Screwing around with my new bender.

[ORANGECRUSHer]

I would be nervous about the angle on that top tube.

BTW what are you going to on the car with that tube? The fenders on mine come down farther and I had a heck of a time getting just the right angle to hit a tube receiver at the top shock bolt. The tube is flattened on one end and a hole drilled through where it goes onto the shock bolt.

I mention the top tube for several reasons:
1. A horizontal tube that attaches to the vehicle is going to be able to take more force.
2. If you don't keep all four points where the bumper slides onto the car on the same plane, it makes sliding it on and off a real pain in the arse. I knew this going into my rear bumper I built last year but it still came out off just enough to make reinstallation an PIA.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

In hind sight I would just flatten that top tube where it runs behind the shock tower and drill a hole there and skip the receiving tube all together. I'd have to remove the top shock bolt everytime but that might be better than what I had to do when I wanted to pull my engine this spring.
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Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[enjoyther1de]

The angle on the top tube is a little extreme but it's what the customer wanted. He wanted a taller cage without attatching to the fire wall. It's mostly for looks.
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HBB took me to BBV.

[ORANGECRUSHer]

how are you attaching? I'm just curious. I see the bottom.
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Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[enjoyther1de]

Top is attached at the shock mounts. Smushed plate dudes are welded to cage.
_________________
HBB took me to BBV.

[enjoyther1de]

More fun and games.

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HBB took me to BBV.

[enjoyther1de]

Totally forgot to post the finished high angle bumper.

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HBB took me to BBV.

[enjoyther1de]

Got my new 1" die today. Made some tail light mounts.
Bends look like they'll do just fine for some roof rack work.

_________________
HBB took me to BBV.

[enjoyther1de]

[66 Shorty]

Very nice job Bro! Like you, I've been contemplating purchasing one for about 4 years now myself... I don't have other jobs to do to make money for materials, or to pay for the bender itself, but, I still want to get one so I don't have to pay someone else's mortgage to have my cage, bumpers, side bars & roof rack made...

Looking Really good though! I think I'm going to purchase, but, I would need at least 2 size dies & they are what cost money!

[enjoyther1de]

[cbeck]

Here is one for you. My chassis builder hard at work.

[66 Shorty]

I think I just talked my buddy into going in on one with me. He's building a jeep cherokee xj. He wants to build a full cage for inside his jeep. I want to build a cage for dune buggy, and also bumpers, engine cage and side bars for the baja. And possibly a cage for the baja if all goes well. (And I can afford it... which I doubt lol)

That is quite the chassis! Wow! Is that for a rock crawler?

I think I'm going to actually purchase the jd squared with a 1 inch die. And hopefully, he'll buy a 1.5 x 4.5 (that should be good for a cage right? ) but idk if I should get a 3 inch or 4 inch radius on the 1 inch die. Both will be 180 degree dies though.

I'm sorry for kinda highjacking this post for a minute!

[dustymojave]

1.5 x 5.5 would be much better than 1.5 x 4.5. The larger radius makes a stronger bend and is easier to bend as well. It's still not a large radius bend. I have a 1.5 x 5.5 for my JD2.

This is what the bends look like at the top of the A pillar in my Baja Bug:

Ohhh...The XJ, because of it's weight, should have a cage made of 1.75 x .120 for the primary tubes...4 uprights around the driver's compartment, halo above, rear braces down to the back, and diagonal behind the driver. Other tubes can be smaller. I've seen a play Cherokee with a cage made of 1.5 that the cage collapsed in a 20-25mph roll over off the side of a graded fire road. Not even real offroading or going fast. If there had been someone in the right front seat, they would have been in SERIOUS trouble. The roof was down to the window sill and the dash. The Cherokee weighs about 2x what my Baja weighs.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[66 Shorty]

That looks perfect. Why would I want bigger if that's the perfect radius? Idk I'm all new to this cage stuff... lol!

Well it looks like more stuff for me to learn... glad my buddy offered to teach me how to tig weld and then leave it here for me to practice with!

[enjoyther1de]

[dustymojave]

[66 Shorty]

ok that makes sense to me now.

[cbeck]

I think now they are called mega trucks. Real popular in the midwest and south. Think 15 year old monster truck with rice @ cane tires. This one now has a 900 hp alky swilling 427 mounted in the bed sitting on 67's.

[enjoyther1de]

New beer and firewood holder. Stole the clamp idea from surf's blue 11 car her on the samba.

_________________
HBB took me to BBV.