Family Cage

[Deacon61]

Looking for advice on a family cage as I move in that direction from the half cab. Looking to add two fold and tumble seats in the back for the kids.

There are a few options on eBay for a full cage and some bolt in options from rock hard 4x4 and poison spider that use the stock roll bar. Not doing any crazy wheeling here in Florida, mainly adding to keep the kids as safe as possible in the back. Appreciate any advice from the group! Thanks.

 

[Randyzzz]

Looking for advice on a family cage as I move in that direction from the half cab. Looking to add two fold and tumble seats in the back for the kids.

There are a few options on eBay for a full cage and some bolt in options from rock hard 4x4 and poison spider that use the stock roll bar. Not doing any crazy wheeling here in Florida, mainly adding to keep the kids as safe as possible in the back. Appreciate any advice from the group! Thanks.

Look for a build thread on here by “Manhattan”. That was one of the nicest family cages I have seen.

 

[Randyzzz]

Here’s a few pics of his I found online. Couldn’t find any pics in his posts, but it was just a quick look.

 

[sdsupilot]

Extreme Custom Parts CJ8 rollcage

Aside from this, most of us with full cages either went DIY or had a shop custom build one. It's really too bad more 8s weren't made so that there would be more aftermarket support. I've built/assembled a few lazer cut cnc bent cages for a TJ and YJ. It would be awesome if they were available for an 8.

 

[Emile]

I'm planning on building mine with an extra roll bar I picked up this summer. I've got the 2 rows of seats in the back right now....I always joke the my least favorite kid at the moment has to sit in the very back. Want to end up with something like this in the back.

 

[93_Fummins]

Extreme Custom Parts CJ8 rollcage

Aside from this, most of us with full cages either went DIY or had a shop custom build one. It's really too bad more 8s weren't made so that there would be more aftermarket support. I've built/assembled a few lazer cut cnc bent cages for a TJ and YJ. It would be awesome if they were available for an 8.

Would there really be enough interest to justify the work? If so, I know a guy with an 8 that needs a cage, who just so happens to have CAD access, and has a friend with a Tube Dragon and hydraulic bender.....

 

[designerRob]

Would there really be enough interest to justify the work? If so, I know a guy with an 8 that needs a cage, who just so happens to have CAD access, and has a friend with a Tube Dragon and hydraulic bender.....

I could potentially be in for something like that.

 

[cjgoode]

I'm planning on building mine with an extra roll bar I picked up this summer. I've got the 2 rows of seats in the back right now....I always joke the my least favorite kid at the moment has to sit in the very back. Want to end up with something like this in the back.

View attachment 99887

That is mine, it worked out well I thought. Where the bar turns inwards, I cut them and rotated them and the angle pretty much matched the angel of the rear body supports. Worked out well when my daughter was small, but you should plan for a better way to do the seat belts, once their shoulders become higher then the seats having them the way I did coming from the floor is not the best. I was going to rig up something to have the seat belts come down at a better angle, but my kids trashed that scrambler. They would go to the beach and take it out on the beach put it back in the carport and when I would get there it would be full of sand and wet beach towels, and the underneath packed with sand. My son has taken it over now and is stripping it to fix the rust and hopefully bring it back. We are likely going to cut the extra cage off and go back to the single bar, no adult really wants to rid in the back.

 

[sdsupilot]

Would there really be enough interest to justify the work? If so, I know a guy with an 8 that needs a cage, who just so happens to have CAD access, and has a friend with a Tube Dragon and hydraulic bender.....

Hard telling if it would be any sort of a money maker. If you want to give it a go, call me and we can take measurements to make sure whatever cage would fit under the bestop soft top. I do plan on building a full custom cage for mine eventually. I just don’t feel the factory cage I used as the base for mine is adequate.

 

[Deacon61]

Hard telling if it would be any sort of a money maker. If you want to give it a go, call me and we can take measurements to make sure whatever cage would fit under the bestop soft top. I do plan on building a full custom cage for mine eventually. I just don’t feel the factory cage I used as t he base for mine is adequate.

Randy I love the Manhattan cage above, I remember seeing that before. Thanks for your thoughts.

We may have a few people on here interested which may make it more cost effective? Let me know if a group forms and I would be interested in a custom family cage from your buddy. Thanks everyone for the replies and thoughts.

 

[Kane]

I would be on board for a premade cage as well. I have the extreme custom cage but I really do not like how it looks. Just too square looking for me.

 

[93_Fummins]

So, for those of you interested in a family style cage "kit"...what would be some of the design features desired?

 

[designerRob]

So, for those of you interested in a family style cage "kit"...what would be some of the design features desired?

I really like the cage @bigwalton had done a couple years ago. https://www.cj-8.com/threads/postal-full-cage-with-a-couple-twists.23012/post-436398

One pet peeve of mine, as a designer, is when the cage a/pillar angle doesn't match the Jeep a/pillar. Also, I'd want to make sure my Bestop will go down over the back of the cage.

 

[ag4ever]

I’d be in for a frame like Eric’s or like the “Manhattan” one without the door bars by the front seat.

I was planning to build one for my ‘82 anyways, so a prefab’d one would be great.

 

[Randyzzz]

The only thing I would change on Manhattan’s cage is the front A pillar bars. Those two bars going straight to the floor get in the way of a lot of stuff. Take that cage and use the Rock Hard or Genright front stanchions.

I did something similar on my cage when I built it for Copper. And I ran the front lower bars just below the door opening. Triangulation was not quite as good but it made getting in easier.

 

[Deacon61]

Great point Randy I have heard that is a good modification with the stanchions. 93 Fummins let’s do this!!

 

[Belizeit]

The only thing I would change on Manhattan’s cage is the front A pillar bars. Those two bars going straight to the floor get in the way of a lot of stuff. Take that cage and use the Rock Hard or Genright front stanchions.

I did something similar on my cage when I built it for Copper. And I ran the front lower bars just below the door opening. Triangulation was not quite as good but it made getting in easier. View attachment 99901

Randy when you say use the Rock Hard front stanchions, the ones that bolt to the dash ?

 

[tower210]

I would want almost exactly like Manhattan's or Eric's in AZ (with the custom bimini top)

 

[bigwalton]

The only thing I would change on Manhattan’s cage is the front A pillar bars. Those two bars going straight to the floor get in the way of a lot of stuff. Take that cage and use the Rock Hard or Genright front stanchions.

I did something similar on my cage when I built it for Copper. And I ran the front lower bars just below the door opening. Triangulation was not quite as good but it made getting in easier. View attachment 99901

I did a custom stanchion on the driver’s side of mine for that reason and the passenger side just goes to the floor.

 

[tower210]

I would want almost exactly like Manhattan's or Eric's in AZ (with the custom bimini top)