[PJ.zook]

Im wondering what the secret is to fab a decent looking exo for a hardtop zook, or even a softtop. Ive seen some that look ok, but most exo's i see i vomit a little in my mouth, and try to clap three times to revive the angels that looked at the barwork.

[31zook]

I've never done one but i think they look the best when one bar follow the the car lines and protects more than one panel. Just well thought out as apose dad left the bender, welder and he found pipe in the bush...

[joeblow]

PJ.zook wrote:

Im wondering what the secret is to fab a decent looking exo

there is you're problem right there..............you can't put 'exo' and 'decent looking' in the same sentence.


is like saying i have a rover that is reliable.............................


you should be able to get some inspiration from looking at kiddies playgrounds maybe.

[dank]

Hey PJ,

If I was going to get bar work done on my zook if it was a hard top this is what I'd attempt.

-4 point internal
-two bars running along the outside edge of the roof line, I'd tie these into the internal bar work where you can.
- I'd run the roof bar down along the a-pillar and weld/bolt to the body just behind the bonnet. at the rear you'd probably just run straght down the side to a fabbed rear bar.
-you'd want a brace between the a pillar support above and below the windscreen surround. you'd also brace across the top of the rear door and possibly one diagonal support over the roof.


I'd look at exterior bar work at "panel protection" rather than occupant protection. the 4 point internal will protect you and your passenger and the minor exterior bar work will protect the roof line and windscreen surround. I wouldn't worry about brush bars they add weight and don't do too much especially in victoria there's not much rock only ruts and trees...front clips are cheap to replace or beat out with a hammer.

I'd be thinking light weight and functional with protection where it counts.

please don't turn it into a monkeybar set...it'll only attract unwanted attention and be extra un needed weight.

go nuts!

[zookster666]

I think when an exo is built it should follow the body lines of the car similar to an internal cage but on the outside
green is the main hoop i think it should be bent out of one length of tube red is the other piecer bent and welded to the main hoops

hard top

soft top the full top would be removed

this is how i think an exo could look its best just my opinion if you can ad to it go ahead or have a better idea by all means correct me

[Reubs]

PM Daisy. He built mine. 90% my design. The important 10% came from his years of tubework experience.

It survived a nice side-roof-side-wheels-side-roof-side-wheels-side roll at Tough Tracks round 3. Very little contact between cage and body even though the force was enough to dent 3mm wall tube.

http://www.digitalstill.net/gallery2/gallery2embedded.php?g2_itemId=21272

[31zook]

zookster your truck looks tuff as without flaires and i like your softop exo design

[steak_knife]

31zook wrote:

zookster your truck looks tuff as without flaires and i like your softop exo design

I think he need's bigger pipe & to sell the flare's to me

[Bugsta]

As some know, I am getting an exo cage built for my 08 Jim. Its purpose will be to protect the panels, not the occupants. I don't plan to be doing stunts that could cause a cave in.

Zookster666, I think the hoops should run from one side to the other in a continuous tube with the joining sections running front to back. This gives the best side impact protection, which I believe is the most important.

The material being used is 44mm CDS (not sure on the wall thickness - 3mm I think). Was thinking Chrome Molly but apparently it gets a bit brittle after a few knocks and the welds need constant repair.

I won't be using any diagonals as per same reason above.

I might get some hooks or loops welded around the top frame for roof carrying tie-downs and perhaps some heavy duty hooks on the top corners for easy tip-over recovery.

I've tipped it over once already and cause $8,000 damage. And all I did was tip it over slowly from a virtual standstill. The result - Like a half full coke can dropped from a great height.

[Bugsta]

Also, take a look at Zukenutters damage from yesterday. Different vehicle I know, but shows how much damage a little bit of earth kissing can cause.

[zookster666]

It all depends on how the exo is built im sure as hell i could make my design into one as strong as the way you suggest.
Even with an exo you still get panel damage mine has been in countless rollovers and even though the car is intact it has many dents to show it.

This is the exo that was on my zook that the previous owner built in my opinion i feel it doesnt look good (no offence) but it was sure as hell effective. It was in countless rillovers and even though it had an exo it still has damage to prove it.


this ones is looks better

[PJ.zook]

If i were to build one, it would be only for panel protection, but im over that now, its already dinted to hell. Might make an internal cage though. Ive had many close calls as im sure we all have, but nothing to protect me.
I reckon the only cages you can make half look good are the ones for the softtops, as you can go down on a 45ish degree angle from the top of the B pillar back. A hardtop exo looks naff. A nice built exo on a softtop 40 cruiser looks ace i reckon.

[Reubs]

PJ.zook wrote:

I reckon the only cages you can make half look good are the ones for the softtops, as you can go down on a 45ish degree angle from the top of the B pillar back. A hardtop exo looks naff. A nice built exo on a softtop 40 cruiser looks ace i reckon.

Get a fastback canvas...

[atari4x4]

do the kids try & climb you zook when parked?

[SuziBlu]

Huge amount of weight, up high, piss all protection.

[2stroker]

Ruebs, did the cage have the desired effect, mate have you got any pics of what damage it sustained

[Ridge]

SuziBlu wrote:

Huge amount of weight, up high, piss all protection.

i dont think it would be too much, maybe similar to a hard top?

i think that they can look good, if they are kept simple. If i was going to have one i would get it to protect the cab. you can always get replacement panels for the front.

[steve]

SuziBlu wrote:

Huge amount of weight, up high, piss all protection.

why is it piss all protection?

[Reubs]

steve wrote:

SuziBlu wrote:

Huge amount of weight, up high, piss all protection.

why is it piss all protection?

Thinking the same thing... It rolled about 15m over and over down the hill. Panels are straight. Coily solid windscreen surround is straight. Unprotected rear flare (already damaged) copped a bit more damage. There was a mark from black tube hitting body - but, no creases in panels from tube hitting bodywork. I think the worst damage was the clip on the front of the canvas has been torn, and the pillar antenna hit the ground and bent.

Mechanically I broke an engine and a gearbox mount, but that didn't stop me driving the next track 2 hours later. Oh and I am still alive too, and my car is not a write-off!

Did I mention my cage was held on by 18 bolts? As for weight, 2-3 people can lift it on and off.

[v.w.dave]

These are my ideas. I plan on getting a good $800 pipe bender in april and it will start who knows where it will end.....

[jimbo_jones]

That looks good Dave do one for tin top

[v.w.dave]

jimbo_jones wrote:

That looks good Dave do one for tin top

Once I have the bender Nick and I are planning on doing a few.....

[steve]

i think it needs more tube

[v.w.dave]

Its just a base from what I will work for but if you have ever built a cage you will know it never looks exactly like the pictures. It is the look I want.

[stuzuki]

know anyone who can weld

[v.w.dave]

I can but I dont have the welder. I know you have a gasless mig that is good but not great for doing bar work that I NEED to be able to trust. Nick has a little stick welder but same story. My plan was to get it all tacked together and get Charlottes brother over for the day to weld it all up. He is a boiler maker by trade and has all the gear.
I may look into getting a good Mig to go with my bender.
Or are you saying you want to come weld allllll this up for me in a few months

[Gwagensteve]

v.w dave - you are joking aren't you? By the time you've put that much tube on the car you might as well put smaller tyres on it and unlock one hub. All that weight and bulk will make the car a PITA to drive anywhere.

At least 1/2 the tube in that exo is redundant. There's a number of badly designed nodes (tubes that terminate 1/2 way long another tube, for example) and, the whole doubled-up lattice rear diagonals are a waste of material and do nothing except add weight to the car where you least want it.

I have an exo of sorts on my car and have built a couple of others. I've flopped on mine and another of mine pulled a 360˚ falling roll. They had/ have about 1/5 of the tube in them your plan has.

Keep it simple. be realistic about the rolls you're likely to be doing, and plan out what's buildable - complex bends and lots of steep angle tube notches are hard to get right and waste lots of material.

The lightest possible cage that does the job is the best cage. anything beyond that is just raising your COG for no return.

PS Exos that continue to the sill are silly. It's easy to build them that way, but those long vertical tubes down at tub level are anchors on the trail.

Steve.

[steve]

maybe davo's been hangin out on pirate too much, and where the hell are you going to put the cooler?

[v.w.dave]

Gwagensteve wrote:

v.w dave - you are joking aren't you? By the time you've put that much tube on the car you might as well put smaller tyres on it and unlock one hub. All that weight and bulk will make the car a PITA to drive anywhere.

At least 1/2 the tube in that exo is redundant. There's a number of badly designed nodes (tubes that terminate 1/2 way long another tube, for example) and, the whole doubled-up lattice rear diagonals are a waste of material and do nothing except add weight to the car where you least want it.

I have an exo of sorts on my car and have built a couple of others. I've flopped on mine and another of mine pulled a 360˚ falling roll. They had/ have about 1/5 of the tube in them your plan has.

Keep it simple. be realistic about the rolls you're likely to be doing, and plan out what's buildable - complex bends and lots of steep angle tube notches are hard to get right and waste lots of material.

The lightest possible cage that does the job is the best cage. anything beyond that is just raising your COG for no return.

PS Exos that continue to the sill are silly. It's easy to build them that way, but those long vertical tubes down at tub level are anchors on the trail.

Steve.

I have never built a exo for a 4wheeler but I have built 3 sand railers and had my hand in building a few kit baja bugs. It looks like a hell of a lot more bars then there will be in the end.
If you look at the link I want it to look like the picture but more work on the front and rear.

[v.w.dave]

http://www.zukikrawlers.com/albums/hole ... 0_0870.jpg