Well my not so totaled YJ is now in my garage. With a few days removed
and a new perspective thanks to you all here, it really does not seem
as bad as it felt. I have begun tarring parts off, (damn those torx
bolts on in there good, and painted over by the last owner).

My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to
the fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like
the look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and
when painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.

Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the
bar above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the
top drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of
contact. It pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the
bar. I was looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed
back from anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and
roll over?

Thanks all.

 

This link is to a Toys By Troy sport bar install, but its pretty much the
same thing as the O-R Fab one: http://www.stu-offroad.com/tbt/rc/rc-1.htm.
There's a link in there to a video of a TJ with this sort of cage rolling
two or three times over. The driver lived through it nicely and apparenty
drove the Jeep off the trail.

In my opinion this sort of protection is quite adequate for anything but
competition use, and I'm planning on picking one up soon.

Sorry, I don't know much at all about the relative merits of fibreglass or
Kevlar body parts.

/Peter

"Chris" <chris@nothitspartborngraphics.com> wrote in message
news:2004111307500916807%chris@nothitspartborngrap hicscom...
> Well my not so totaled YJ is now in my garage. With a few days removed
> and a new perspective thanks to you all here, it really does not seem
> as bad as it felt. I have begun tarring parts off, (damn those torx
> bolts on in there good, and painted over by the last owner).
>
> My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to
> the fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like
> the look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
> fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and
> when painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.
>
> Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the
> bar above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the
> top drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of
> contact. It pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the
> bar. I was looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed
> back from anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and
> roll over?
>
> Thanks all.
>

 

This link is to a Toys By Troy sport bar install, but its pretty much the
same thing as the O-R Fab one: http://www.stu-offroad.com/tbt/rc/rc-1.htm.
There's a link in there to a video of a TJ with this sort of cage rolling
two or three times over. The driver lived through it nicely and apparenty
drove the Jeep off the trail.

In my opinion this sort of protection is quite adequate for anything but
competition use, and I'm planning on picking one up soon.

Sorry, I don't know much at all about the relative merits of fibreglass or
Kevlar body parts.

/Peter

"Chris" <chris@nothitspartborngraphics.com> wrote in message
news:2004111307500916807%chris@nothitspartborngrap hicscom...
> Well my not so totaled YJ is now in my garage. With a few days removed
> and a new perspective thanks to you all here, it really does not seem
> as bad as it felt. I have begun tarring parts off, (damn those torx
> bolts on in there good, and painted over by the last owner).
>
> My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to
> the fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like
> the look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
> fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and
> when painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.
>
> Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the
> bar above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the
> top drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of
> contact. It pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the
> bar. I was looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed
> back from anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and
> roll over?
>
> Thanks all.
>

 

This link is to a Toys By Troy sport bar install, but its pretty much the
same thing as the O-R Fab one: http://www.stu-offroad.com/tbt/rc/rc-1.htm.
There's a link in there to a video of a TJ with this sort of cage rolling
two or three times over. The driver lived through it nicely and apparenty
drove the Jeep off the trail.

In my opinion this sort of protection is quite adequate for anything but
competition use, and I'm planning on picking one up soon.

Sorry, I don't know much at all about the relative merits of fibreglass or
Kevlar body parts.

/Peter

"Chris" <chris@nothitspartborngraphics.com> wrote in message
news:2004111307500916807%chris@nothitspartborngrap hicscom...
> Well my not so totaled YJ is now in my garage. With a few days removed
> and a new perspective thanks to you all here, it really does not seem
> as bad as it felt. I have begun tarring parts off, (damn those torx
> bolts on in there good, and painted over by the last owner).
>
> My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to
> the fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like
> the look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
> fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and
> when painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.
>
> Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the
> bar above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the
> top drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of
> contact. It pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the
> bar. I was looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed
> back from anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and
> roll over?
>
> Thanks all.
>

 

> My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to the
> fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like the
> look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and when
painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.>

In my experience fiberglass components never seem to look as good as steel
and are a bear to install due to weird fits, etc. It's simply a lot easer to
source & install steel replacement parts.

> Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the bar
> above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the top
> drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of contact. It
> pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the bar. I was
> looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed back from
> anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and roll over?>

I installed an O-R Fab cage last Spring. Quality is excellent and (knock on
wood) although I haven't had a chance to "try it out" it looks to be far
better than the stock setup it replaced. Installation was relatively
straightforward, a bit more involved than than I'd expected, but was really
no big deal. As I recall the main issues were the front lateral bar being
too snug in the side bars (used some white grease) and the attachment
brackets at the upper windshield points had to be ground off a bit in the
corners to match up with my Bestop soft top. You'll need to get a special
anti-tamper Torx bit to get the old bars off. (I got one from the local
Snap-On guy. You may be able to borrow one.)

One other bolt-on bar I've seen that's quite good is by Rock Hard 4x4. It's
a bit more expensive but very stout. Finally, if you have soft doors,
Mountain Off Road makes a great one that bolts to the floor. It interferes
with the window crank handles however.

 

> My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to the
> fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like the
> look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and when
painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.>

In my experience fiberglass components never seem to look as good as steel
and are a bear to install due to weird fits, etc. It's simply a lot easer to
source & install steel replacement parts.

> Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the bar
> above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the top
> drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of contact. It
> pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the bar. I was
> looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed back from
> anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and roll over?>

I installed an O-R Fab cage last Spring. Quality is excellent and (knock on
wood) although I haven't had a chance to "try it out" it looks to be far
better than the stock setup it replaced. Installation was relatively
straightforward, a bit more involved than than I'd expected, but was really
no big deal. As I recall the main issues were the front lateral bar being
too snug in the side bars (used some white grease) and the attachment
brackets at the upper windshield points had to be ground off a bit in the
corners to match up with my Bestop soft top. You'll need to get a special
anti-tamper Torx bit to get the old bars off. (I got one from the local
Snap-On guy. You may be able to borrow one.)

One other bolt-on bar I've seen that's quite good is by Rock Hard 4x4. It's
a bit more expensive but very stout. Finally, if you have soft doors,
Mountain Off Road makes a great one that bolts to the floor. It interferes
with the window crank handles however.

 

> My two (or so) questions: Other than weight what are the advantages to the
> fiberglass or kevlar body part replacements over the steel. I like the
> look of the whole one piece front end, or even replacing the
fenders with glass or kevlar, but is this really better than steel, and when
painted will the glass portions match the steel tub.>

In my experience fiberglass components never seem to look as good as steel
and are a bear to install due to weird fits, etc. It's simply a lot easer to
source & install steel replacement parts.

> Next part. Because of the accident, I want better roll protection. the bar
> above the drivers (me) head buckled down into my head because the top
> drivers side corner of the windshield frame a main point of contact. It
> pushed straight back and down causing the buckling of the bar. I was
> looking at the O-R Fab sport cages, and would like some feed back from
> anyone who has used them. Better yet anyone used them and roll over?>

I installed an O-R Fab cage last Spring. Quality is excellent and (knock on
wood) although I haven't had a chance to "try it out" it looks to be far
better than the stock setup it replaced. Installation was relatively
straightforward, a bit more involved than than I'd expected, but was really
no big deal. As I recall the main issues were the front lateral bar being
too snug in the side bars (used some white grease) and the attachment
brackets at the upper windshield points had to be ground off a bit in the
corners to match up with my Bestop soft top. You'll need to get a special
anti-tamper Torx bit to get the old bars off. (I got one from the local
Snap-On guy. You may be able to borrow one.)

One other bolt-on bar I've seen that's quite good is by Rock Hard 4x4. It's
a bit more expensive but very stout. Finally, if you have soft doors,
Mountain Off Road makes a great one that bolts to the floor. It interferes
with the window crank handles however.

 

Depending on the type of 'glass and it's coating ...try and get one with
that 1/4" coating stuff ...they are EXTREMELY strong and of course they
never rust. Our local Jeep guy here brings em in and sells em at $2500
CDN/peice. Apparently, they are alot easier to install then most and fit
very nicely. If you are really interested in knowing the type and where he
gets em (brings em in from Calgary I think), call him at 204-453-JEEP
(5337). If I had the time and extra $, I'd probably put one on my CJ. I've
seen them on his Jeeps and they are very very very nice ...and like I said
....TOUGH!

As for rollcages ...just make sure it's actually BOLTED to the FRAME if it
comes down beside the driver/passenger. I saw one on a CJ awhile back that
was bolted to ...yes ...the FLOORBOARDS. I couldn't help it and had to ask
the driver how he figured this would offer any protection in a rollover and
he confessed that it was purely aesthetic. It was probably actually more of
a hazard than anything.

--
griffin
'85 Jeep CJ-7
'97 Toyota Corolla SD

 

Depending on the type of 'glass and it's coating ...try and get one with
that 1/4" coating stuff ...they are EXTREMELY strong and of course they
never rust. Our local Jeep guy here brings em in and sells em at $2500
CDN/peice. Apparently, they are alot easier to install then most and fit
very nicely. If you are really interested in knowing the type and where he
gets em (brings em in from Calgary I think), call him at 204-453-JEEP
(5337). If I had the time and extra $, I'd probably put one on my CJ. I've
seen them on his Jeeps and they are very very very nice ...and like I said
....TOUGH!

As for rollcages ...just make sure it's actually BOLTED to the FRAME if it
comes down beside the driver/passenger. I saw one on a CJ awhile back that
was bolted to ...yes ...the FLOORBOARDS. I couldn't help it and had to ask
the driver how he figured this would offer any protection in a rollover and
he confessed that it was purely aesthetic. It was probably actually more of
a hazard than anything.

--
griffin
'85 Jeep CJ-7
'97 Toyota Corolla SD

 

Depending on the type of 'glass and it's coating ...try and get one with
that 1/4" coating stuff ...they are EXTREMELY strong and of course they
never rust. Our local Jeep guy here brings em in and sells em at $2500
CDN/peice. Apparently, they are alot easier to install then most and fit
very nicely. If you are really interested in knowing the type and where he
gets em (brings em in from Calgary I think), call him at 204-453-JEEP
(5337). If I had the time and extra $, I'd probably put one on my CJ. I've
seen them on his Jeeps and they are very very very nice ...and like I said
....TOUGH!

As for rollcages ...just make sure it's actually BOLTED to the FRAME if it
comes down beside the driver/passenger. I saw one on a CJ awhile back that
was bolted to ...yes ...the FLOORBOARDS. I couldn't help it and had to ask
the driver how he figured this would offer any protection in a rollover and
he confessed that it was purely aesthetic. It was probably actually more of
a hazard than anything.

--
griffin
'85 Jeep CJ-7
'97 Toyota Corolla SD