Roll cage Q's

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[RustedWrangler]

So my YJ project should be underway soon again. After I strip and bed line the interior/undercarriage I would like to finish it by installing a full roll cage. I like to design and build as much as I can but some times it's not practical.

I've been looking at full cage kits online and they all seem quite expensive for some bent tubing, mainly the Genright kit which is $1,400 before shipping and any add-ons. With the extra parts I want it would cost about $1700 before shipping. So I was really wondering what you guys thought of kits in general...Are they cost effective? For the same money, are they going to be a strong as something I could make myself? Is it even something I should consider? What other companies should I look into? A big concern is that most kits don't have everything I like and some things I don't. No hip bar, no seat bars, frame tie ins, etc. Also what's the deal with the cage "stanchions"? It seems like you're sacrificing  strength so you can listen to the radio.

If I wanted to bend/build it all myself...I have access to welding, cutting and drilling equipment so that's no problem. I've looked at JD^2 model three benders, I've read about them before. What other equipment should I consider? It's relatively inexpensive and being a tool of course I want to buy one but I don't know if building one cage is going to justify spending the money on the bender, dies and a notcher. What size tubing would I need? Where do I get it and how much should I expect to spend per foot?

Thanks.

[Ian]

1) a jd2 model 3 with a stand, one die, and being converted to air/over will run about $1200.

2) you will want a cage that is 1.75" dom.

3) notchers are 2-5 hundred.

4) i'd expect you would use 60' of tube for a cage, but it really depends on how much triangulation and extras you add.  i don't know what the current per foot price is at the moment.

[jeepgod]

if you only intend on building 1 cage buying a bender is a waste of money, now if you are doing more than 1 then its a good investment. i own a jd2 with mulitple dies and air/hydro kit on it. you can bend tube without the air/hydro kit but its much faster than manually bending and you don't have to bolt the bender to something like when bending manually.  you will also need a good air compressor if using air/hydro bender

ian is correct about the cost of the bender, but again you also need an air compressor as well for air/hydro

tube notcher you can get away with a harbor freight notcher for $50ish but its not the best a good notcher is $250ish

i bought tube last week (i am in Pa though) the cost is about the same in all areas of the country though, should be under $4 a ft though. tube cost does change with amount you order, if you order just a few sticks the cost goes up, so in other words the more ube you order the better the price (i paid $3 a ft for 380ft)

1 3/4" - .120 wall tube is what i would run
 

cage stanchions are an effective way to make a roll cage work without cutting into your doors or dash. most cages i have done for tj's i send them through the dash its not that much work and is the strongest way to build a cage.  but again the stanchions are a compromise

i have no advice on other companies making pre-made cages


honestly if i were you i would just buy a premade cage, when you add it all up to buy the things you need to do a decent cage the cost is far more than the cost of the kits you quoted.  plus doing a cage is more than just bending some tube and welding it up. 

[HEYzipupyourfly]

1700 ain't a bad price for a full cage ready to bolt in, I wouldn't build you one for that price.let alone install it.
With the price for tube and the amount of work into installing one correctly.
also a pre made cage that bolts in will not fit or be as strong as one built then and there. I don't care how good those cnc benders are.

From the sounds of it your worried about the right things and not"listening to the radio" type of features.
You would be better off with a custom built cage fit to your needs.