It might just get detoured through Fayetteville and not make it to the coast.....lol.
CK5
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A '69 Build... "Brought to you by Don Juan Productions" Full index added to page #1
It might just get detoured through Fayetteville and not make it to the coast.....lol.
Nice Dave.. 
You have an awesome rig that you can actually drive though. Trust me, weekend after weekend gets old. I think you were the smart one on the 1st gen crusade..
You have an awesome rig that you can actually drive though. Trust me, weekend after weekend gets old. I think you were the smart one on the 1st gen crusade..
Nice Dave..
You have an awesome rig that you can actually drive though. Trust me, weekend after weekend gets old. I think you were the smart one on the 1st gen crusade..
Smart crusade you say....I see you have not browsed the first 229 posts of my thread
But thanks, I am sure the peace will be short lived. There are parts gathering in the corner currently.
Dude, cage looks great! Can't wait until I can get to work on mine. I like the design so far very much. Nice and clean
A Sunday night update. 
I think that I have almost every tube that will go up top, mocked up now. That was a lot of grinding, let me tell ya.
Spent some time on the boat sites and PMing Ryoken about some lights. I want to get everything figured out so I can get all of my holes and stuff to run all of the wires for the speakers, flood lights, interior lights, courtesy lights and CB antenna.
In the pics you'll see some mocked up cardboard with a white box on them. Those are to help me mark out the lights and figure out what kind I'm goning to use.
Here are a couple that I have in mind so far, but if you guys know of any that are better for this, I'm all ears.
Here is for the very back on the top side of the cage shining light down on the tailgate and back. I really want to have some kind of good light back there for night cooking or whatever.
http://www.yachtlights.com/item--Hella-LED-Sea-Hawk-Deck-Floodlight--980670311
Some for the courtesy lights for night driving on the trail. I think that it be nice having a small light on to see stuff at night inside the cab. These would go just back from the b-pillar next to some other white leds. They're marked with a small oval.
http://www.yachtlights.com/item--LED-Courtesy-Lamps-Oblong--8537
Not sure about the lights next to them though. Maybe some kind of flush mount led would work great in those two places. I'd also probably use this same light on the interior back of cage.
Here are the pics so far. Everything is still kinda sitting there. No tacks, so I might need to work on a couple of the ends still.
I think that I have almost every tube that will go up top, mocked up now. That was a lot of grinding, let me tell ya.
Spent some time on the boat sites and PMing Ryoken about some lights. I want to get everything figured out so I can get all of my holes and stuff to run all of the wires for the speakers, flood lights, interior lights, courtesy lights and CB antenna.
In the pics you'll see some mocked up cardboard with a white box on them. Those are to help me mark out the lights and figure out what kind I'm goning to use.
Here are a couple that I have in mind so far, but if you guys know of any that are better for this, I'm all ears.
Here is for the very back on the top side of the cage shining light down on the tailgate and back. I really want to have some kind of good light back there for night cooking or whatever.
http://www.yachtlights.com/item--Hella-LED-Sea-Hawk-Deck-Floodlight--980670311
Some for the courtesy lights for night driving on the trail. I think that it be nice having a small light on to see stuff at night inside the cab. These would go just back from the b-pillar next to some other white leds. They're marked with a small oval.
http://www.yachtlights.com/item--LED-Courtesy-Lamps-Oblong--8537
Not sure about the lights next to them though. Maybe some kind of flush mount led would work great in those two places. I'd also probably use this same light on the interior back of cage.
Here are the pics so far. Everything is still kinda sitting there. No tacks, so I might need to work on a couple of the ends still.
Dude that looks freakin sweet. Normally I'm not too big of a fan of all the triangulation that makes a cage really strong...but that looks GREAT. I may steal that entire design when I do mine
Yeah, I hear ya. At first I didn't want the side bracing over the windows, but did it anyways, then the top, I just kept on going, I don't know?
You guys think that it's to much? If yes, what bars would you take out?
Mike,
Hard to say from the angles you have to photograph from, but maybe there's a way to simplify that rear seat overhead area with a simple "X" configuration instead?
Looks like you have built more of an "H" shape down the middle which really doesn't do anything for rollover strength. If you tied diagonally from those cage nodes at the B-pillar to the C-pillar you'd have a much stronger structure and would resist the "racking" of the cage if it ever went over hard to one side.
It's nice to create those little "pockets" in the cage to hold speakers or interior lights, but they really don't have to be built out of 1.75" DOM.... you could do those items out of 1" tube (assuming you had the bender die) or maybe just with some simple mounting tabs. It's a lot of extra weight and may not be buying you much in terms of ultimate strength.
Hard to say from the angles you have to photograph from, but maybe there's a way to simplify that rear seat overhead area with a simple "X" configuration instead?
Looks like you have built more of an "H" shape down the middle which really doesn't do anything for rollover strength. If you tied diagonally from those cage nodes at the B-pillar to the C-pillar you'd have a much stronger structure and would resist the "racking" of the cage if it ever went over hard to one side.
It's nice to create those little "pockets" in the cage to hold speakers or interior lights, but they really don't have to be built out of 1.75" DOM.... you could do those items out of 1" tube (assuming you had the bender die) or maybe just with some simple mounting tabs. It's a lot of extra weight and may not be buying you much in terms of ultimate strength.
Trying to get photos with the cage so close to the rafters is pretty tough, that's why I tried to take so many from different directions.
As far as the "H" design, I kinda made it like that on purpose. With the hard top on, it gets really tight back there with the seat and head room. I thought about it and came up with this reasoning, 99% of the time we go out, it's 2-3 guys per rig. The best seat in the truck is generally dead center sitting in the back. So I wanted as much head room at that seat. I figured with the plate tie in's (light areas) it would greatly improve rack. Maybe not as much as I'm thinking though?
Although, now that I have drawn it in paint (sorry not very good), there isn't much there.
One question, if I did make a giant "X" in the middle, how would you get the first bar in? With the coping on both ends, I just don't see how it could get in there with one piece. It looks like in Rob's cage thread, he cut one end short, did he, or how did he fill it in?
As far as the "H" design, I kinda made it like that on purpose. With the hard top on, it gets really tight back there with the seat and head room. I thought about it and came up with this reasoning, 99% of the time we go out, it's 2-3 guys per rig. The best seat in the truck is generally dead center sitting in the back. So I wanted as much head room at that seat. I figured with the plate tie in's (light areas) it would greatly improve rack. Maybe not as much as I'm thinking though?
Although, now that I have drawn it in paint (sorry not very good), there isn't much there.
One question, if I did make a giant "X" in the middle, how would you get the first bar in? With the coping on both ends, I just don't see how it could get in there with one piece. It looks like in Rob's cage thread, he cut one end short, did he, or how did he fill it in?
It's hard to give you specific advice on some of this because a lot of it depends on the tradeoffs you are willing to make for the way you want to use the truck.
However, it seems like if you built a larger "X" and did the small bends at each corner like you already have done, it will maximize your headroom as much as possible. A "centered" rear passenger would actually have good headroom since he'd probably be sitting between the bars, but the two front passengers would have a bar traveling diagonally right over the tops of their heads!
The main thing I like to do when studying cages is to imagine they were little scale models made out of thin wire and consider how they would behave if I were to press against any of the cage nodes with my finger.... Does the node apply that force into 2 or 3 other bars and distribute the loads into the rest of the cage evenly, or is the cage just going to flex and deform due to a lack of other anchor points?
Don't get me wrong, it's REALLY easy to get obsessed with the design and build a total "cage farm" of tubing that gets so complicated and tangled that you'd never be able to move around the interior of your truck! I think the best thing to do is look for the longest unsupported runs of tubing in the cage and try to find a way to put nodes somewhere along that length to make each unsupported segment shorter.
As for installing an X-brace and getting it to fit, I think having a small bend at each of the ends will help a LOT with fitment, since you're sort of dropping them down onto the top of the cage instead of trying to wedge them into a spot where the fishmouth will prevent it from falling into place. You could always use one of those removable cage bar couplers (maybe) to help get a tight-fitting bar into place. In reality, I think guys sometimes just nip off one side of the fishmouth and let the bar drop into place, then plate over the gap as best they can to add the strength back.
However, it seems like if you built a larger "X" and did the small bends at each corner like you already have done, it will maximize your headroom as much as possible. A "centered" rear passenger would actually have good headroom since he'd probably be sitting between the bars, but the two front passengers would have a bar traveling diagonally right over the tops of their heads!
The main thing I like to do when studying cages is to imagine they were little scale models made out of thin wire and consider how they would behave if I were to press against any of the cage nodes with my finger.... Does the node apply that force into 2 or 3 other bars and distribute the loads into the rest of the cage evenly, or is the cage just going to flex and deform due to a lack of other anchor points?
Don't get me wrong, it's REALLY easy to get obsessed with the design and build a total "cage farm" of tubing that gets so complicated and tangled that you'd never be able to move around the interior of your truck!
I think the best thing to do is look for the longest unsupported runs of tubing in the cage and try to find a way to put nodes somewhere along that length to make each unsupported segment shorter.As for installing an X-brace and getting it to fit, I think having a small bend at each of the ends will help a LOT with fitment, since you're sort of dropping them down onto the top of the cage instead of trying to wedge them into a spot where the fishmouth will prevent it from falling into place. You could always use one of those removable cage bar couplers (maybe) to help get a tight-fitting bar into place. In reality, I think guys sometimes just nip off one side of the fishmouth and let the bar drop into place, then plate over the gap as best they can to add the strength back.
Honestly...You need to just start a whole new cage from scratch. Leave that POS in the front yard and I can pick it up in January for you, no charge.
as to the fitting an "X" in an already enclosed section... at that point, you'd be best to just cut the long one, and use a slug and roset welds... i've done it, works fine, just use the roset holes to slide the slug over into place...
i would ditch the front bar, and do this X if the outer bars line up, and the front tube isn't burned in yet... but i'm sure it would still be strong as snot, as is....
i would ditch the front bar, and do this X if the outer bars line up, and the front tube isn't burned in yet... but i'm sure it would still be strong as snot, as is....
That's the same thing that I had envisioned yesterday Paul. I went home and took it all a part last night. Nothing was welded so it took two minutes. Slid a two foot slug into each end and crossed them close to the center to get a feel. If I do go this way, the extended slug will make it really easy to make my copes in the corners the way they need to be.
The center position for the rear passenger should work out ok. Not nearly as much room as the first design, but I think it should be ok. I want to jump in there a couple more times after work this week and sit in the back to see if I really like it. I don't want that back passengers noggin to be encased in tube either. We'll see.
Greg, as far as the longest tube and pushing down on it as if it were a model. Well, that tube would be the outer between the B and C. Sure, the best route would be to build an "A" like rob did on his over the back windows, but that sure isn't the look that I like or want. Those long side tubes are going to need to stay with the support holding up the back of the B and the inside apex of the C.
The center position for the rear passenger should work out ok. Not nearly as much room as the first design, but I think it should be ok. I want to jump in there a couple more times after work this week and sit in the back to see if I really like it. I don't want that back passengers noggin to be encased in tube either. We'll see.
Greg, as far as the longest tube and pushing down on it as if it were a model. Well, that tube would be the outer between the B and C. Sure, the best route would be to build an "A" like rob did on his over the back windows, but that sure isn't the look that I like or want. Those long side tubes are going to need to stay with the support holding up the back of the B and the inside apex of the C.
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
Also, just so you have more options in creating your triangles, a "V" triangulates just as well as an "X" in bracing nodes. That might help (or not) your ability to maximize headroom.
I used mine to keep an open area above both rear passenger heads.
-Brian
I used mine to keep an open area above both rear passenger heads.
-Brian
Well I used a couple of the "V's" over the drivers and passengers seat. I really liked the look of it being open but I needed the two front bars coming off of the top of the A for two reasons.
The first being that I really want to run a bikini/Bimini top for most of the summer. Without the front bar, the top would just come strait into the windshield area and wouldn't plane in with the rest of the cage. The other reason is to get power up to the CB and a 12voltguy panel. With the front bar placed where it is, it's almost a strait run down the "A" pillar tube for wiring.
Couple of pics. Again, if you see something that could/should be changed or just a better way, by all means post up. This has been a real head scratcher from the beginning.
Changed the back portion from an "H" to more of an "X".
This was the best way that I could come up with. I looked at doing a full "X" across the entire front bay area, but that didn't leave enough room for the CB. The small area directly over the spreader bar would be the panel, the larger opening behind it, would be for the CB. I would still need to figure out a way to close these areas from the top so water couldn't get in if I ran topless, but I have a couple of ides for that.
The first being that I really want to run a bikini/Bimini top for most of the summer. Without the front bar, the top would just come strait into the windshield area and wouldn't plane in with the rest of the cage. The other reason is to get power up to the CB and a 12voltguy panel. With the front bar placed where it is, it's almost a strait run down the "A" pillar tube for wiring.
Couple of pics. Again, if you see something that could/should be changed or just a better way, by all means post up. This has been a real head scratcher from the beginning.
Changed the back portion from an "H" to more of an "X".
This was the best way that I could come up with. I looked at doing a full "X" across the entire front bay area, but that didn't leave enough room for the CB. The small area directly over the spreader bar would be the panel, the larger opening behind it, would be for the CB. I would still need to figure out a way to close these areas from the top so water couldn't get in if I ran topless, but I have a couple of ides for that.
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That cage is pimp 
. You my friend are becoming quite skilled with that bender. We need a Jealous smiley.
. You my friend are becoming quite skilled with that bender. We need a Jealous smiley.
That looks great! I really like the way its turning out!
That cage is pimp
Glad that you guys like it. I'm still not set on it though.... I just don't know if I like all of the damn tube over the front seats. All of it has a purpose, except the back two tubes that hit the front of the B pillar.
I think that I'm just going to move on to the dash fab and maybe the sliders next. That way I can look at it for awhile and see what I come up with.
Anybody have an un-mounted dash pad laying around, I gave my cracked one away already. From what I remember there were flat spots and indentations on the interior of the pad, kinda concave and convex parts? I need to see where I can land some small flat headed bolts/screws through the front of the dash, top and bottom where I cut, to be able to mount to some tabs that will be attached to some more tabs that will be welded to the dash bar. That way the entire dash can be removed if wanted.
I have a brand new GM one that is going in tomorrow. I can snap some pics of it then and send em to you if you'd like.
That would be great, Sean. If you could, can you run a tape down the inside of it when you take the pics? I need to see where the highs and lows are in the stamping.
Thanks Man!!
Thanks Man!!
