mondo exo cage

[Sudz]

a buddy of mine sent me this link - have you guys seen this:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2303256

[canadian_driver]

yep we have.... lol, the poser jeep

[GeneHubert]

a buddy of mine sent me this link - have you guys seen this:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2303256

Thanks for the link!

The Cage is a work of art! It is very clear that this guy really likes his ZJ and has some great sponsors! It would be interesting to know more about the XJ that donated the suspension and axles.

You know I have had ZJs since 1996. I really enjoy my current ZJ and have spent countless hours working on it and a few thousands of dollars... and will continue to do more.

I am not a rockcrawler or pretend to be.... But if I were and had $50,000 and unlimited time to invest into a vehicle in building a unique rockcrawler that is trailered....... Somehow I just don't think I would be putting it into a ZJ.....

After looking through this build, what I would really like to know is what is left that is ZJ other than the body?

I have to label this build a "ZJ Big Foot". Maybe totally right now, but it is on its' way!

Great photos and story...... Thank you again for sharing.....

For those that haven't checked this out, it is worth your time for at least ideas.

[GeneHubert]

yep we have.... lol, the poser jeep

Did you watch the video of going on its' side and then backing out? Nothing earth shaking, but not posing for sure!

[J B]

I think exo cages are goofy anyway, but that one is the worst one I have seen.

[GeneHubert]

I think exo cages are goofy anyway, but that one is the worst one I have seen.

The goofy and worst part that I see is the structural integrity, the lack of diagonals. I see it as a work of art (right down to the designer gussets) which provides protection, but not necessarily maximum protection that I would want for a competition based vehicle.

But it did work in a gentle lay down on the side.

I agree with you that exo cages look goofy in general. But what do I know, some people pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for abstract art and I think that is goofy looking too!

[nate]

Looks pretty sharp to me. I'd rather have an exo and be able to use tubing on the sides/roofs as sliders instead of the soda can thickness sheetmetal.

[ATL ZJ]

Looks pretty sharp to me. I'd rather have an exo and be able to use tubing on the sides/roofs as sliders instead of the soda can thickness sheetmetal.

I thought the purpose of a cage was to protect the vehicle's occupants in a rollover.. The lack of triangulation that you are forced to settle for with an exo cage puts the pounds up high and compromises the safety of the passengers.. Why not get rid of some of the unneeded glass, doors, sheetmetal, etc. instead of adding obscene amounts of weight in order to protect a bunch of stuff that isn't necessary on a trail-only rig? I'm sure that overloaded Expedition would be grateful too..

[ELLLLLIOTTTTT]

exo's use SO much more tube though, especially up top, contributing to a super high COG. And trying to navigate around door, hood, and hatch openings is really a bitch. That guy definatley has thrown some $ at that thing.

[J B]

I thought the purpose of a cage was to protect the vehicle's occupants in a rollover.. The lack of triangulation that you are forced to settle for with an exo cage puts the pounds up high and compromises the safety of the passengers.. Why not get rid of some of the unneeded glass, doors, sheetmetal, etc. instead of adding obscene amounts of weight in order to protect a bunch of stuff that isn't necessary on a trail-only rig? I'm sure that overloaded Expedition would be grateful too..

Exactly my point. The real purpose of a cage should be to prtect the occupants. An exo can't do that, simply because it can't be braced in the directions it needs to, because tubes would have to enter the interior.

As best I can tell, the exo is meant to protect the sheetmetal and glass. If you're that hardcore, the glass and sheetmetal should just go away.

[GeneHubert]

Re: mondo exo cage
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATL ZJ
I thought the purpose of a cage was to protect the vehicle's occupants in a rollover.. The lack of triangulation that you are forced to settle for with an exo cage puts the pounds up high and compromises the safety of the passengers.. Why not get rid of some of the unneeded glass, doors, sheetmetal, etc. instead of adding obscene amounts of weight in order to protect a bunch of stuff that isn't necessary on a trail-only rig? I'm sure that overloaded Expedition would be grateful too..

Exactly my point. The real purpose of a cage should be to prtect the occupants. An exo can't do that, simply because it can't be braced in the directions it needs to, because tubes would have to enter the interior.

As best I can tell, the exo is meant to protect the sheetmetal and glass. If you're that hardcore, the glass and sheetmetal should just go away.

EXCELLENT POINTS!!!

Maybe the goal for this rig is "alot of Show" and "some go".

You both are spot on for the protecting the occupants which would require the cross bracing.

My concern has always been and will be remain, using a unibody for Hardcore wheeling. It seems the exo frame would be just that, with a cage included. I see the serious hardcore rigs do make serious modifications to connect up and develop a framed vehicle. Most appear to have built the frame and cage, then used body parts and panels to fill it in!

Then too, how much of the GCs stock running gear and other parts are actually retained in a hardcore build?

[J B]

And most of this is why I'll probably never go above 33s and short arms on my ZJ. My concern on the trail these days is massive body damage. I don't want every single panel bent to shit and glass to be broken out. But that's what you have to deal with with a full bodies rig. The guys in SWB jeeps could care less because they have no glass except for the windshield, and there's really not that much to the body.

If I want to ever wheel something that I don't care if I tear up, I'll just build up a SWB jeep or maybe fab a buggy.

[GeneHubert]

And most of this is why I'll probably never go above 33s and short arms on my ZJ. My concern on the trail these days is massive body damage. I don't want every single panel bent to shit and glass to be broken out. But that's what you have to deal with with a full bodies rig. The guys in SWB jeeps could care less because they have no glass except for the windshield, and there's really not that much to the body.

If I want to ever wheel something that I don't care if I tear up, I'll just build up a SWB jeep or maybe fab a buggy.

10 - 4 !!!!!! You are the MAN!!

[ELLLLLIOTTTTT]

10 - 4 !!!!!! You are the MAN!!

settle down there cupcake, that's just one person's opinion. I love ZJ's and will wheel the crap out of mine full bodied until it won't go anymore. Not every trail is so tight that you can't get a ZJ through it. ZJ's have the advantage over SWB's in places like Moab, parts of Tellico, and several other places. Besides nothing beats hardcore wheeling in some leather seats and cold A/C.

[GeneHubert]

settle down there cupcake, that's just one person's opinion. I love ZJ's and will wheel the crap out of mine full bodied until it won't go anymore. Not every trail is so tight that you can't get a ZJ through it. ZJ's have the advantage over SWB's in places like Moab, parts of Tellico, and several other places. Besides nothing beats hardcore wheeling in some leather seats and cold A/C.

Yeap... I understand your position. I love ZJs too. Just from another perspective, which is what makes the world go around and everyone's opinion count. Even it only counts one time.

So can we agree to disagree or have different opinions without the candlelight flaming?

[J B]

settle down there cupcake, that's just one person's opinion. I love ZJ's and will wheel the crap out of mine full bodied until it won't go anymore. Not every trail is so tight that you can't get a ZJ through it. ZJ's have the advantage over SWB's in places like Moab, parts of Tellico, and several other places. Besides nothing beats hardcore wheeling in some leather seats and cold A/C.

Many of the trails I run are tight, and the only thing that has kept me from trying some obstacles has been that if you're not dead on with your line, it's bye-bye glass, and that's shit is expensive to replace.

Example:



I went up that a little ways, but when you're having to get on the stupid pedal some and you don't have 100% control over where your rig is going because of it, then it's a recipe for disaster. My rig isn't a DD, but unfortunately it gets more street time than trail time, and I'm not just going to go out and trash it. The body has its fair share of scratches and dents from the trail, and I don't have a problem with that, but that's not costing me any cash.

[floridaZJ]

I hear you about tight spots...

[zjguy721]

Wow, thread resurrection...................

[sah81]

You know what's funny is this rig is on the cover of the current 4wheelparts Adventure magazine. The guy is running 35 inch tires on Scout D44's and he wants to put Rockwells under it because he broke an axle

[Goosed76]

You know what's funny is this rig is on the cover of the current 4wheelparts Adventure magazine. The guy is running 35 inch tires on Scout D44's and he wants to put Rockwells under it because he broke an axle

yeah, I just got that one a couple days ago! broke an axle, so instead of just getting some chromo's(he already has D44, front and rear, should be enough for 35" tires) he was going to put a pair of D60's, but now he wants 2.5 ton Rockwells!! I laughed a little too. Why would someone do this? If I saw a ZJ with 35's and Rockwells, I'd point and laugh! The Hemi is only a little over 300HP. Just guy that reads alot of magazines, and sees all the cool kids have Rockwells on their money-pit buggies. I predict he'll drop the NP231 for an Atlas case too, for no other reason than it's what everyone is doing, but that would make more sense than Rockwells. I do like how well the Hemi fit- I work for jeep, and it would be sweet to to see the 6.1L Hemi out of the SRT-8 dropped in one, maybe with the 426, 7.0L stroker kit, wow.......

[greengc4x4]

it could be the fact that he has a hemi in there and that it is too much power?

[zjguy721]

it could be the fact that he has a hemi in there and that it is too much power?

..or, that he doesn't know how to drive it.

[JTJeepen98]

I seen that in my new offroad mag, that thing is so sick. It needs a 5.9 not a HEMI.

a buddy of mine sent me this link - have you guys seen this:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2303256

[Goosed76]

I seen that in my new offroad mag, that thing is so sick. It needs a 5.9 not a HEMI.

needs the 6.1L Hemi! the 5.7Lis, what, a little over 300 HP? if he didn't have a heavy foot, he shouldn't have a problem with D60's at the most. 2.5 ton rockwells re heavy axles, thats alot of stress on the chassis.

[ILikeMud]

..or, that he doesn't know how to drive it.

95% driver, 5% rig.