8 Jp jpmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2019
Built vs. Bought
In the built vs. bought debate I think it all
comes down to your skill level at whatever
you’re doing. I ’d ra ther build. A nd I ’ve b een
a welder for years. But I’ve seen some
welds that should never b e on any thing on
the road or trail, and I’m sure those people
thought it was good. A few years ago, I
picked up a CJ-7. It ran okay, but someone
b efore me thought they knew how to wire.
It looked like spaghetti under the dash.
I got a Painless harness and rewired the
entire jeep. Hanging wires were the least
of the problems I found as I was tearing out
the old stuff. I’m surprised it ran at all or
didn’t just burn to the ground. If you don’t
know, pay someone that does. There’s no
shame in that.
Doug Veres
Via email
Doug, the built versus bought debate is
highly personal, sometimes excruciatingly
emotional and heated, and it will likely
never end in a comfortably settled middle
ground. It ’s nic e to hear your sensible
thoughts and viewpoint.
Here’s how we look at it: Built or bought,
just do it re sponsibly. What we mean
by that is if you don’t have the skills,
equipment, spac e, or time to c ustom-
build something, then take the time and
ef for t to learn from more experienc ed
Jeepers. Research which aftermarket
parts manufacturers are making the better
products, ask what the preferred methods
and designs are, and have an experienced
shop do the work. Along the way, also take
the time to learn as much as you can, so
that as you bec ome ever more ac tive with
your Jeep you will gain familiarity with all
its parts and pieces, how they work, and
possibly how to fix them.
And Doug, you are precisely correct.
There is no shame in having a profes-
sional do the job for you. The shame is in
either pretending to know how (creating
a mess that someone else has to clean
up or driving an unsafe rig on the trail or
highway) or not working to learn how.Print Is Not Dead
I just wanted to give you a quick shout-
out and let you know there are still people
out there that love and appreciate picking
up a paper magazine and reading it cover
to cover! Jp Magazine is a timeless classic!
My personal favorites are the features on
old Jeeps. I love the history and tech tips
for Willys and even AMC-era Jeeps. I can
really relate to regular people building
practical, capable, and affordable Jeeps in
their garage. Most of the guys that I talk to
feel the same way. T hat ’s what Jeeping is
all about. Keep up the good work!
Seth Hensler
Via emailThanks, Seth. We are magazine fans
too, but we’re also fully immersed in the
digital world. Each has its own character
and value. The print (paper) version of Jp
Magazine is a curated selection of topics
and information presented in a form that
allows a more in- depth look at the subjec t.
The online version of Jp (jpmagazine.com)
has much of that but is more focused on
newsy items such as new vehicle releases
like the 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup or
things that need timely attention like
rallying Jeep enthusiasts to ac tion when
attempts at public land c losure s rear their
ugly head. Keep reading Jp Magazine,
and remember to check for daily updates
online, on Facebook (@jpmag), and on
Instagram (@jpmagazine)!XJ Cage Advice
I did a Super 30 kit up front and a 9-inch
rear, both with ARB Air Lockers on my XJ.
And doing a four-link rear suspension on
my Cherokee has been the best thing I
have done to the Jeep so far.
W hat advic e do you have about build-
ing a cage? Would you use 0.080- or
0.120-inch-wall tubing? I have the rear half
caged inside and I am torn between finish-
ing the inside or going exo.
Brian Woolever
Via emailFirst, we think the rollcage is a better
idea than the exo-cage, so let’s begin
this conversation with some facts about
rollcage construction. For those,
we’ll go to the NHRA General
Regulations. For vehicles with
frames, it requires 1^3 ⁄ 4 -inch
od x 0.118-inch mild steel or
0.093-inch 4130 chromoly
tubing. Rear and front braces
should be the same size as the
rollbar tubing, and crossbars for
seat bracing are to be 1^1 ⁄ 4 -inch
x 0.118-inch mild steel 0.
413 0 c hromoly tubing. If it ’s a
unibody vehicle like the XJ, it
requires 6x6-inch and 0.125-inch-
thick steel plates on the top andBy Stuar t A. Bourdon
[email protected]MAILBAG
bottom of the floor bolted together with
at least four^3 ⁄ 8 -inch bolts and nuts, or
welding the main hoop to roc ker sill area
with 0.125-inch reinforcing plates to secure
the cage points.
We also c hec ked in with some c ustom
c age makers on the exo- c age thing, and
they all said pretty muc h the same thing.
Stick with no less than 1^1 ⁄ 2 -inch mild steel
tubing. Keep it tight to the body, follow
body lines, and consider how the cage
will give during a rollover. Keep tubing
clear of windows and allow enough room
for the doors to function. Think about
approach angles and how your Jeep will
slide through obstacles as well. Remove
the metal sleeves from your body mounts
and tighten the bolts tight to keep the
body from flexing into the cage. Make
sure you cope your notches for a tight fit.
Triangulate your cage on different planes:
diagonally, horizontally, and vertically. Tie
it into the frame at as many points as you
feel comfortable, most suggest six points
as a minimum.
Most impor tantly, if your welding skills
are not very, very good, then have a pro do
the job for you. After all, whether you’re
building a rollcage or an exo-cage, the
welfare of you and your passengers relies
on that structure’s integrity.Write Us!
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