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Intagrated Roll bar on K5 blazers and Jimmys

What do you think of the intagrated roll bar in the 91 full size Jimmy

  • Total voters
    25
  • Poll closed .
A

agtailg8tr

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Someone told me that if you roll your K5 that the integrated roll bar would fold up like and not protect you. I wheel in a 91 Full size jimmy with a half top removed and some times the doors off also. I was wondering if anyone has heard of failure of the intagrated roll bar in this years K5. thanks
 
I voted for "need cage" The doors and fiberglass top are part of the structure that will protect you in a serious roll. In a flop you might be okay but in a serious roll the integrated sheet metal that's in your roof will colapse. I've cut several hard tops off and there isn't much extra metal in there that would make me feel comfortable if something serious were to happen.
 
IIRC, and this is going way back in memory, the test at the time, which was 1976 (or the year before), was a hard cut or something to make it roll, at I think it was 30mph or thereabouts.. The occupants must not have sustained fatal injuries in that test for it to pass. The dummies at the time weren't that sophistcated and I'm sure the companies did whatever they could to shore up the results. Most big design features don't have to be changed unless you introduce a totally new vehicle. (like the crown vic has a behind the rear axle mounted fuel tank, which is not allowed any longer in newly introduced vehicles).
So I think your answer lies somewhere in the middle. If you put big tires on and one blows out on the freeway going 70, the integrated bar probably won't do much to protect you. If you roll it on a side bank going 5mph, I'm sure you'll survive.
And the tests were performed with and without the top, because at the time, they sold the blazer without hardtops. YOu could get a factory soft top, or no top at all if you wanted. So it would have had to pass the 1976 test without a top.
 
if you've ever cut the top off a 2nd gen, you'd know there is no "integrated cage". The halfcab is several pieces of sheetmetal, folded and panel-adhesive'd (i know thats not a word...) together.. like pretty much every other part of your K5. If you wheel your rig, get a roll bar at least... upgrade it to a cage when you get the funds. One alternative if you're on a budget is to get a pre-bent one from Summit / Jegs. They are cheap, and when combined with the factory cab, will save you in all but the nastiest of rolls.

j
 
i know this debate will go on forever, but i can tell you from my own expeience that i wheel hard as f*ck and have never rolled, but, i was trail riding on some power lines and was coming down a hill i just went up, there was a little "v-ditch" sort of thing and i was crawling down it, well next thing i know the rear tire was getting light, and i throttled like hell, just too low of gearing to move fast... then down the hill i go, w/ 2 others in the truck w/ me... i rolled a full turn, and then we pushed it back over, it went to its side, up on the tires, then the two passenger side tires blew out, and down the hill it went again, another full roll, obviously there was no one in it the second time.... my point, you never know when something tragic is going to happen, and had it not have been for smart preplanning, someone would have gotten hurt, BAD... rolling is an inevitable part of wheeling and it should be respected... do you where your seatbelt? of course... if you didn't have seatbelts would buy them? of course... so instaed of buying that set of lights and those fancy seat covers or whatever buy a cage, its worth EVERY dime... and tie everything down, hell thats cheap... just imagine all your stuff in the truck bouncing around like it is in the dryer... that sh*t will kill people... sorry for going on i just think that if people hear real stories and not just what "could" happen it might hit home... this was a very violent experience that i hope will help others understand how serious we should take safety and not just want to "get by" w/ the least amount of safty equipment...
 
You call this a Roll Bar?
012.jpg
 
I have cut off 2 tops in mid 80's K5's and they both had atleast 7 layers of metal. Alot more then the above picture. Most of the metal was 1/8" stuff to.
After seeing that I wouldnt be worried about the b-pillar bending.
 
85mudblazin said:
I have cut off 2 tops in mid 80's K5's and they both had atleast 7 layers of metal. Alot more then the above picture. Most of the metal was 1/8" stuff to.
After seeing that I wouldnt be worried about the b-pillar bending.
Click to expand...
I agree. Unless you roll it very violently at high speeds or several times, it should hold up. Search round on here for pictures. There is a picture of a yellow K5 on here that barrel rolled 3 times down a hill with 3 people in it, and everyone was ok. The integral roll bar holds up pretty well from what I have seen. The weaker part is around the windshield frame. Thats inevitable, and will bend and crush down well before the actual roll bar does. Like others said, if you think you need a cage, then you probably do. I dont wheel the very hardest trails in the world, but I do wheel trails that I know I have a possibility of rolling on, depending on which lines I take. Just for that reason, I have a 10 point roll cage waiting to go in my truck. And untill it gets finished, im more than likely not going to go all out when wheeling.
-Harrison
 
draggbody said:
i know this debate will go on forever, but i can tell you from my own expeience that i wheel hard as f*ck and have never rolled, but, i was trail riding on some power lines and was coming down a hill i just went up, there was a little "v-ditch" sort of thing and i was crawling down it, well next thing i know the rear tire was getting light, and i throttled like hell, just too low of gearing to move fast... then down the hill i go, w/ 2 others in the truck w/ me... i rolled a full turn, and then we pushed it back over, it went to its side, up on the tires, then the two passenger side tires blew out, and down the hill it went again, another full roll, obviously there was no one in it the second time.... my point, you never know when something tragic is going to happen, and had it not have been for smart preplanning, someone would have gotten hurt, BAD... rolling is an inevitable part of wheeling and it should be respected... do you where your seatbelt? of course... if you didn't have seatbelts would buy them? of course... so instaed of buying that set of lights and those fancy seat covers or whatever buy a cage, its worth EVERY dime... and tie everything down, hell thats cheap... just imagine all your stuff in the truck bouncing around like it is in the dryer... that sh*t will kill people... sorry for going on i just think that if people hear real stories and not just what "could" happen it might hit home... this was a very violent experience that i hope will help others understand how serious we should take safety and not just want to "get by" w/ the least amount of safty equipment...
Click to expand...
Am I the only one who thinks this contradicts itself and doesn't really fit here?
 
Leper said:
Am I the only one who thinks this contradicts itself and doesn't really fit here?
Click to expand...

my point is that i have never rolled from wheelin' hard, yet i did roll on a leisurely trail ride... sorry for the confusion... i just would like people to learn from others experiences, as mine was very unexpected and violent to say the least... safety first, get a cage, what is your life worth???
 
85mudblazin said:
I have cut off 2 tops in mid 80's K5's and they both had atleast 7 layers of metal. Alot more then the above picture. Most of the metal was 1/8" stuff to.
After seeing that I wouldnt be worried about the b-pillar bending.
Click to expand...

my '85 is as "mid 80s" as you can get, and it has pretty much what is shown in the pic above. I guess there might be one more piece of thin sheetmetal glued in there... but really, thats about all there is. I chopped mine off level with the bed first, and then removed it entirely... didn't see anything in there very impressive.

j
 
Keep in mind that the integrated "roll bar" is engineered. I'm sure none of us, and very few roll cage builders, analyze the steel compound, calculate where to place welds, and crash test them to furthur analyze how they perform and make changes based on your observations.

A few flimsy pieces of 20ga can go a long way if you pick the right type of steel, you bend them in the right places, and weld them up strategically. The integrated bar I'm sure performs to specification. Which is to say, you won't die in a 30mph rollover.
The point is I guess, It doesn't need to "look" beefy to perform and do it's job. It also may get damaged or wrecked in the process, but that's ok, it's function is to protect the occupents, not the vehicle or itself.
That said, I would aim to not be injured in a 70mph rollever, but for the OEM's, that's not practical.
 
you can't expect to cut into the cab and find what would be considered a roll bar by many wheelers. Just like most cars that have a side impact beam... would you expect an I beam to be inside the door :p:

would i trust the "intergrated roll cage?"
maybe with a backup cage. I dont think the manufactures thought that a K-5 would see half of the things that we put them though also. ;)
 
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