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TnA's 86 Jimmy Shop Build / Product Development Thread - (Trailing Arms?!?!)

Ughhh, another really long day... But, SO STOKED with how this is turning out. I spent the whole day welding and grinding, and then finally adding in a couple tubes. The test fit went well, next to no warpage from all the heat put into it today. I still will be adding two more down-tubes from the center down to the body on either side of the trans tunnel before going after the rear cage tubework.

It was neat to work all day on it, then get it outside to take pics, take a step back and realize just how cool this thing is. I am so excited about it, I want to come back up and work on it some more tomorrow, but alas, I have other plans.

Lots O' pics...:


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That's all for now folks! Somebody needs to come up with a badass idea for the rest of the cage for me!

-Darren
 
how will you load rear passengers?

They'll have to get in over the cage in back. It's not ideal, I know, but I also want a bar to mount seat belts to. I guess whoever gets to ride in the rear seat will have to be athletic enough to climb in :) I'm still debating with myself if I'm even going to keep the rear seat at the moment. Unless I suddenly acquire a harem, there's only one person that will typically ride along with me.
 
I get it.. my K5 is not a norm build around, I had no intention of running a backseat, or family style cage...... I have no friends... :woot: :doah:

I prefer the angled pre-runner style look to rear cages anyway... :pimp:
 
I get it.. my K5 is not a norm build around, I had no intention of running a backseat, or family style cage...... I have no friends... :woot: :doah:

I prefer the angled pre-runner style look to rear cages anyway... :pimp:

The angled pre-runner look to the cage is the main reason in the beginning I didn't want to run a back seat - that and the fact that I don't want to go buy a waterproof seat cover for it. I'm sure if I take it out, I'll regret it and people will want to ride there. But if I keep it, it'll never get used. So by that reasoning, I should take it out so I can get friends, or a harem?
 
Driver seat and pass seat is all you need.


I really think it would still be awesome to make it bolt to the stock topper bolt locations...
 
Driver seat and pass seat is all you need.


I really think it would still be awesome to make it bolt to the stock topper bolt locations...

I'm still debating bolting it to the cab. On one hand, it should strengthen the cab a little bit. On the other hand it, the cab may want to move a little and if I bolt it tight, those dinky captive nuts in thin sheetmetal might just pull themselves apart. I think I'll take it to BB unbolted and see just how much the cab moves around in comparison to the roll bar.
 
Looks like a great start to a half cab conversion.
 
I'm still debating bolting it to the cab. On one hand, it should strengthen the cab a little bit. On the other hand it, the cab may want to move a little and if I bolt it tight, those dinky captive nuts in thin sheetmetal might just pull themselves apart. I think I'll take it to BB unbolted and see just how much the cab moves around in comparison to the roll bar.

If the bar isn't connected to the frame, I see no issues in any of the bolts having issues.

Would be no different than the topper bolted to it imo.


Also I bet it will rattle without. All my cage bars that are close to the body rattle on the body. And it's annoying as $hit.
 
Also I know the struggles of making curved parts in solidworks sheet metal like this. I use it every day. And you did a killer job. :bow:
 
If the bar isn't connected to the frame, I see no issues in any of the bolts having issues.

Would be no different than the topper bolted to it imo.


Also I bet it will rattle without. All my cage bars that are close to the body rattle on the body. And it's annoying as $hit.

Oh, it'll be different than just a little fiberglass topper bolted to it, but yes, it is only part of the body, not attached to the frame. That being said, the lower mounts will be tied into the rock sliders and the center down-tube will be mounted on the tunnel, where there is another body stiffener underneath. It will also be bolted at the top of the bed rails. I don't know exactly how much "body flex" there will be, as opposed to frame flex - so I am going to leave it unbolted for now, to see. I'm not saying that I won't incorporate the cab bolts into it, just not yet.

Also I know the struggles of making curved parts in solidworks sheet metal like this. I use it every day. And you did a killer job. :bow:

Thanks man, it's nice to hear from someone who really uses the program and understands some of the effort that goes into these things :)

That is extremely nice. Well done.

Thank you so much!
 
So on tube design. Do 3 bends on your rear downbar. Straight back from the b pillar till the front of the rear seat. Then a slight bend down then as soon, as it gets say 4" behind the rear seat make that bend large enough to go to the very back just at the level of the bedside and then the third bend to go straight down to the floor
 
This is how I want to run the bars in my pickup.


Crewcab-Recovered_zpsa3a7ca86.png


That's a render I did when we first got the truck.
 
The back seat is the best part of a Blazer.

Martin

Cruisin' around on the street or easy trails, yes. +1 for keeping the seat.

If they can get in the back seat with a roll cage, it means they are more fun :whistle:

This! Yes.

So on tube design. Do 3 bends on your rear downbar. Straight back from the b pillar till the front of the rear seat. Then a slight bend down then as soon, as it gets say 4" behind the rear seat make that bend large enough to go to the very back just at the level of the bedside and then the third bend to go straight down to the floor

Do you mean something like this??

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This is how I want to run the bars in my pickup.


Crewcab-Recovered_zpsa3a7ca86.png


That's a render I did when we first got the truck.

I really like the swept back look of more of the "prerunner" style bars. The added bend at the very back in your render is interesting to me, it really changes the look quite a bit. Rear passengers in the Jimmy though would have their heads sticking through the cage. +1 for removing the seat.
 
How about straight back with round tube to a SECOND fabricated roll bar just like the front. Possibly with just a little more angle at the rear roll bar.
 
Was also thinking, you could bolt some angle iron to the stock top attachment points, which would then give you a flange that could be bolted onto the interior side of the roll bar.
 
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