Project Mongo

now here comes the fun part, what to do about a cage. I ditched the rear seat, and don't plan on running the hard top. The top over the cab area, and a working AC and heater are all I will need for Texas weather.

Since I also moved the rear axle back some, and would like to move it back even more when I link it, the rear fenders will need to be reworked. I also want to move the gas tank to between the rear frame rails to make room for links and to keep it from being a rock anchor. Finally, the rear frame rails, including the rear body mounts are seriously bent out of wack from an accident, so something needs to be done about them

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Originally Posted by agjohn02

question: what happens when you are trying to turn left and the left side of the suspension is at full bump? wont the draglink/pitman arm interfer with the leaf spring?

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there is more room there than it appears. The angle of the picture is just bad. If its a problem when I test flex it, I'll set my bumpstops to compensate, or if its bad enough, I will relocate the steering box. I have all the stuff to do it, and may do it anyway during my time off

so here is a crappy pictured done in paint that shows what I'm thinking of doing

http://tamor.us/members-rigs/albums/...22_3.sized.jpg

Cutting the fenders like that in the rear will seriously reduce weight and rear overhang, and it would probably just get dented all to hell anyway

On the tube work, I want to try something new. I want to combine an exo with a internal style cage to give the benefits of both, without the problems with head space or bracing each design has. The rear portion of the cage will be similar to any old truck cage for the most part. The main hoop, or B hoop will run right outside the cab area. The bars will run over the roof, and then go back into the cab right above the top corners of the windshield. This will allow me to brace everything like a normal cage, yet give me plenty of head room.

For the front, I'm not for sure what I'm gonna do yet

The lines on the outside of the bed will area will be similar to sliders, and will hopefully keep the sheetmetal from getting destroyed. They will be tied into the main cage in 3 places, and also provide support for the cut up bedsides

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Originally Posted by CRaSHnBuRN

so here is a crappy pictured done in paint that shows what I'm thinking of doing

http://tamor.us/members-rigs/albums/...22_3.sized.jpg

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that's a crappy picture in paint? That's about the best paint artwork i've ever seen.

yeah, but all I really did was trace it

Is this thing still gonna be a daily driver?

not a very comfortable one at least

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Originally Posted by CRaSHnBuRN

Cutting the fenders like that in the rear will seriously reduce weight and rear overhang, and it would probably just get dented all to hell anyway

On the tube work, I want to try something new. I want to combine an exo with a internal style cage to give the benefits of both, without the problems with head space or bracing each design has. The rear portion of the cage will be similar to any old truck cage for the most part. The main hoop, or B hoop will run right outside the cab area. The bars will run over the roof, and then go back into the cab right above the top corners of the windshield. This will allow me to brace everything like a normal cage, yet give me plenty of head room.

For the front, I'm not for sure what I'm gonna do yet

The lines on the outside of the bed will area will be similar to sliders, and will hopefully keep the sheetmetal from getting destroyed. They will be tied into the main cage in 3 places, and also provide support for the cut up bedsides

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I've seen a couple of exo-interior cages on TTORA. Don't have links, but they've worked well from what I've read and do what they're designed to do, not be as ugly as exo cages, and not have the space limitations of interior cages.

So, I'm bursting your bubble, nothing new.

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Originally Posted by Snatch Adams

Is this thing still gonna be a daily driver?

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no, the plan was to drive it the this semester, but that kinda went down the drain when the week I requested off during the christmas break was ignored by the new management. During this semester, school and work has been so crazy that I've made it home twice to work on it, and only a day a piece. I had hoped to finish it up over spring break, but interviews got in the way of that as well.

And to tell you the truth, I wouldn't want to drive this thing in houston traffic anyway, so I'm going to pick up a truck to use as a tow rig/daily driver some time before graduation.

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Originally Posted by JeepPhisherman

I've seen a couple of exo-interior cages on TTORA. Don't have links, but they've worked well from what I've read and do what they're designed to do, not be as ugly as exo cages, and not have the space limitations of interior cages.

So, I'm bursting your bubble, nothing new.

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I never said it was totally unique, but you show me a 1st gen 4runner similar to what I have drawn up there. I've never seen one, and I've been looking for one just so I can ask the builder of it some questions. Even if the design was really common, I would do it simply because I hate the way full exos look, especially on 4runners.

Now since you came in here trying to burst my bubble, find me the links you mentioned so I can take a look at them

I'll get them later. One was on a tacoma, one on a 3rd gen 4runner, I think.

this indo/exo-cage may not be a bad idea for the cheby as the sumbiatch is wide enough as it is.

yeah, I've seen one on a newer tacoma and a XJ. The Xj was actually what really got me started on the idea. I asked about it on pirate, and had very little feedback other than if I did it, to fully document it so others could copy.

Now for the ones you saw, how did the tubes run into the cab? My idea is to make it look somewhat like the roof rack on a Xterra. I'm hoping to use sandwhich plates on the roof to connect the tubing, in order to keep from cutting holes in the roof that will leak.

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Originally Posted by DRAGOONRANCH

this indo/exo-cage may not be a bad idea for the cheby as the sumbiatch is wide enough as it is.

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My problem is that it seems that most exos for 4runners just turn into giant jungle gyms. Plus you have all the tubing surrounding the windshield. If you try to tuck it in to improve visibility, you break the windshield in a roll. Then there is the problem of not being able to get decent crossbracing. Internal cages are nice, but lack room for big guys like us. I can give up the footroom needed to run the tube down in front of the dash, but I want as much headroom as I can get, and the capability to move the seat back some.

I think this design will give me a bunch of the good parts of both designs, while eliminating some of the problems. Granted, the windshield may get broken in a decent roll, but that can still easily happen with the exo. Hell, many exos do more damage than they save.