needs some opinions/ideas

[rockbronco]

need to toss around some ideas here. working on some tube work on my rig since I need some sort of cage. internal is the way to go for strength and protecting my nugget but i want to protect my a-pillers too. I could be like sy and just wheel on the kiddy trails but thats no fun so I end up on crap that likes to go smashy smash on my body. no big deal but I really want to keep my windshield intact if possible, I do still like wheeling a truck and not a buggy so the idea of keeping fenders is ideal.

so here is my idea. build a hoop of sorts from the front bumper to slider. tie the tube from the rear bed across the roof then down the a-piller through the fender to this hoop. now question is how to you support if enough for side impacts. without it tying in from side to side it would be pretty week in a side impact or flop like i have already done. there does not seem to be an easy or clean way to tie though the engine area or even cowl area. now I would have the typical tubes on top of the cab and over the cowl to the a-piller tube but dont think it would be enough. anyway here are some pictures that might help.

dont mind the goofy sleeve as its just a mock up to test my idea.


dont mind the smashed fender as its only a mock up of what it might look like cut up. this is the one that got smashed in my flop. need to cut out the bottom section. up by the front marker light then towards the top to drop the a-piller tube in.

[zanyzonies]

Looks like your using 1 1/2 tube?
your idea is sound, you need to need to cut holes in the inner fender wells and find a way to tie the two fender tubes together. you should have enough room to do this under the hood, and make the brace bar so it bolts in and out.

come off the fender tube just thru the inner fender, weld on flanges for two to three bolts perside, up over the belts and your done.

I wish i could draw on this thing!

[rockbronco]

yes 1.5 tube. will be DOM when i figure out what i want.

thought of that idea but there is less room under the hood than you might think. if i did that I would use tube clamps not a flange. need to keep in mind engine swap in the furture to so need to build around that plan

[Symon623]

Since I run only the kiddy trails I guess my ain't worth anything in todays economy?

Define Kiddy trail......

I agree with Kevin on connecting the two fender tubes. I'm also concerned about the angle of those bends. I realize thats so they fit behind the sheetmetal fenders but I just don't think your adding very much strength there. I suggest more like this;




Of course your so hardcore you wouldn't want them to stick that far but....

[rockbronco]

Ive looked at your truck sy for the fenders but to be completly honest I dont like the looks of it. sure its functionable but first I wouldnt want to carbon copy it and second is I dont care for the look of it. just my opinion there bud

my idea looses strength in the bends I know and thats where gusseting is coming to come into play and running supports between the two. Its not going to be much differnt from say an exo anyway where it runs on the outside of the fenders. damn this want to keep my cab somewhat intact. this blows.

guess i need to stick to the kiddy trials with sy

[FAUX X 4]

why not tie it into the shock hoops and make a removable crossbar over the engine?

[rockbronco]

shock hoops are just that. hoops. i dont expect them to take that hard of side impact it. would have to gusset those too otherwise a flop could F up all kinds of stuff

[Symon623]

I understand wanting to save the cab, I almost built an exo now that I have the cab I want, and I have an idea as to how I would do it but it's be alot of work and alot of welding. Gonna stick with the kiddy trails I guess...... until I get that retractable dovetail and some driving skills.

No worries that you don't like my fenders, not expecting you to copy, just the angle of the bends is what I was tryin to show, I know you'd want it narrower for all the manly trails you do.

Keep us posted, always like to see other ideas.

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by rockbronco

shock hoops are just that. hoops. i dont expect them to take that hard of side impact it. would have to gusset those too otherwise a flop could F up all kinds of stuff

With a crossbar or 2, the stress wouldn't be focused on the shock hoops....... tying into them would just help prevent everything from shifting and add a little rigidity. Have you thought about doing an engine cage tucked close to the inner fenders similar to what you have mocked up but inside the compartment?...... that's another way you could tie the outer bar in and it could be done without worrying about interfering with the motor swap.

[AZrockbum]

Mine had to go outside due to lack of time to make it all bling bling. The older yotas look like they are much easier to do.




There were lots of great ideas in this thread for hidden exos.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...ght=toyota+exo

[Symon623]

This one is how I was gonna do mine;






This one is one of the best lookin dove/tube fronts I've seen;

[BOVADS]

i think your on the right track, but also like everybody said, tie it into the shock hoops and across the top of the motor. could use cage plates to make the engine cage removalable. i cant remeber if the cowl is removable on that year or not, if so may be able to go under that and across below the a-pillars?
i hate exo's as much as the next guy but also want to save the w/s. also like the blk truck sy posted, seems like that would work

[Symon623]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

i think your on the right track, but also like everybody said, tie it into the shock hoops and across the top of the motor. could use cage plates to make the engine cage removalable. i cant remeber if the cowl is removable on that year or not, if so may be able to go under that and across below the a-pillars?
i hate exo's as much as the next guy but also want to save the w/s. also like the blk truck sy posted, seems like that would work

The cowl is removable but can't get a tube though it without losing the wipers, I looked and looked again when I had mine apart trying to figure something out. Well I was lookin for room for a 1½" tube with the least amount of bends.

[rockbronco]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

i think your on the right track, but also like everybody said, tie it into the shock hoops and across the top of the motor. could use cage plates to make the engine cage removalable. i cant remeber if the cowl is removable on that year or not, if so may be able to go under that and across below the a-pillars?
i hate exo's as much as the next guy but also want to save the w/s. also like the blk truck sy posted, seems like that would work

that black truck is my idea. I can get replace fenders as they get smashed beyond repair the tube work under the fender will prevent inner fender/hood damage like happened in my flop. wish I could see whats going on under the hood and fenders on that rig.

Originally Posted by Symon623

The cowl is removable but can't get a tube though it without losing the wipers, I looked and looked again when I had mine apart trying to figure something out. Well I was lookin for room for a 1½" tube with the least amount of bends.

thanks i was wondering about that. that was my first impression and would be awesome if it could do that. saves me time of ripping crap apart to find out it wont fit.

looks like ill be having to build a removable engine cage. yuck.

another idea would be to punch through the inner fender then run a tube from these side bars to the frame over the inner wheel well.

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by rockbronco

...another idea would be to punch through the inner fender then run a tube from these side bars to the frame over the inner wheel well.

DING, DING, DING................ I think I heard that idea somewhere before?

[BOVADS]

Originally Posted by FAUX X 4

DING, DING, DING................ I think I heard that idea somewhere before?

wow, cold air intake, blue plug wires and, flex coolant hoses, that thing must haul ass!!

[BOVADS]

removable engine cage is simple, just get some of these in 4 or 2 hole

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

wow, cold air intake, blue plug wires and, flex coolant hoses, that thing must haul ass!!

............. none of that stuff is like that anymore........ aside from the a modified version of the intake and blue plug wires (and some of the engine cage) .............. lost around .1496534 hp after I removed the flex lines and the red vacuum hoses!

[FAUX X 4]

I used 4 of these for the 2 cross bars on my engine cage........ will prolly use more of them when I get around to my version of what you're doing under the front fenders.

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...p_21-1467.html

[BOVADS]

Originally Posted by FAUX X 4

I used 4 of these for the 2 cross bars on my engine cage........ will prolly use more of them when I get around to my version of what you're doing under the front fenders.

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...p_21-1467.html

30$ each adds up quick

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

30$ each adds up quick

Yes, yes it does, but well worth it in this type of application where space is limited......... I know for a fact that I wouldn't be able to get a wrench on the bolts to remove the crossbar between my radiator and motor if I used standard flanges. I have to assume also that they are considerably stronger than a flange that relies on a couple of 1/4" bolts to hold it together.

[Tony Rivera]

I was thinking something along the lines of a roof/a pillar "slider" similar to this.





And a link to some more pics of the roof sliders

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=40822.0


Here is a link to some more "partial" exo's

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index...;highlight=exo

[BOVADS]

Originally Posted by FAUX X 4

Yes, yes it does, but well worth it in this type of application where space is limited......... I know for a fact that I wouldn't be able to get a wrench on the bolts to remove the crossbar between my radiator and motor if I used standard flanges. I have to assume also that they are considerably stronger than a flange that relies on a couple of 1/4" bolts to hold it together.

could use just a 2 bolt flange, oh and the holes are for 1/2" bolts not 1/4"

[BOVADS]

i think this one looks pretty clean



wrong color, but nice

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

could use just a 2 bolt flange, oh and the holes are for 1/2" bolts not 1/4"

Depends.......... the ones I got from Bluetorch only have 1/4" holes. I still wouldn't be able to get to the bolts on the 2 bolt flanges anyway.

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

...

That's a nice clean truck!

................ tires are too small though!

[Symon623]

Originally Posted by BOVADS

i think this one looks pretty clean



wrong color, but nice

That thing is sweet.......

[MerMan]

Originally Posted by FAUX X 4

That's a nice clean truck!

................ tires are too small though!

Sometimes going smaller is better ...but thats a whole new thread

[FAUX X 4]

Originally Posted by MerMan

Sometimes going smaller is better ...but thats a whole new thread

You're right, sometimes good things come in small packages...

[rockbronco]

Im not using any of your ideas eric. your rig does not even leave the garage unless going to stokes house.


seen that red truck before and was what gave me the idea. i dont think he has anything going to the front bumper area though.

Ive got a plan as of last night and running with it. now if this damn rain would let up a little I would get back to work on it. I will need to hold off on the engine cage area until my motor swap is done just to make sure I dont have to repeat it. running some extra gussets to my shock hoops and tying into my under fender tubes will do the trick for now. engine should happen next summer.