[JDM'ized]

....today I woke up at 6:00 and started cutting, buffing, and welding (well actually my friend welded)...part of the cage in !
I'm pretty stock how it came out. My friend Aki (the welder) did a wonderful job ! Very nice clean welds, one pass, very consistent.
I cut the tubing, cut the plates, measured everything, buff the chassis, then it was time to sand down the bars and the plates, I ended up painting it with some flat-black rust-oleum....(see Gary... ....thanks for bugging me so much... ).
In a few weeks I'm going to replace the OEM front bar (which supports the steering colum, and the ECU), and weld in a solid 1'' 1/2'' chromoly.
Then later on this winter I will continue with the side bars (doors-bars).
Anyway, lots of you will probably ask for pics (as usual...:doah...bare with me, as I am in the process to actually buy (finally) a digital camera...
I'm really happy... .....kinda Christmas time-feeling...

 

[footinmouth]

Thats on my list of things to do to my truck.Did you go 4 point? To the frame?Will it go to the back of the truck? Seat belt bars?ERW or DOM or CRO- MOLY. to bad I didn't know about this sooner maybe he could have bent me some bars .Sounds nice so far - post pics soon

 

[Firdaddy]

cool beans.. and yes buy a camera quick or i'll start a petition ban you:nana:



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[JDM'ized]

Thats on my list of things to do to my truck.Did you go 4 point? To the frame?Will it go to the back of the truck? Seat belt bars?ERW or DOM or CRO- MOLY. to bad I didn't know about this sooner maybe he could have bent me some bars .Sounds nice so far - post pics soon

Chromoly all around.
Aki and I decided not to run a "V" shape bars behind the seat because of the floor's thickness it's just too thin, and even though you would weld a plate, it would melt thru the floor; it's just not worth it). So he just welded a straight bar across the chassis, from one side to the other.
The front tubing (that will replace the sh!tty OEM one) will have an extra extension that attaches to the hump of the tranny with a plate at the bottom (right behind where the SRS unit used to be... ).
So, to answer your question: the roll-cage in the cabin is going to have 5 points; while later on down the road I will get 2 extra tubing extending thru the rear wall (behind the seat) thru the bed, onto the bed's floor, welded on top of the chassis....but you won't be able to see them from the side, as they're gonna "sit" very low, and out of sight... ....sleeper stype...:waytogo:

Yes Fridaddy, pics soon.... Either, I have to S&M my roommate, and steal all of his photograpic equipment, or I better hurry up and buy one myself

 

[Buff's Taco]

heres mine that just got started.

It went right to the frame in 6 spots. Just curious why a 1.5 solid for the front bar? anything heavier than a .120 wall should been more then enough I think thats just alot more weight and waste of material/money.

 

[JDM'ized]

heres mine that just got started.

It went right to the frame in 6 spots. Just curious why a 1.5 solid for the front bar? anything heavier than a .120 wall should been more then enough I think thats just alot more weight and waste of material/money.

Oh no, it's not 1.5 thick (if that's what you mean)...the 1.5 is the overall diameter, which I think it is the same size like stock (on the passenger side).
BTW, your cage is very nice, I like it a lot...maybe overkill for my taste, but very nice indeed. How can you weld 360 degree on those tubing if their really-super close to the rear wall ? I also noticed you cut the bar (OEM) that crosses from side to side, why ? Clearence ?....it kinda weaken the body structure...:shrug: ....
Oh BTW, I am using .120 wall thickness....do you have more pics of your work ? I really like it....:waytogo:

 

[Buff's Taco]

Yeah you didnt say the wall thickness so I was scared ha.To weld 360 around im dropping the cage out the bottom then lifting it back up to the frame where its plated then finishing it, Yeah mine is over kill for street its more for off road. We cut the top area out because im going to plate the cage to the cage along the a and b pilar and plate across the back making it more uniform. Every place the cage goes through the cab will be plate inside and out for stress. The tacoma cabs are really soft they tend to split over time no matter what, im prepared to do a little cosmetic surgery. I went out the front a little different then some would but it will allow me to lean it forward so I can get every spot in the back.

 

[JDM'ized]

Bravo !...cut thru the firewall and get a straight tubing that passes thru and attaches to the ladder frame ?...good idea.
What kind of shocks are you planning to run ? King ? Fox 2.5 bypass external valves......those types of shocks...
Good work man, keep it up :waytogo:....when are you planing to finish it ?

 

[Buff's Taco]

fox 2.5 coil over duel rate 500 over 600 but i think that might be a lil soft. If i can get the money a bypass ive left room for it but not sure when it will go in. Im also running a hydro bump up front and straped at 17inches so it should be a fun little truck. Its one of those projects that are never finished hopefully will have it on the street in november. I still waiting on shots of yours get that digi up and running.

 

[JDM'ized]

I know what you mean by "it's one of those project that never end"...:lol:
Are you planing to swap in a 5VZ ? that should help in a small truck like yours (at least in the Baja).
As for me...:lol:...everytime I get extra cash in my pocket, I end up spending it in the truck, instead buying a nice digital camera...:lol:
That's definitely gonna be on my next paycheck !!! Along with continuing the cage, lexan windows, installing (finally) the new pressure-plate and the light flywheel....then dropping the engine, then the aluminium driveshaft...bla bla bla
Never ends !

 

[TheComa]

alex b. your truck is turning out to be one bad ass piece of equipment, you gonna come done to the meet/camping get together at leo carillo this weekend? get your seat belts in!! i wanna see this beast. good job.

 

[JDM'ized]

I painted part of the cage (flat-black).......I already cut the chromoly tubing I need to replace the front OEM bar, and the 2 plates to weld on the floor underneat the fuse box and on the passenger side....after that, I'll have two bars that connect the main-front bar to the ground and the bar behind the seat to the front two bars. Basically they'll be my door's bars (side-impact bars; so I can cut the door ).
Bad news is: this weekend I absolutely HAVE to install my new pressure plate (with double diaphragm) as my stock unit is almost dead and cannot keep up with the kevlar clutch ! And while I'm at it, I'll replace my stock flywheel (finally) with the lightweight 9lbs LCengineering....sorry guys to flake out like that. I REALLY wanted to come down, but first, the reliability of my truck (I just put so much $$$ into it)...it would suck if my clutch explode on my way there...:doah:

 

[vtechthis]

alex its all good man i wouldnt want you blowin a clutch at any point either so well just get you out here next time.:waytogo:

 

[JDM'ized]

Yeah, I figured it's about 400 miles + the cruising, then 400 miles back...so...

 

[vtechthis]

Yeah, I figured it's about 400 miles + the cruising, then 400 miles back...so...

yea we will hopefully be doing more of these overnight/camping type of get togethers so just keep an eye out for the next one.

 

[JDM'ized]

For sure...:waytogo: ...thanks guys for being so understanding !...I already have enough students breathing on my neck...:doah:

 

[ToyComa]

damn man, get a camera already.

and 400 miles is only about 6 hours each way if you can average 70 miles an hour haha. I do 120 miles each way in about 2 hours if traffic is light every time i go to work on my car. some weekends i go to the shop twice so thats almost 500 miles in a weekend. you could drive 400 in 6 hours, sleep, get up, do some "touge" sleep some more then go home.