Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Roll Bar for a Jeep?

It don't even look like it rolls let alone be capable of rolling over.

Hire a “crack mechanic”

Thank goodness I can't tell you that this method has worked because I have never been in a rollover in my 72 Blazer, but the above is what I installed about 30 years ago (8 bolts, not welded) and I do have high confidence.

ironbender;
Top of the morning my friend, I hope that you're all getting weather you can stand and that you and your fine family are well.

While I'm not above tackling some mechanic and fabrication work, I'll go with your recommendation on this one 1000%.

The only thing I'd add is, as others have posted, if it was my project there's no way I'd only have a roll bar put in. An entire roll cage would be the best option, built and installed by people who know how to do it right.

Then I'd make sure that the seats and safety harness would keep me and my passengers inside or at least still strapped in, in the event it went endo.

Anyways that'd be my approach, but as always there's many roads to Mecca and all that.

All the best to you all as we head into the Christmas Season.

Dwayne

That is a 2A, have had a few of them.

Now, for roll bars vs roll cage, it all depends on what is to be the main purpose of the Jeep. If just putting around your property, then a roll bar should suffice. If you are going to take it on the highway or rock crawl then you want a cage.

Attaching to the frame is ideal, but I have been Jeeping since the early 1980's and we never had one mounted to the frame.

My current build is a 1969 CJ6 with a cage, not built by me, it mounts to the body in 8 places. I am going to take the four corners and build bar/plates to mount to frame. Not the best image, but it is a well built cage. I will also, be adding a couple bars for chits and giggles.

When I bought my first CJ5 (an '82 in '87) my dads long time bud about cried.
Very upset w my purchase, said he held onto a fellow soldier that rolled one, died in his arms.
Of course that was way back and no roll bar....old flat fender.

Guess my fam lost a 2nd cuz when the Ford version w ind suspension flipped him in a ditch.

My 2nd CJ5 was brought home on a trailer. Purchased wrecked. Frontal roll over, steering wheel touching seat.
I straightened the tub and bolted on a new front end, redid suspension and drove it like a madman for several years.
Statistically, pretty safe.......LOL

Factory roll bars on the CJ5 and CJ7s, early ones bolted to fender wells. Later the front of the bar went to floor behind front seats.
Still just bolted the the floor. They made kits where you through bolted to a pc that was welded to the frame.

Looked at cage for my XJs when wheeling, think it was Rock Hard that made bolt together cages.

Here is my ‘73 cj5. 65,000 on the OD iirc. I’m second owner. It’s been setting here in the dry for going on 30+ yrs now, or close to it.
These are the bars I built for it.
The inside bar is 2" x3/16 sg tubing. Miter cut, beveled and welded. I have hand sketches of an 1 1/4 sg tubing three bar set up that I plan on replacing it with at some point. If I do I’ll make a detachable light bar that mounts to the top of it for when the rag top is off.


The front bumper is a three piece deal. The main bumper is 5" x 3/16 broke channel with 1 1/4 x 3/16 sg railing. The idea is to keep the radiator and engine compartment from being completely crushed if does roll over. The grill guard and light bar are separate pieces. Might do the them in aluminum at some point.

The rocker panels and rear bars are all out of 1 1/4 x 3/16 sg. The rockers are topped with aluminum tread plate.



The 73 was one of the final years that actually had a tail gate. And one of the first years with the 304 I believe.
The rear tire carrier holds a Gerry can on each side of the tire and hinges from either side to drop the tail gate. To much schit’n the way to get pic of it.

I’m about getting in the mind set to start a restoration on it.(old age project) I want to build a flip up/forward front clip that will carry the hood fenders bumper and all with it.. a hillbilly’s e-type jag look!1 HA! <G>

Question, Orange paint on the raised Willis?

That could make a nice one! My grand daddy had a 46. Plowed with it. When he finally bought a tractor he traded it for a chainsaw!

Bolting or welding the roll bar to the frame is a good idea. A cheap azz roll bar just bolted to the truck bed and then packing the cab with 3 sweeties from the Cricket club, my roll over on 441 wasn't fatal. Drinking and grabbing azz is fun till it ain't.

Hey tndrbstr that looks like the original K Line top on it. Yep mine had the 304 in it, rear tailgate and it was set up as a "farm Jeep", it had the big stack of springs.

This is not true.... I was in a Jeep with a bolted in rollcage when we rolled three times , hard and fast on pavement, no slow roll. The jeep was totaled and we walked away sore but unhurt.

BluMnt, no I know I replaced the original at some point. I done it myself so it fit taught like it should. I’ve seen some rattyas’ replacements that folks paid someone else to do!
I plan on reversing the front spring shackles on it and moving them behind the axle. I also have a set of front Chevy disc brakes that I had planned on doing a conversion with… that and a Chevy Camaro steering box.
laffin… we’ll see!

Either Or,.. for serious schitt they really need to be tied into the frame on way or another. Even with a backing plate the fender metal is probably still just around 20ga or less.

Obviously they should be frame mounted if possible...
I was simply disputing the "absolute" statement by STRSWilson..... experience trumps speculation, always

As far as I know, back in the day, factory roll bars were never welded OR mounted to the frame.

Correct, they were bolted to the tub

The guy I bought my cj off of special ordered it so not to have the big hood decal kit on it. Golden eagle or something?
He told them he didn’t want the roll bar either and they just left it off! It never had one when I got it.

Brother Fubar;
Top of the morning to you my cyber brother, I trust that other than the political turmoil we're enmired in that all else in your life is more than less fine.

Please help a semi-geezer's memory out here, but even back in the day did Jeep actually ever say the factory bar was anything more than for looks?

In the '80's when the BC pickups all had the "roll bar" in the box they were sold up here as a "light bar" and there was a warning that they didn't help in a roll over.

Anyways, having never been near a Jeep until our eldest bought a one owner XJ I'd only gone hunting in buddy's a couple times. His had that factory bar too if I'm remembering right?

Thanks in advance and all the best.

Dwayne

I wouldn't ride in a Jeep without at least a roll bar, much prefer a cage... seen too many roll