? For those who chopped their top

[nate12346]

I just chopped the top on my BII due to rolling it.

My question is; Did you have to strengthen the frame rails to solidify it?

I just articulated it to see if I need to take a leaf off and the frame twisted so much I thought my windshield was going to bust out. Does the addition of a roll cage help?

 

[ZMan]

a rollcage tied into the frame would stiffen up the chassis, but the body will still move around alot, unless you weld the cage to the body too.

 

[CopyKat]

Once you chop the top body regidity is thrown out the door. It's a wet noodle with wheels. If you were to weld in the cab and brace the box sides you can gain some of that strength back.

 

[nate12346]

Could I weld some box tubing between the rails including the roll cage?
Essentially if the frame is solid the body won't twist right?

 

[nate12346]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRfE_XAk2mE

Lol I just found this video. It explains it all. Now I know what to do

 

[4x4junkie]

An inside rollcage (at least 6-pt) solidly bolted to the floor in the typical locations should restore most of the body's rigidity. IMO, I'm not sure there are many other ways to do it (properly, anyway).

 

[nate12346]

sweet, Thanks guys

 

[ZMan]

Its not so much the frame that lost all its rigity when you cut the roof off, its the body, hell even WITH a roof B2 bodys are flimsy.

 

[PaleBlue90]

i hate to ask but do ya have any pics of the damage and after it was chopped?

 

[nate12346]

Of course I have pics lol. Ill put them up a little later.

 

[nate12346]

 

[nate12346]

 

[nate12346]

Ill go out and take some of the chopped top

 

[nate12346]

The silver tarp is there untill i get the roll cage.
I herculined everything inside and up over the bed rails
I have a huge roll of softop fabric and plexyglass for a rear view window

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

FYI, in some states if you put in plexiglass or some other more rigid divider behind the front seats of a choptop BII you're required to register it for truck plates rather than as a car, which increases insurance and registration fees. I say this because that was my original plan with my choptop and I had to change my idea around some. I think my new idea holds promise though, but I'm not sure how I'm gonna go about getting a top for it, the local place that does boat covers an the like wants $550 to do just a partition piece from the roof down halfway and more if I want to do a bedcover too. :wtf:

Yea, mine flexes like a wet noodle too when I get off-road. I had thought it was cuz I lost a frame crossmember in my build but I guess that's not it....

Yours looks like its coming along pretty good though! keep up the work.