Official End of the JK, Friday April 27th, 2018

[Blue XJ]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

also, this is kinda neat, but i bet kind of annoying ... detachable b-pillar kit

https://genright.com/products/jeep-j...illar-kit.html

That really cleans up the lines of the 4 door, I like the look of it, but that seems like a lot of work to install, just for a look. Is there an actual benefit from it or does it fall into the angry eyes category?

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by bbaCJ8

Matt is right. The extremities of vehicles are made to crumple and cave, minimizing energy transfer into the passenger compartment. Hell, there are bars specifically placed for tires and bumpers to crash into and buckle the frame, rather than being pushing into the passenger footwell. The sides and passenger compartment are made to be rigid and protective, especially the lower portion and frame on something like a Wrangler. None of that is compromised much here, and the added structure from the full cage, assuming it's tied in properly to the body and frame, will make the passenger compartment safer. Factory roofs, cages, and "sport bars" are made to protect the passengers once. They mostly hold up enough for the passengers to survive, then they go to the scrap yard. Aftermarket setups like this are made to protect and keep going whenever possible. If it's rigid enough to do that, logic says that it's rigid enough to help more in all forms of impact. The issue would come in more with stuff like engine cages, chassis stiffening, monstrous bumpers with long frame tie-ins, etc. If they don't allow the chassis to crumple and cave, or in extreme cases prevent air bags from deploying, then the forces and impacts are being transferred to the passenger compartment and its contents. Watch a youtube video of crash testing Smart cars. They hold up great crashing into a barrier at 60mph. The car barely takes any damage. Since it's tiny and rigid with very little crumple zone, all that energy instead gets transferred to the occupants. No thanks. That's why the giant steel boats of yesteryear weren't nearly as safe as newer vehicles, despite what people think.

Thanks now just have to convince the :wifey: and myself that the cost of a full cage is worth the expense to remove the B-pillar for a better look.

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Blue XJ

That really cleans up the lines of the 4 door, I like the look of it, but that seems like a lot of work to install, just for a look. Is there an actual benefit from it or does it fall into the angry eyes category?

less chance to munch it on a tree or mountain side off road. if you are trying to protect a rig and keep it clean, that one upper point is HIGHLY vulnerable.

Originally Posted by Dennis

Thanks now just have to convince the :wifey: and myself that the cost of a full cage is worth the expense to remove the B-pillar for a better look.

my TJ cage only cost like $250 ... but there might have been an hour or 2 of labor involved

[Cobound]

The GenRight cage is what I'd prefer, with the B pillar delete kit...but EXPENSIVE and time consuming!! I'll likely not go that route. The Rock Hard cage is probably more realistic, and just leave the B pillar alone.

I've seen this in person and have wanted it for as long as I can recall...but damn they don't come cheap. And if you get a shop that's never done one before to do it for you, you're paying added hours for their learning time.

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Cobound

The GenRight cage is what I'd prefer, with the B pillar delete kit...but EXPENSIVE and time consuming!!

how on earth are they going to charge $3000 for a optioned DIY cage kit that doesn't go to the drivers floor or even tie into the frame?!?!?!?!?! that is some horse ****, cuz you could buy a bender, a welder, and all the tube for less.

note to self: find someone with a JK, figure out a cage, and sell them installed for $$$$$$

[Blue XJ]

Originally Posted by Cobound

The GenRight cage is what I'd prefer, with the B pillar delete kit...but EXPENSIVE and time consuming!! I'll likely not go that route. The Rock Hard cage is probably more realistic, and just leave the B pillar alone.

I've seen this in person and have wanted it for as long as I can recall...but damn they don't come cheap. And if you get a shop that's never done one before to do it for you, you're paying added hours for their learning time.

Is the rockhard kit the clamp on one? My buddy had that in his TJ that rolled. The bars did not come apart, but they did rotate on each other when the clamps slid.

[Cobound]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

how on earth are they going to charge $3000 for a optioned DIY cage kit that doesn't go to the drivers floor or even tie into the frame?!?!?!?!?! that is some horse ****, cuz you could buy a bender, a welder, and all the tube for less.

note to self: find someone with a JK, figure out a cage, and sell them installed for $$$$$$

As with anything, you pay for their precise bends, quality, etc, etc. Yeah, I can't justify that cost, I'd just go have someone local make it, if that was the case. Of course, this would take less time, go where it's supposed to, you know the drill.

Also, to tie into the frame, there are very few that do, that I'm aware. Yes, while that would be ideal, these cages hold up to what it is people are using them for.

Originally Posted by Blue XJ

Is the rockhard kit the clamp on one? My buddy had that in his TJ that rolled. The bars did not come apart, but they did rotate on each other when the clamps slid.

Yes, that's the one. I considered one in my XJ, until I rolled it w/o one...then got out of that game. I've seen some rigs after a roll w/ this cage and it's provided more protection than stock...the price is reasonable and it's also fit well enough to DIY. Longshot at best for me at the moment...

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Cobound

As with anything, you pay for their precise bends, quality, etc, etc. Yeah, I can't justify that cost, I'd just go have someone local make it, if that was the case. Of course, this would take less time, go where it's supposed to, you know the drill.

Also, to tie into the frame, there are very few that do, that I'm aware. Yes, while that would be ideal, these cages hold up to what it is people are using them for.

agreed ... that's why the TJ isn't tied in. it very well might be at some point, but that's a much later project.