Rear Exo on the Cruiser

[colsoncj]

Well, after this last wheelin trip, it looks like i need a rear exo on the cruiser to save the rear quarter and taillight. mainly from leaning over into trees. didnt hurt it bad, but its goina happen.

heres what im thinking:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/2475/rearexo.jpg


Heres the raw pic for those who may want to play:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/9440/img0789ia.jpg

Heres the things I'm considering: I'd like it to attach to the rear bumper, yet be seperate from the rear bumper so I could unbolt and remove the rear bumper still (so some kind of sleeve/bolt together joint.) It can be welded to the slider, don't really care, the sliders are pretty well permanently attached to the frame. I'd like to protect the rear quarter and the drip rail, seems like thats the two places i rub. I'd also like it to save the rear taillight from any damage. I've also considered adding rubber "bumpers" to the top corners for when the cage does flex, it doesnt smash into the body.

Thoughts?

[Jordan7118]

Cory, you may as well do the whole shebang while you're at it.

And since this is a mainly-trail-queen, why not cut through the body to get the tree sliders on the sides to the frame or spread the load to the other side tere sliders? I would think that would make it easier to keep this "bumper removable friendly".

I hope that makes sense to you, as I'm having trouble getting it down to words.

[colsoncj]

Although it is a trailer queen... its also my winter DD. the dodge sucks in the winter unless you've got 2000 lbs in the bed. and the corvette.... well we wont go there. I've thought about going thru the body and actually crossing it behind the rear seat, but i dunno.

and i agree, doing the whole shebang and caging all of it may be the way to go. I'd just really like to get the new paint on first (durabak)

and if i cant remove the bumper anymore... so be it. no biggie. i can still remove the winch with the bumper installed if need be.

[Jordan7118]

I also think it's just gonna look funny having only the rear exo'd.

You could build off the bumper and use some disconnect tabs that "bolt" one piece of tube to another.

[colsoncj]

I also found a guy who did an exo and "trimmed" his front TJM to get better tire clearance... i really liked it... looks like i'll need to do the same.

Looks like it'll be full exo. Now comes the question: before the exo i need to get the durabak coating on. do i save up for it, then go exo, or do i do the lift, then get to the durabak and exo... I'd say durabak and exo, a lift will only increase my odds of smashing stuff.

[gittinit]

Cory, you may as well do the whole shebang while you're at it.

And since this is a mainly-trail-queen, why not cut through the body to get the tree sliders on the sides to the frame or spread the load to the other side tere sliders? I would think that would make it easier to keep this "bumper removable friendly".

I hope that makes sense to you, as I'm having trouble getting it down to words.

WOW! jordan your starting to think like a fabericator. SCARRY! and yet somehow its kinda reassuring. :D

[Jordan7118]

WOW! jordan your starting to think like a fabericator. SCARRY! and yet somehow its kinda reassuring. :D

Eff off <pirate salute>

I just use you for your tools <pirate salute>

Now, go respond to my rebuild thread... A-hole <pirate salute>

In seriousness, I'm glad you've noticed. I have the brain, just sometimes not the patience, tools, or garage space. Now I have the garage space... and maybe patience... and maybe tools soon... :rolleyes:

Cory, why do the durabak? What's wrong with your paint right now? It looked good to me. I'd do the lower doors and quarter panels and call it good.

In my opinion, function outweighs form, and in this case, I'd take factory paint and a lift over durabak. Just me.

Good call on going with full exo. I think that'll look good if ya get it done right!

[gittinit]

Eff off <pirate salute>

I just use you for your tools <pirate salute>

Now, go respond to my rebuild thread... A-hole <pirate salute>

In seriousness, I'm glad you've noticed. I have the brain, just sometimes not the patience, tools, or garage space. Now I have the garage space... and maybe patience... and maybe tools soon... :rolleyes:

Cory, why do the durabak? What's wrong with your paint right now? It looked good to me. I'd do the lower doors and quarter panels and call it good.

In my opinion, function outweighs form, and in this case, I'd take factory paint and a lift over durabak. Just me.

Good call on going with full exo. I think that'll look good if ya get it done right!

yea I get that alot. :p

[Jordan7118]

yea I get that alot. :p

... and your secksie body :cool:

[gittinit]

... and your secksie body :cool:

Yea I get that alot too! if I wasnt so damn buff maby I could keep all the ladies off of me. :D

[colsoncj]

am i goina have to seperate you two?

durabak to help keep the scratches and shit off... paint is wearing off and has scratches and gouges all over it. durabak will get it purty again. and i figure it will hold up better.

i might be able to buff it out and get it halfway decent again, then exo it and be done... who knows.

[domino]

durabak to help keep the scratches and shit off...

I'm thinking that'll will be a moot point once you have an exo on there. I'd like to think the exo will keep the scratches at bay.

[wanabecruisen]

For my $.02 I'd have to say that I would keep the current paint and explore the full exo more. I did paint my last fj40 full Durabak and it held up well but was a PAIN to keep clean (was white though).

I wish I had the skills to draw this but I was kinda thinkin what it would look like to build some rear corner protection incorperated into the rear bumper that would be built as a sort of ladder to a roof rack that had rub rails along the gutters much like an exo would. Prolly not as strong as what you are looking for but more for the roof top tent thing I am going for on mine. Prolly tie in to the four factory roof rack mounting locations for added strength. Kinda old Land Rover-ish. A little less hardore than you - more expedition kinda stuff...:welder:Michael?:welder:

[gittinit]

For my $.02 I'd have to say that I would keep the current paint and explore the full exo more. I did paint my last fj40 full Durabak and it held up well but was a PAIN to keep clean (was white though).

I wish I had the skills to draw this but I was kinda thinkin what it would look like to build some rear corner protection incorperated into the rear bumper that would be built as a sort of ladder to a roof rack that had rub rails along the gutters much like an exo would. Prolly not as strong as what you are looking for but more for the roof top tent thing I am going for on mine. Prolly tie in to the four factory roof rack mounting locations for added strength. Kinda old Land Rover-ish. A little less hardore than you - more expedition kinda stuff...:welder:Michael?:welder:

Sounds like your more in line with what i would do with an 80 if I could afford one. It would be great to have a mild lift and 35's a rooftop tent and some nessicarry amenities to take those long moab/rubicon/arizona type trips. Wheeling parks across the mid west for a few weeks at a time and just generally leading a new way of life, away from the norm....man that sounds nice.

Cory if your wanting xtreme protection consider going through the body. A cage will flex, give and eventually cause damage to the body if not cross braced. Its like an empty cardboard box. one little step and itll crush, but a full box can hold lots of weight and sideloads.

[colsoncj]

any good methods to keep where it goes through the body sealed? I know cross bracing is essential, but with this still being a winter beater, its gotta stay sealed up.

the reason for the cage is to help minimize damage when rubbing against trees, and minimize damage for a flop. i know it wont prevent 100% of damage, im just trying to keep it at bay. i figure if it ever does go full over and screw up the body, it will warrant a hack job and turn it into a buggy.

heres some of what im thinking...

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/7848/exo1.jpg
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7286/exo2.jpg

and modify the front bumper and tie in like this:

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2245/frontexo.jpg

[gittinit]

any good methods to keep where it goes through the body sealed? I know cross bracing is essential, but with this still being a winter beater, its gotta stay sealed up.

the reason for the cage is to help minimize damage when rubbing against trees, and minimize damage for a flop. i know it wont prevent 100% of damage, im just trying to keep it at bay. i figure if it ever does go full over and screw up the body, it will warrant a hack job and turn it into a buggy.

If you go through perpendicular to the body some simple edging will work just fine to seal between the tube and body. Just use a 1 7/8 holesaw for a 1 3/4 hole and make shure the tube is centered well in the hole. You may still have some slight issues with air seeping through but with the rear heat and all that your rig has getting cold shouldnt be an issue. I also reccomend keeping the points you go through the body high on the body so as water crossings won't flood the interior.

[gittinit]

WOW could that tube be any further from the a pillar on the red rig.

[Jordan7118]

Cory, please do a better job with your exo than those :eek:

Mossyrocks used silicone around where the tube went into his body. I think he used the 1 7/8" hole saw for 1 3/4" tube method like Michael describes.

[OldTruck]

Cory,
Good idea on the exo, and there's plenty of opinions to go around. One point I notice is that if you do a back half, you got to do something over the doors to "slide" along. So, given you don't want to "punch" a hole in the 'cab, I'd try the box Michael's describes (though he's no fer it), then if you do 'fold it up', you got plenty of excuses to exo w/ internal frame tie &/or exo buggy.

[colsoncj]

Cory,
Good idea on the exo, and there's plenty of opinions to go around. One point I notice is that if you do a back half, you got to do something over the doors to "slide" along. So, given you don't want to "punch" a hole in the 'cab, I'd try the box Michael's describes (though he's no fer it), then if you do 'fold it up', you got plenty of excuses to exo w/ internal frame tie &/or exo buggy.

agreed.