Series Roof Racks & Roll Cages?

[Archaeology_Student]

New to the forum, but I've seen a few names around the internet

I was wondering about the series roof racks and how they attach to the vehicle? My roof is firberglass, and I am trying to figure out what would work for a roof rack, and what would help.

I am also interested in a roll cage... I saw a neat D90-like roll cage that sits on the outside of the Series. Does anyone have some good links for roll cages?

Does anyone have some good shots of their roof racks, or of their roll cages?

Thanks

[Archaeology_Student]

Oh, I was also wondering if anyone has cutout their bulkhead to make more leg room?

Thank you

[Jim-ME]

Here is a Series Rover that ECR did that has what you seem to be interested in. http://www.eastcoastrover.com/87.html Keep going thru the pics and you will see that all of it was custom built except for the roof rack system which are readily available from numerous sources. Good luck in your quest but I'm sure there are other folks out there that can make one for you that are closer to were you are.
Jim

[yorker]

Oh, I was also wondering if anyone has cutout their bulkhead to make more leg room?

Thank you

That has been done a lot in the UK, some company even sells a kit to replace the bulkhead with a bar like on a D-90.

you used to post over here:
http://www.landrovernet.com/

check in there- there was a post on that topic recently.


As for roof racks- mine attaches to the gutter rail on my hard top.

[J!m]

Safety Devices in the UK makes external cages for the 90, which I believe can fit the 88 as well.(worst case, the long straight bars traveling the length of the roof would need to be sectioned slightly; if you tell them it's to be used on an 88, they most likely have the correct kit for you)

I have a SD full external cage on my 110 regular, and I mounted the roof rack directly to that. On my 88, the roof rack destroyed the roof in North Africa; it's too much load for the roof. After that lesson, I knew it was imperative to have the rack mount directly to the roll cage.

For the Camel Trophy, they used a Brownchurch heavy duty rack (modified for the event). The HD rack uses several extra supports, two in the rear which bolt through the tub capings on either side of the rear door, and two in front which bolt through the windshield mount brackets and all the way into the cabin area (these replace the hinges found on the soft top models).

My truck was originally fitted with a modified Brownchurch HD rack, and the holes were there. I filled them with bolts to stop some drafts on the Arctic Circle trip I just did.

If you can avoid it, don't mount the rack to the roof rails. And, regardless of how you mount your rack, load it LAST, and with the lightest things you can put up there (NOT tires, recovery chains and fuel cans). Always load the truck first; heaviest stuff lowest and work up from there. Not always the most convenient, but the safest way to go. Also, secure all cargo, inside as well as on the rack. It might just save your life!

[bamarover]

In trying to order an '88 rollcage from a LR parts supplier in the US last year, my understanding was that Safety Devices had changed hands and they were not in production mode. Has this been now resolved? I also understood they had some quality control issues? (maybe why they changed hands or a result of changing hands). Anyone have accurate info on their status and product availibility?
Thanks,
Greg

[J!m]

I had heard a rumor a while back that SD was going out of business, and that their stuff would not be available any longer. Then that came back.

Check http://www.safetydevices.co.uk/ for more info.

Last I knew, there was only one official importer of SD roll cages in the US, in New Jersey, and they catered to the Porsche race crowd. They were willing to import a cage for me, but I had to fit it to their container schedule, which I wasn't willing to do. I had one packed in a container (with other stuff) and sent over that way.

As far as quality: there are several companies making 'custom' cages; however, SD had the accreditation and approvals the others do not have. I'm not willing to risk my life on it...

[Rat Patrol]

I had a local 4x4 shop custom build my roll cage from plans I drew up using ECR's design.
It turned out very well...EXCEPT...where the fabricator used a torched in the fender area. I told the shop manager before the project every started the LR are aluminum
Other wise they did a good job.....$350 out the door minus the goof.

[leafsprung]

As far as quality: there are several companies making 'custom' cages; however, SD had the accreditation and approvals the others do not have. I'm not willing to risk my life on it...[/quote]

Having seen and owned the SD rover cages, there is nothing special about them, accereditation or not. Plain old mig welded tubing. I have a saftey devices external front hoop if anyones interested.

[J!m]

Plain old mig welded tubing.

Actually, it s a bit more involved than that. If you want to make a roll bar out of "plain old tubing" go right ahead. I'd much rather trust my life to seamless, heavy-walled certified for cage construction tubing myself.

Oh, yes, it IS MIG welded, by certified welders for safety cages. I can MIG weld, damn good in fact, but I am not certified for safety cage welding.

It's kind of like rope. Sure, that rope will hold you, but do you really want to trust it to climb a mountian?

Do what you want. I can't see saving a few hundred bucks to have to spend amonth (or worse) in the hospital after a crash.

The fit and finish of the SD stuff leaves quite a bit to be desired. I agree totally with that, after spending a total of 40 man-hours to install my cage...