Mademan925's Truck....

That's what I was thinking... Seems like a decent compromise, but I see what nick is getting at too. Still gonna be body damage though, even with Eco unless you really get cray cray with the cage. I'll be interested to see what you do nick

But get ready for showing up in IFS exocaged

 

Haha. we all know it wont be IFS forever.

 

Exo's arent very strong unless theres a LOT of tube thrown into it. Just very little way to cross brace and triangulate the tube when it has to go around the body.
My $.02

 

I was wondering about that. Maybe ill just run slider to bumper protection front and rear for now and wait for the cage.

 

Thats probably best. especially with the double cab as well since you'd likely affect the doors opening in order to get center support in the middle of the cab, and then your lone vertical tubes are begging to get snagged on boulders when leaned over offroad.
Wheel hard enough and body damage is pretty much inevitable. Better off assuming it's going to happen and just cage the interior for occupant safety rather than body protection IMO.

 

When and if you do hydro bumps, you will love them so much.

I had an opportunity to finally test them out at Pismo Beach this last weekend, and damn did they keep that rear end in check!

 

I know damage is coming and thats fine. Just dont want to roll it and have it totaled. Any update on my bumper... I cant wait to have that thing on my truck.

 

I saw your vids on facebook. Awesome to finally see your truck in the air. The bumps are on my list but I got alot to do first...

 

Yeah you are turning that machine into an overland expedition beast! Now I just have to focus on bracing the radiator core support. Out of all things that is keeping me from wheeling like I would like to, it's my core support now. Go figure. Lol.

 

Wait so are you thinking SAS then down the road?? Hmmmm.

 

I plan on having the truck for a very long time. Who knows when the modding will end.

 

Same state as about a week ago. Things have been crazy around here lately!

 

hey nick its hard to total these newer trucks......I tried lol(sorta) 12,500 bucks in damage, and it wasn't totaled.

 

MOAR speed brotha

 

fuck that man....50 was fast enough

 

If you're thinking exo, i'd look into an interior cage... ATO makes one with a few different options: http://www.armortechoffroad.com/05-13-Tacoma-Double-Cab-Internal-Roll-Cage_p_368.html

 

I saw that yesterday during my research. Ill probably get that.

 

The 4XI/ATO cages are crap IMO. I've had 2 brought to me and both were terrible, both in design and fit. One of them we started to build in the vehicle and it was causing so much trouble we scrapped it and started over from scratch, the other we built in the vehicle but I had to make new tubes in several places where their tubes were either bent incorrectly or just entirely the wrong dimension(too short). We tried clamping/pulling things in place, but there was only so much that could be done and we had to make several new tubes to fit.

The tubes also don't fit tight enough around the interior of the cab IMO, and have little to no triangulation to them to give structural rigidity. I assume this is done to make the kits cheaper and offer as much room as possible in the vehicle so there arent tubes going everywhere, but they're lacking IMO.
As it is, I'm only 5ft 8 and in the 4runner we installed one of the cages in my head touched the side tube between the A-B as well as nearly touched the B hoop just in a stationary/parked position. I'd imagine out wheeling and bouncing around the rocks that i'd knock my head HARD on one of the tubes, let alone if the vehicle rolled. Padding would help, but the tubes are still too close to the occupants. Look at racing rules, there are minimum occupant clearance requirements between the tubes for safety reasons, sure no one is racing with one of these cages but the rules are in place in racing books for a reason: safety. Theres no reason a DD/trail rig shoudnt have similar safety design precautions taken as well.

Positioning of the tubes was not well thought out in the kit, the interior room could easily be greater around the A/B pillars, hoops, and cross tubes. Some of this would require interior dismantling, modification, and reinstallation but the additional time would be more than worth it in the long run.

They're cheap kits, but this is definitely one of those 'you get what you pay for' type things from what I've seen. I know if it were my life I wouldnt be trusting it to one of their cage kits after what I've seen of them. Maybe the 2nd gen Tacoma kit is better than the older 4runner kits we worked with, who knows.
Not bashing 4XI/ATO, just sharing my feelings as I'm sure both guys we had come by our shop with them wished they'd never even messed with it and a cage kit is something that you're trusting your life to if it fails not just body damage if a bumper/slider were to fail

 

^ Good Advice. #ComingInClutch haha

 

Sounds like you want to build me a cage.