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Sterlingfire

Sterlingfire

ignant
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
687
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the soon to be USSA
Well i have a dilemma... not sure how to proceed with the bed cage. Maybe some of you more experienced folks can give me some insight.

I want to tie the shock hoops into the cage.
I want to hang fenders still.
I'm going to pinch the rear at least 5" on each side, maybe 10...
I'm going to use the floor from the existing bed for the floor on this. Fuel tank, batteries, trans cooler, power steering cooler, and the brake master cylinder/ booster are going back there from between the cab aand between the shock hoops.
I want to keep the rear most portion clear for trail storage, cooler, recovery gear, tools, and some parts...
Obviously nothing is set in stone, so allocate where things might go if you can. I'm going to use a fullsize blazer fuel tank, and the linked cooler for power steering and transmission. Obviously one for each:flipoff2:

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On to picks

Top view
20230112_164823.jpg


From the rear
20230112_164843.jpg


From the side
20230112_164852.jpg


Thanks in advance:usa:
 
Pull the back window, run tube from the B pillar down to the shock hoops either straight or in an X. Replace back window with thick tinted lexan and cut U's out at the top to fit around the roll cage tubes. Make sense?
 
Sterlingfire said:
Sorry to not be explicit enough, but this getting a bed cage only. No internal cage at the moment...
Click to expand...
You are going to need some traingulation to the front of the frame inside the bed, dual frame rail style.

Not the best example...
1673568603099.png
 
I could be way off but I think he is suggesting triangulation from the shock hoops down to the frame rail below/behind the driver and passenger seat areas of the cab similar to the picture he posted.
 
Sorry i had bad internet in the shop and that picture didn't show up until i got inside to the wifi...
I see what he means now.
I had thought about one hoop going from that part of the original frame rail and over the shock hoop to the rear most part of the new frame. How would i connect the two at the shock hoop though?
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Pull the back window, run tube from the B pillar down to the shock hoops either straight or in an X. Replace back window with thick tinted lexan and cut U's out at the top to fit around the roll cage tubes. Make sense?
Click to expand...
This, but with the b pillar hoop on the outside of the back of the cab
 
2 ways I would approach it.

Simple, light, easy to chop off and replicate.

Bash proof, more complex, and a little heavier obviously.

I like to do a hood behind the cab that follows the shape along the roof down the windows, then dives in straight to the frame. Then an X inside that.

From there you could have a simple horizontal hoop that go's along the bedsides with 2 bends where the tail lights would be. Or go along the bed side then bend down to the frame.

After that add bracing where you see fit.
 
BustedCrank said:
This, but with the b pillar hoop on the outside of the back of the cab
Click to expand...

YotaAtieToo said:
2 ways I would approach it.

Simple, light, easy to chop off and replicate.

Bash proof, more complex, and a little heavier obviously.

I like to do a hood behind the cab that follows the shape along the roof down the windows, then dives in straight to the frame. Then an X inside that.

From there you could have a simple horizontal hoop that go's along the bedsides with 2 bends where the tail lights would be. Or go along the bed side then bend down to the frame.

After that add bracing where you see fit.
Click to expand...
Both of these are great ideas considering it lays the groundwork for a the future when i install an internal cage.
 
gt1guy said:
So no cage in the cab and you want to attach bed sides?

Hope this makes sense.


20230112_164852.jpg


20230112_164823.jpg
Click to expand...
This is very similar to what i had in mind originally. I have s couple questions.
The small hoop behind the cab, is it continous or made out of 3 separate pieces? Does the x in the bottom picture connect to the cab hoop at the bottom near the frame or the top of it?
This idea seems the most simple to start with, and still leaves enough room to add a cab cage later.
 
Sterlingfire said:
This is very similar to what i had in mind originally. I have s couple questions.
The small hoop behind the cab, is it continous or made out of 3 separate pieces? Does the x in the bottom picture connect to the cab hoop at the bottom near the frame or the top of it?
This idea seems the most simple to start with, and still leaves enough room to add a cab cage later.
Click to expand...

I'd do the red hoop at the cab in one piece with bends. If for no other reason than it would look better. Looking at it now, I'd also add a diagonal to that red hoop.

Like this

side view.jpg



I did draw the "X" in the second pic running down to the bottom of the cab hoop. With all the other tube work there, you'd be fine running them to the top of the cab hoop.
 
gt1guy said:
I'd do the red hoop at the cab in one piece with bends. If for no other reason than it would look better. Looking at it now, I'd also add a diagonal to that red hoop.

Like this

side view.jpg



I did draw the "X" in the second pic running down to the bottom of the cab hoop. With all the other tube work there, you'd be fine running them to the top of the cab hoop.
Click to expand...
Very cool. I think i will do something like this or very similar. Seems simple and strong. I will likely do the x to the cab on the top of, instead of down to the frame so i can put the fuel tank there.
Thank you! :beer::beer:
 
I think one piece with bends just flat out looks better than mitered hard 90's.

Just keep in mind that by making the rear section really stiff, all the rear stress will be focused just forward of the cab hoop on the frame. That's the reason everyone instantly started talking about tie-ins to a in-cab cage. It really needs to be looked at as a complete system.
 
gt1guy said:
20230112_164852.jpg
Click to expand...
I think I would reverse the top and bottom of the front yellow bars. Right now they are in tension and the top (white) chords are in compression.
Reversing the yellows front low/rear high would change them to compression from up travel and take some stress off the top chords.
If the top chords are damaged (in compression) they will fail.

The added red X behind the cab is good too.
 
CarterKraft said:
I think I would reverse the top and bottom of the front yellow bars. Right now they are in tension and the top (white) chords are in compression.
Reversing the yellows front low/rear high would change them to compression from up travel and take some stress off the top chords.
If the top chords are damaged (in compression) they will fail.

The added red X behind the cab is good too.
Click to expand...

Good point. Ya, that makes sense.

Oh, and there's no yellow lines in that picture. Those are green. Get your peepers checked.:flipoff2:
 
i have questions
  • why does it appear your axle is narrow
  • what is the base vehicle
  • what is the intend use
  • how married are you to the current layout
  • do you have a side shot of the rig
  • are you trying to keep things below the bed rail
  • what is your shock shituation
  • how wide is the back of the cab
  • how wide with the frame rails be at end
  • how long is the ‘bed’ going to be
 
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mobil1syn said:
i have questions
  • 1 why does it appear your axle is narrow
  • 2 what is the base vehicle
  • 3 what is the intend use
  • 4 how married are you to the current layout
  • 5 do you have a side shot of the rig
  • 6 are you trying to keep things below the bed rail
  • 7 what is your shock shituation
  • 8 how wide is the back of the cab
  • 9 how wide with the frame rails be at end
  • 10 how long is the ‘bed’ going to be
Click to expand...
Ok I'll answer
•1 it isn't. It's a stock gmc 08 2500hd 14 bolt
•2 see above, the axle is in the truck it came from
•3 little bit of everything but able to play on rocks and at silver lake for fun some spirited trail riding if i feel the need
•4 pretty set now I've got most of it tubed in
• 5yes see below
•6 for the most part but i think my spare will sit on top of it all
•7 used kings 2.5x16" travel remote resi in need of a rebuild also long 2x2 hydraulic bump stops
•8 in the 76" range
• 9a touch over 30" in not going to have much room for storage
•10 not quite 5'
 
ooh man not that i am looking at it on a computer more questions
  • why did you chop the frame where you did
  • can you get your lower shock mounts farther out
  • will it get sliders
  • can you rotate your upper rear shock mount so the bolt is parallel to the axle
  • internal or exo cage
  • know anyone looking for a 16" shock with a 12" to trade
EDIT : found your build thread, did so more looking. have ideas but you may not like them.
 
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mobil1syn said:
ooh man not that i am looking at it on a computer more questions
  • why did you chop the frame where you did
  • can you get your lower shock mounts farther out
  • will it get sliders
  • can you rotate your upper rear shock mount so the bolt is parallel to the axle
  • internal or exo cage
  • know anyone looking for a 16" shock with a 12" to trade
EDIT : found your build thread, did so more looking. have ideas but you may not like them.
Click to expand...
I chopped the frame in that spot because i thought i was going to be able to keep 2 sets of stock bed mounts for ease of install. That didn't work out because the tire hit the second set of mounts on articulation.
No they are where they're at to keep the tire off the shock at articulation
Yes sliders are a must
Not at this point
I have no set goals or plans for that. I go back and forth between internal and exo... probably end up as a hybrid
No i don't know anyone like that. I assume because you're thinking i should go trailing arms?
At this point I'm pretty well set with the way the bed cage turned out. It's simple and will be strong enough to support the frame i hope. I can tie a cab cage into it pretty easy whether internal or external. Everything clears the shocks and tires at full articulation, so I'm happy there. I'm not sure it will end up getting bed sides at this point, surely it won't right away, but maybe if i decide to in the future it will. I'm no longer focused on that being an end goal here. My major end goal is to have this truck up and running so i can take my family out trail riding this summer... lots of compromises are being made from my original goals, no turbo right away, no engine rebuild, no cage and no racing seats...
I do appreciate your insight though, and wonder what your ideas are. If only you had caught my build before i began on the rear, things could likely be different.
 
this is the quick and dirty way i would be doing things, maybe drop the coolers down but i am concerned with things getting destroyed from your tires. they destroy everything around them with rock roost.

for the shocks it would just be adding a link (suspension stuff stays the as is) to move the shock away from the tires giving you more room and allowing you to give things a slicker socal look instead of the left over well pipe look you go going. i say that with all do respect.

1673745046636.png


1673745083141.png
 
so you do something like this outside the frame rail. it moves the shock forward out of the way of the tire during articulation, gives you motion ratio which is good, and opens up a ton of space for storage.

1673749934415.jpeg


this is another setup i ran with the shocks attached to the axle inside the frame, simple and effective.
1673751466541.jpeg


all loaded up for the rubicon
1673751589367.jpeg
 
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