. en route to trail at 65mph) roll where the Jeep goes over a half dozen times. That's where I wouldn't want to trust the lives of my family to a stock "sport bar" or bolt-in add-on to the "sport bar".

Funny thing is, now that I have kids, my Jeep sits in the damn garage all the time...

[Gary]

Last year I stopped in a place in San Bernardino, can't remember the name of the shop right now but they build cages for a lot of side by sides. It's in the shopping center where Tom's farms use to be along the east side of the 215, just north of the 10.
The reason I stopped in was they had a nice looking Jeep sitting outside that they just finished building a cage for. They told me they could build the same cage for my jeep, powder coated, installed for $750.00.
Of course this was after I had purchased, painted, and installed my rock hard cage. The Rock Hard cage cost me approx $650.00 :bonk:

Not sure if they've survived this economy but they did some really nice work at this place. The rock hard cage is nice and pretty easy to install but next time I'll probably have one built.

[Materdaddy]

Last year I stopped in a place in San Bernardino, can't remember the name of the shop right now but they build cages for a lot of side by sides. It's in the shopping center where Tom's farms use to be along the east side of the 215, just north of the 10.
The reason I stopped in was they had a nice looking Jeep sitting outside that they just finished building a cage for. They told me they could build the same cage for my jeep, powder coated, installed for $750.00.
Of course this was after I had purchased, painted, and installed my rock hard cage. The Rock Hard cage cost me approx $650.00 :bonk:

Not sure if they've survived this economy but they did some really nice work at this place. The rock hard cage is nice and pretty easy to install but next time I'll probably have one built.

Damn that's cheap if it's well designed and well built!

[neilbyrd]

Sounds almost to good to be true. I just designed and built my own. 1 3/4 inch dom cost me about 500 in material.

[Gary]

That was a quote from last year maybe even a year and a half ago? I'm not positive but I think the name of the place was Evolution something? I'm looking for their card. Will let you know if I find it.

[Gary]

I couldn't find their card but I think this their website.


http://evoloffroad.com/

[Dirt]

I just welded in a Poison Spyder cage in my TJ. Went pretty easy, slight modifications to the tubing to make them fit tighter for better looking welds. I MIG welded it, I simply don't have the patience to TIG a whole cage together.

I priced out the tubing to make my own (knock off of the PS cage) and it would have cost me around $700 for the tubing alone, not to mention my time bending it, cut and cope the ends, and cutting the plates. Just made more sence to buy one already done.

Poison Spyders web site said it would take 2 guys around 8 hrs to weld in the cage, took me and a buddy about 6 to fully weld it.

It's worth it (to me) to get a weld in cage, and if you can't weld, pay someone to do it. I was very suprised at how light the stock sport bar is. I can pick it up and cary it around with 1 arm. Any of the bolt in cages still use the stock sport bar (not roll bar or cage, Jeep calls it a sport bar.)

With that being said, anyone want to buy a forest green stock sports bar?