minimalist cage?

[Buckshot]

What would be the best cage design for a 4 door with the most minimalistic approach? Single "rollbar" behind the driver, and again behind the rear seat? Is the a-pillar a must? Are cross braces a must?

Don't flame me - that's all I got on Pirate with no valid info. So, before this starts a holy war about designs and safety....I'm trying to keep all 4 seats protected for the least cost and least intrusive design for passenger comfort. This is still a daily driver for now....but I want safety in case it rolls off-road.

 

[410Fortune]

4 seats protected = A, B and C pillars

You can still tuck it up way up and use smaller dia tube.
basic roll protection = roll cage attached to body. Body attached to frame.

Full cage = incporporate seats and 5 points, etc.

 

[Buckshot]

ok - Thanks 410

Here's a pic with some color coding for my questions:

Are the red, green, and blue bars necessary for safety? I know the yellow ones, tied to the frame are the most important. But, would the yellow ones work by themselves?

I'd like to avoid the red bars above the driver seat so I don't crack my head since it is just me in there driving 90% of the time. Same for the passengers. Dunno about the ceiling bars in the rear hatch area.

I'd like to avoid the blue bars (on the dash) to keep from interfering with the defroster, I might add the blue bars in the back later for mounting accessories.

I'd like to avoid the green bars so I can still lay the seats down or load a 8'ft 2x4 between the seats and out the hatch....

basically all the things I still use the truck for in addition to off-roading it - but if I do accidently lay it over, I want to know I'm not going to crush my head, or my kids if they are along for the ride. I think most of us way overengineer....I'm just looking for the happy medium...

 

[ryf]

more bars done right = more safe, if you take out all the bars you noted its safer than it was stock, but if you are a serious off-roader, you might want to think about a cheap trailer, your willing to put $$$ into the tubing and Fab time, the down time with the upholstery pulled out, which means at some point rental car.... a cheap trailer thats 4x8 will haul twice what you could in the ex, and you can still have your cage setup for max protection.

The blue bar will help keep the windshield area from slanting left or right, I'd leave it in. why not make the two green bars with a single cross piece, placed low the seat will still have OK reclining, its not as strong, but its better than not being there at all.

good luck and take pics!!