Sport cage painting

[Steve Curren]

I have just received my sport cage and have put a good coat of primer on it. I have purchased a can of spray paint that is the color of the Jeep, my question is should I paint the cage the color of the Jeep like I planned or should I paint it another color like maybe with the bedliner spray?
Thanks,
Steve

[XXXpedition]

i'd probably go with bed liner...
will you have padding?
what color was your jeep again? (sorry didn't find a pic or note...)
sven

[Steve Curren]

I am not sure about padding but maybe after a while. I was thinking last night about doing the bars across the front in the vehicle color and the ones running to the sides of the windshield in the bedliner.
I will see if I can post a picture.

[BigAl]

I use my overhead bars to pull myself in and out of the jeep, which wears the paint quickly. What ever you choose, thnik about the ability to touch it up

[goodtimes]

I painted the front half of mine black. I used regular old Krylon (or what ever) primer and paint. It has held up well over the last few years. It has a few scratches, but then again, what part of my jeep doesn't have a few (or a lot) of scratches?

[Steve Curren]

OK black won out. I put a coat of the liner on one side of a brace and I decided you are all correct. Now just to get it together without wrecking the dash, I dry fitted it and managed to scrape the dash a bit and I am looking to put some rags and tape there so hopefully I won't do any more damage. It's handy that I am putting the cage and a gauge in at the same time, just have to find a switched wire for the gauge.
Thanks to all,
Steve

[absolute]

I'm thinking of powder coating my cage.

durable and clean finish!

[Steve Curren]

Powder coating was my first choice but right now it's a bit more than the budget can handle. I have found that the bedliner spray works great and is fairly resistant to the likes of me. I will see about half it done today as the side is about dry from it's third coating, that stuff really goes fast..

[Robert Bills]

Krylon semi-gloss black. I use it for my bumpers, can rack, skid plates, rocker guards, roll cage, etc., and buy it by the case. Relatively inexpensive and very forgiving.

[highlandercj-7]

Hammerite looks good too.

[Steve Curren]

Left side painted and in, right side is drying and tomorrow begins the drilling and a few choice words. It is a bit tighter than I thought it would be but it's in... I do like how the black compliments the color of the dash, guess I will save the spray for when I can get the trailer painted the same as the Jeep.

[goodtimes]

Krylon semi-gloss black. I use it for my bumpers, can rack, skid plates, rocker guards, roll cage, etc., and buy it by the case. Relatively inexpensive and very forgiving.

Yup! That is the stuff!

[XXXpedition]

I use my overhead bars to pull myself in and out of the jeep
you could use on of those strap-on handles...

Left side painted and in, right side is drying and tomorrow begins the drilling and a few choice words.
no install pics?? :-(((
you do get us some pics when it's done, right? ;-)

[Steve Curren]

Sven, here a few that I took, I am not the story teller as some are but you will get the drift. Also a picture of the oil pressure gauge and adapter.
Steve

[Steve Curren]

A few more.

[absolute]

Looking good!

How do you like the grab bar angled like that?



Nick

[Steve Curren]

Thanks, it sure is hotter than Hades in the garage today, working on the cage as well as the gauges..
Well, as for the angle I can't really tell because I have not really driven it. Getting in and out is OK and I discover that the lower cross bar will be a perfect place to mount the gauge pod.
A few bottles of water and gotta brush the dog and I am back to it.

[XXXpedition]

looks very good.
and it seems that you have a great area (below the handle next to the vent) to mount your mirrors when you take the doors off ;-)

[Steve Curren]

I sure could mount some mirrors where you suggested, just have to stop the rain here.
Finished the install, pays to read the instructions over and over and then refer to them often. I got parts assembled to quickly and missed steps so I am now an expert at installation having done almost three installs on one cage.
I have pictures of the finished product, I mounted my CB and am in the process of deciding where to put the Lowrance. I ran enough wire to the center bar to take care of more 12 volt items if needed. I also mounted the oil pressure gauge on the lower cross bar and last night I hooked up the power and WOW it has juice..
Steve

[Steve Curren]

Oops, no pictures...

[Steve Curren]

More pictures.

[RunninRubicon]

Installation efforts paid off, Steve. Looks great. Cross-bar over the dash is nice and yet very functional. I like to the bolt on joints.

[Steve Curren]

Thanks Joe, I used the lower bar for the Lowrance mounting. Be seeing you soon, I will bring the parts Tuesday.

[RunninRubicon]

Did you obtain your lift yet? If so, are we tossin it on this week as well as running to Rice pt? :jumping:

[Steve Curren]

I did the lift last week on Wednesday. Now it feels a little better when I have to step up to get in. I had fun with the electric disconnects..

[madizell]

Cross-bar over the dash is nice and yet very functional. I like to the bolt on joints.

Rock Hard 4X4 makes these. Powder coating would make installation problematic because of those joints, which are machined from billet and fit the tubing very tightly. The cage in my CJ-7 was primed with rust fixative then painted with hi-temp ceramic header paint, low-gloss black, back in the winter of 2002-2003 and is still hanging in there with no rust issues, even though shipped overseas twice, rolled twice, and otherwise abused. The cage recently installed in my early CJ-5 I simply primed with rust fixative, which turns black when dry. I am going to leave it like that unless or until it becomes a problem.

If you want to try doing a custom cage, Lewis at Rock Hard will sell the machined joints for the DIY crowd. I used them to build the tire carrier on the back of the CJ-7.

[Steve Curren]

Sounds like the Rock Hard products are around to stay.I used a bedliner spray and I know what you mean about tight tolerances, I am happy with the cage and hopefully will never have to find out how sturdy it is. I am also looking at the rear bumper from them, it looks sturdy as well as it will stay open off camber and you can add items to it.

[RunninRubicon]

I suppose having the ability to disassemble a roll-cage has merit, however the thought of having a welded joint protecting me vs a tightly bolted joint has merit as well. I suspect this would be ONE thought that would be racing through my mind if ever I were to roll over. All I have to say is "God bless Poison Spider cages!"
If ever I have to remove it I will use a saws-all and then weld it back together when the change or removal need is done.

[Steve Curren]

I agree that a welded in one is probably a bit stouter but lacking the skills and equipment I fall back on the good old bolt in one. I for one am going to be doing a whole lot less crawling around and more trail riding, must be getting older.

[madizell]

Having twice rolled the CJ-7 with the Rock Hard cage, without shifting any joints or bending any cage elements, I disagree. Go ahead and try to shift one of the bolted joints. The billet ends are welded to the tubes at the factory -- then the billet ends are bolted around the joining tubing where intersecting tubes meet. There is nothing wimpy or inadequate about this method of building a cage. Actually, taking one of the joints apart after it has been torqued in place requires a very large hammer because of the tight tolerance of billet to tube, even when all 6 bolts have been removed entirely. Even the end caps won't fall off and have to be driven off the tube.

Most of your vehicle is bolted together, but that doesn't generally present cause to pause. Your suspension is bolted together, but works just fine. The clamp force of the billet joint is incredible, and won't break along a weld, as a mitered, welded joint can under stress if not properly done. The Rock Hard cage can be assembled inside the vehicle and there is no welding splatter to damage the interior. Minor fitment adjustments are possible to accommodate the vehicle, which can only be done with a welded cage if it is fitted and welded in place. The Rock Hard can also be removed if needed (when you sell the car for example), which a welded-in cage generally can not.

Keep in mind the vehicle into which this particular cage is being installed. From the photos it does not look like a gutted out dedicated rock buggy or bare-bones trail racer, so the bolt-in cage may well be the best choice on the market if the interior of the vehicle is to be left as is, and not damaged in the process.

At any rate, the cage is more than sufficiently strong for sporting purposes, served me very well in racing conditions in the Outback and elsewhere, and I have no complaints. I would venture to say that the bolted billet joints are every bit as strong as a mitered weld joint, if not stronger because there is no distortion or tempering changes which arise from arc welding on chrome-moly tube.

[trail-explorer]

I agree that a welded in one is probably a bit stouter but lacking the skills and equipment I fall back on the good old bolt in one. I for one am going to be doing a whole lot less crawling around and more trail riding, must be getting older.

That's exactly why I went with the bolt in. "user installed, no welding required"

They've held up well in roll overs - I've seen a few. I look at it this way, it's a step above the factory cage.