Topic: Custom roll cage question/ inquiry

[N8whitie]

I was wondering if anybody could provide me with some advice or info on where I can go in the Bay Area, preferably East Bay( or within 2-3 hours in any direction) to get a full custom frame mounted roll cage built for my '95 YJ?? also a ballpark figure for that bad boy. I know they won't be cheap but is it less expensive to order a kit from an online manufacturer and have them weld it up following the manufacturers spec sheet and install it or to just finsd a shop, tell them what I'm looking for and have them fab, build and install it . I know that with shop cost its obviously going to be cheaper to have them weld a kit together verus fab and build a custom but I was asking more like this.

    (cage kit from online manufacturer + shop to weld and install = TOTAL$$) VS (Shop to fab, build and install = TOTAL$$)

 I know I ask alot of questions about alot of different parts and seems like I can't make my mind up on what to do next. That is not the case. I'm just trying to get a ball park figure on how much to save up in order to get my Jeep initially built to my liking. I usually do all the work on my Jeep myself but I don't have the equipment for this job.

 Thanks alot for any answers given.  -- Nate White
 
 Heres a pic of the cage style I'm looking for minus the shocks mounted to that bar.
 

 

[sharpxmen]

Nate, why not use yours as a starting point and add/weld the reinforcements - from what i've seen a lot of guys are doing just that and saved them the bending hassle.

[N8whitie]

Yeah, I thought about that but I would still have to add new tubing going down unless I just made a member that went to the frame with a plate on it and bolted that and the existing member together through the floor but it doesn't seem like it would be as strong or as quality that way. Then I would have to get it blasted and repainted. I think I would just feel better with an all new cage built the way its supposed to be built by a guy that knows what he's doing alot more than I do.(that qualification probably isn't too hard to find). haha... besides I don't like all of the bolt holes and grommit type things on the stock tubing. As for the tube bending, I don't have all of the equipment for that anyways so I'm having someone else do it anyways. Thanks for the idea.

[Jeffy]

It's gonna be expensive that's for sure.  I don't know of any shops in the East Bay.  You might try contacting some metal fabrication shops but you will want to do a lot of research as they will follow your instructions.  Otherwise, get a kit from Poison Spider and then look to have it welded some place.  The only real 4x4 fabrication shop that I'd trust is Lavender Brothers but that's not a close as they're in Monterey.

Most of the guy's around here have a friend with a tube bender that everyone uses.  But then you're on your own with getting the tubes and bending them.

[sharpxmen]

i think it's probably related to how much work is involved (how many man hours) - if it's using stock mount points will be less hours than joining into the frame for example. also. are you going to go rigid from the tub to the frame or use some rubber/poly mounts to tie into the frame (keep in mind that the tub uses rubber or poly body mounts, if you don't use something similar for the rollcage something will probably give and crack).