Roll Cages and Headroom- How Do People Do It??

[nvrenuf]

Yep, more redundant cage talk....

The basic cage foundation (Diy4x kit) is fitted and tacked so it’s time to think about what else but TRIANGULATION!

I bought a roll of blue tape and now I’m really stumped, how do folks build these amazing looking cages and still have room for rear seat passengers?

I’m using the popular Yukon 3rd row rear seat and trying to lower it as much as possible but I’m struggling with my 5’9” daughter’s headroom.

This is what I want overhead



In these pics you can kind of see how close the tubing would be. There’s less than 4” between her head and the tape so when you factor in the 1.75 for the tube there’s only ~2” of space, a guaranteed head buster.

 

[nvrenuf]

I guess the point of this is to just whine but I don't see how people do it in a Blazer with the cage that will fit under a top.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Not much you can do with those seats. If you ran a suspension seat, they have a lower base thickness and do not all of the padding. Or get a shorter daughter.

 

[nvrenuf]

There's have been time when the idea of trading in the daughter(s) on new models has crossed my mind at times.

I'd love to buy some fancy seats but, dang, a set of seats plus belts is close to $2k - I just can't do it. I don't know, like I said I'm mostly whining but I just don't get how folks do it. The Yukon seat is such a popular swap and having the belts built in is a huge benefit but I almost feel like I'm the first person to try to fit an adult size person in the back. I've never read of anyone having any issue. I've even dropped my seat down to 1.5" off the floor, a member here is selling mounting brackets that are about 3.5" tall yet I haven't heard about headroom issues. Waaaaaaa....

 

[ktmoutfront]

I wish I had pictures of one I did years ago. Another bar from B to C below the existing one. 3 perp tubes equally spaced between them. Then a cross bar forward of strapped in head location. Call this on B2, with triangulation from B to B2. Then center bar B to B2 to C. Leaves the head room open. Maybe B2 to the floor through the added horizontal on the side.

Does that make sense at all?

 

[nvrenuf]

I think I get it - like a mini ladder running horizontal as the outer B to C connection? The B/B2 makes sense, it leaves a "open" but divided area above the rear passenger heads. I like it.

The triangulation between B and B2, would the outboard ends be on B or B2? I'm thinking B so thathey come together on B2 to create a node for the B2 to C divider?

 

[Blazooki]

you gotta loose those seats..they are too tall...buy some stock factory RZR seats..they are a dime a dozen on ebay for like $200 a pair and would be perfect for the back seat. then get some suspensions for the fronts when you can swing it.

 

[Blazooki]

You could fit both RZR seats in the back and still have room for a console/cup holder/storage box in between them. they will bolt right to the floor and you could use harnesses off the cage for seat belts.

 

[pblaze725]

This is how I made mine as high as possible and still fit the hardtop.



In this pic you can see the B pillar is just under the cab roof.

If you strait edge across the top of the bed rails I believe you can go up as high as 23 3/4” to top of tube.







The tubes in the center going front to back are spaced equally and are in a straight line. Behind the B pillar I curved the tubes up to follow the shape of the hardtop roof.



A test fit again you can see the tubes above the back seat are actually about 4” higher than the B pillar.








I built the Cage in 2 halves. The front 1/2 is sprayed Ryoken Green.
The bar going left to right in the back have snaps for my soft top.








Installing it was a 1 man job.








Hope this helps.

 

[skunked]

Tall adults really don’t fit in the back of a K5.

 

[ktmoutfront]

I think I get it - like a mini ladder running horizontal as the outer B to C connection? The B/B2 makes sense, it leaves a "open" but divided area above the rear passenger heads. I like it.

The triangulation between B and B2, would the outboard ends be on B or B2? I'm thinking B so thathey come together on B2 to create a node for the B2 to C divider?

Yep.

As far as RZR seats go, there is a reason everyone is changing them out. They are uncomfortable for any amount of time.

 

[nvrenuf]

Tall adults really don’t fit in the back of a K5.

I am a believer.

@Blazooki ill look at the RZR seats but it does worry me about why they'd be so common to swap out.

 

[nvrenuf]

Thanks for the pics @pblaze725, I was wondering about bending the overhead tubes to create more room so they help a lot.

I like your design @ktmoutfront, I really like the additional horizontal bars to strengthen the rear section.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Oddball cages are my specialty. Kind of.

 

[Blazooki]

people up grade to aftermarket suspension seats in their RZRs..lots of dealers do that and then ebay the unused stock ones....I have stock ones in my crawler for the exact headroom/roll cage reasons your dealing with..they are plenty comfortable for kids and normal size adults..the bigger guys could have issues.

 

[TuckerK5]

Thanks for the pics @pblaze725, I was wondering about bending the overhead tubes to create more room so they help a lot.

I like your design @ktmoutfront, I really like the additional horizontal bars to strengthen the rear section.

Put the hard top on CL, build the cage 4” taller and find someone who makes custom canvas tops for boats and have them make a top that fastens to the roll cage.
I will never put my hard top back on my truck.

I know it’s hard to do this but ask yourself..... What is the sacrifice and what is the gain?

 

[TuckerK5]

With your daughter’s height (or any other grown person for that matter) is she really going to want to sit in a seat that’s almost flat on the floor?

There’s a thread on here where someone was considering a softopper and I believe everyone who commented (including myself) said they would never put their shell back on.

 

[obijuank5]

Scrap the project and swap it all to a burb.

 

[nvrenuf]

@TuckerK5 I actually don't have a top, just staying prepared in case I ever get frisky a buy a soft top.

Scrap the project and swap it all to a burb.

A Burb has always been too big for me, my wife's Jeep is fun though.

 

[TuckerK5]

It might be possible to buy a softopper and stretch it over the roll cage instead of using the bows that come with it. Then the roll cage could be full height and width of the factory shell. I always thought if I were going to add a cage to mine I would consider trying to integrate it through the bedsides so I wouldn’t give up any more space than the shell gives up.