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

Left and yes it is a notching nightmare.

You have to figure out how to fit em all up best. Usually requires three hands good luck!
 
Why not treat the rear cabin area as two smaller roof sections and bring it to a point in the center?

Screen Shot 2019-02-14 at 5.22.15 PM.png
 
I don't have the headroom in the rear to have the diagonal bars going to the rear outer corners. There are pics one pg 1.
 
gotcha, just jumped in the end here.
 
Whats your current cage height, like to the top of the bars? I measured robs softtop, and heights to the softop are as follows.

A:49
B: 49
C: 42.0

So I would just add a little bend in each bar and run it how you want.
 
jekquistk5 said:
Whats your current cage height, like to the top of the bars? I measured robs softtop, and heights to the softop are as follows.

A:49
B: 49
C: 42.0

So I would just add a little bend in each bar and run it how you want.
Click to expand...

Great info! - @chris85

I can't remember mine at the moment, I'll double check and post the measurements this evening.
 
My truck is not a full vert but to get headroom in the rear I did a higher level C hoop. Then the bars have a + Z axis bend off the B hoop then straight to the C hoop. This netted an extra 3 inches of headroom. I also did this inside the cab as well, but the bend was int he middle of the A pillar and B hoop span.

Of course with anything, there are compromises due to needing the ability for passengers. Its a tough balance, but being realistic is important. Its easy to go too jungle-gym and a few years down the road it stops getting used. The flipside is you go to minimal and the cage does not do its job.
 
Tnsejed said:
...Its a tough balance, but being realistic is important. Its easy to go too jungle-gym...
Click to expand...

Amen. I hate cages with lots of nonsense tube that look like the builder was trying to impress people with the fact he has a bender.
 
Just a thought, in your picture you have the rear "triangulated" bars marked out in blue tape. Could you move the top mounting points to the very center of the upper bar and, in doing so, have the bars out of the way for more headroom?

ETA: Pics 5 & 6
 
jekquistk5 said:
Whats your current cage height, like to the top of the bars? I measured robs softtop, and heights to the softop are as follows.

A:49
B: 49
C: 42.0

So I would just add a little bend in each bar and run it how you want.
Click to expand...

I just checked at lunch and was surprised to find yours is significantly taller than mine.

A: 47
B: 47.5
C: 40.5

I was "limited" by the B pillar height but it is a kit for a half top.
 
trukker1 said:
Just a thought, in your picture you have the rear "triangulated" bars marked out in blue tape. Could you move the top mounting points to the very center of the upper bar and, in doing so, have the bars out of the way for more headroom?

ETA: Pics 5 & 6
Click to expand...

This will likely be the layout for the rear section and unlike the pic I'll probably copy it over the front seats as well. I stared and taped in every direction I could think of, this layout seems to be the "best" compromise between headroom and still spreading the load at the C pillar crossbar.

View attachment 284537

ChrisAwesome said:
Did you consider cutting floor a little bit to hide mounting points of the seats? You would get extra 2 inches methinks.
Click to expand...

I did think about it and even considered cutting the pockets out of the floor of a Tahoe at a local u-pull-it but it just seemed like a ton of work grafting them in to my floor. The seat mounting bracket floating around my head puts the seat bottoms about 1.25"-1.5" above the floor which is lower than the OE mount would be. I could cut the floor and bolt the little crossbars on the underside which would put thee seats crazy low but then I'd have 8 roughly 2"x4" open holes for water / mud / whatever to come through.
 
I just got these brackets on ebay for $45 shipped, look for "2000-2014 Chevrolet, Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban, Escalade 3rd SEAT BRACKETS W BOLTS" for similar seats. Just to give you an extra option. I don't know if there is any easy way to secure the holes to prevent water/mud entering, that's definitely a challenge.

s-l1600.jpg
 
Yeah, I bought a set like that while at the u-pull-it. To use them I'd either have to space them up 1" off the floor or do as you suggested and cut a hole at each position (with the 3 front holes being pretty big to accommodate the double bar for the folding / flip function).
 
What if you glued some sort of rubber pockets underneath? Like the attached one. Could that work? I'm brainstorming as I'm about to put same seats with same same mounts into blazer K5. @imiceman44 is helping me with that.

2drainplug_large.jpg
 
I guess you could but the plug(s) would have to be pretty big, especially on the front. For my project, it's just not worth all the fab'ing and sealing concerns when you can build a low profile above the floor seat frame much easier. Plus, honestly I really don't want to cut my floor up like that. The floor in my K5 is perfect so it's hard to justify cutting all those big holes (unless you were going to weld in pockets).
 
nvrenuf said:
I just checked at lunch and was surprised to find yours is significantly taller than mine.

A: 47
B: 47.5
C: 40.5

I was "limited" by the B pillar height but it is a kit for a half top.
Click to expand...
That was on a 90 tub. I know mine is an 83. In setting mine at 48,48,40.5
 
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