Roll Cage

[Wulfman]

I'm looking into roll cage options for my '52, bed and/or cab, so chime in with your thoughts and input and pictures. I have 2 M's and I'm rigging one for 4 serious wheeling here on the Western Slope of the Sierra Nevada's. Trails like Fordyce and Rubicon. Would rather build up the M than go out and mod a Jeep even though it's a bit big for some trails. Thanks in advance.

[MasterYota]

I'm considering the same thing. My thought was to do both the bed and the cab. I was thinking a 6 point through the bed following the same lines as the original canvas top framework, that way the top could still be installed. A 4 point in the cab with a removeable tie in to the bed so the top can be removed was in my plans as well. That would generate a 10 point cage when all is said and done, and should be more than enough to keep the occupants safe in a slow speed offroad type rollover. There are pro's and cons into tieing the cage into the frame, but anything is still better than nothing.

I'm looking at 1-3/4 x .120 HREW for Tubing choice, just cause its cheaper than DOM and easier to come by.

[Keith in CO]

roll cage

Just got a bid last week from a local race chassis builder for a chrome moly in-cab cage for my M37: $1k. He pointed out that at about $4/ft right now, that CM is a good value, with total material costs for the cab cage at less than $240. I've used REW and DOM in the past, but the space and weight savings of CM, as well as the strength of CM (these are 3 ton trucks, after all), I can't think of a reason not to use it.

One of the trade-offs in the M37 is that when wheeling the truck it flexes a bunch, with the cab and bed wanting to go two different directions. Flex is good, but to protect against roll over forces front to back, triangulation from the cab to the bed is advised, but that stiffens the flex, and thereby limits articulation. Without this triangulation, there is nothing but the cab tub to support the cage from bending straight backwards.

Fortunately, the tub is way stonger than most vehicles, so it can be integrated into the cage design to provide some of the support. The fabricator was of the opinion that the floor is so strong, that front/to back bracing at that level is redundant and so not necessary (i.e. to keep the front and rear cab mount points from collapsing together.) Ditto for a bar across the top of the dash if the front down tubes are connected to the cowl. These are issues for me as I want to maintain functionality of the window cranks and windshield tip out, etc.

I also want to go to 5 point belts to upgrade the safety from the 3 point belts I have in there right now. I will maintain mounting points for both 3 and 5 point systems.