Front Cage Addition Installation Instructions

DISCLAIMER:  This kit is designed for off-road use only.  AtoZ Fabrication Inc., employees and owners, are in no way liable for any injuries caused to vehicle passengers and others or damage to the vehicle due to the use of this product.  This product is required to be installed by a competent and certified installer.  AtoZ Fabrication, Inc. assumes no liability to damage caused to the vehicle during installation.  There is no affiliation with Jeep or Chrysler LLC.

This kit will require additional fitting to fit your vehicle properly.

CALL if something does not seem to fit or you have questions.

ITEMS INCLUDED:

• (2)-FORWARD DOWNTUBES (notches may need fitting and lower end will need fitting)
• (1)-DASH BAR (notched to 48 ½”, may need trimming)
• (1)-UPPER WINSHIELD BAR (notched to 46 ½”, may need trimming)
• (2)-SIDE SPREADERS (40” long, with one end cut to 25 degrees, and other end will need fitting)
• (1)-CENTER SPREADER U-HOOP
• (2)-CENTER ANGLED SPREADERS (straight notches may need trimming)
• (2)-HANDLES (may need final fitting)
• (2)-FLOOR MOUNT PLATES
• (8)-1/2” GRADE 8 BOLTS
• (8)-1/2” NYLOCK NUTS

OPTIONAL ITEMS, if ordered:

• (1)-REAR SPREADER BAR (notched to 46 ½”, may require pulling or spreading of stock bars to fit)
• (2)-REAR SPREADER CONNECTORS

TOOLS REQUIRED FOR INSTALLATION:

• -GRINDER
• -WELDER, 175 AMP MACHINE OR BETTER
• -TAPE MEASURE AND MARKING TOOLS
• -HANDTOOLS
• -TORX BITS AND TORX SAFETY BITS
• -2” HOLE SAW
• -DRILL WITH ½” BIT

NOTE:  DO NOT START BY FOLDING THE WINDSHIELD DOWN.  DO NOT DISTURB THE WINDSHIELD ANGLE UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE MADE THE NEW SIDE SPREADERS AND FULLY WELDED THEM AND THE CENTER SPREADER SYSTEM IN.  DISTURBING THE WINDSHIELD ANGLE WILL CREATE PROBLEMS WITH SEALING THE TOP AND DOORS.

STEP ONE:  REMAKING THE SIDE SPREADERS

• FIRST DETERMINE IF YOU WANT TO RE-USE THE MOUNTS AT THE STOCK ROLL BAR HOOP.  THIS BRACKET: 

RE-USING THIS BRACKET WILL EASE INSTALLATION, BUT SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO MOUNT THE NEW SIDE SPREADERS DIRECTLY TO THE STOCK ROLL BAR.  We have left the new side spreaders extra long to accommodate either decision so they will need to be trimmed and fit as desired—be careful because you can trim too much very quickly.  IF YOU REUSE THE BRACKET YOU MAY NEED TO GRIND THE DIAMETER OF THE MOUNT A LITTLE TO FIT IN THE NEW SIDE SPREADER.

• BEFORE REMOVING STOCK SIDE BARS MEASURE LENGTH FROM WINDSHIELD TO STOCK ROLL BAR TO INSURE THAT DISTANCE REMAINS THE SAME AFTER INSTALLING NEW SIDE SPREADERS. 

• REMOVE STOCK SIDE SPREADER, EITHER SIDE. 

• ON TJ MODELS CUT WINDSHIELD MOUNT WHERE IT NECKS DOWN AS SHOWN: 

• ON YJ MODELS REMOVE STOCK WINDSHIELD MOUNT FROM TUBE AND GRIND FLAT. 

• ON TJ MODELS DEBURR WINDSHIELD MOUNT AND SLIDE INTO NEW SIDE SPREADER AS SHOWN: 

• ON YJ MODELS FIT NEW SIDE SPREADER WHERE OLD TUBE FITTED.  YOU MAY WANT TO REFERENCE THE HEIGHT OF THE STOCK SIDE SPREADERS BEFORE CUTTING TO ENSURE THE NEW SIDE SPREADERS ARE THE SAME HEIGHT, it is very important. 

• WELD WINDSHIELD MOUNT TO NEW SIDE SPREADER. 

• DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU ARE REUSING THE ROLL BAR BRACKET YOU WILL NEED TO FIT THE REAR OF THE SIDE SPREADER EITHER TO THE STOCK ROLL BAR OR THE MOUNT SO THAT THE WINDSHIELD MEASUREMENT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS STOCK. HERE IS WHAT THE NEW SIDE SPREADER WILL LOOK LIKE IF THE STOCK BRACKET IS REUSED: 

• RE-BOLT/WELD THE NEW SIDE SPREADER IN AND REPEAT THESE STEPS FOR THE OTHER SIDE. 

STEP TWO: THE CENTER SPREADER SYSTEM

• CENTER THE CENTER SPREADER U-HOOP ON THE STOCK ROLL BAR, FACING FORWARD.  CLEAN 2” AROUND WHERE HOOP WILL BE WELDED.  MAKE HOOP LEVEL.  SHOULD BE THE SAME LEVEL AS THE NEW SIDE SPREADERS.  

• ON TJ MODELS LOOSLY PLACE THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE UPPER WINDSHIELD BAR ABOUT 5” BACK FROM WINDSHIELD MOUNT BOLT: 

• ON YJ MODELS LET ANGLED SIDE SPREADERS DETERMINE WINDSHIELD BAR LOCATION. 

• FIT SIDE ANGLED SPREADERS SO THAT THERE IS A GOOD FIT BETWEEN THE HOOP AND THE UPPER WINDSHIELD BAR.  YOU MAY HAVE TO MODIFY THE LENGTH OR NOTCHES OF THE TUBES TO MAKE THEM FIT CORRECTLY.    

• ONCE YOU HAVE THEM FITTING NICE TACK WELD THEM IN PLACE AND REINSTALL YOUR SOFT OR HARD TOP TO MAKE SURE ALL CLEARANCES ARE CORRECT.  THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD WIND UP WITH: 

• FINAL WELD ALL JOINTS WITH WINDSHIELD MOUNTS STILL BOLTED TIGHT TO PREVENT WARPAGE.  MAKE SURE TO COVER ALL FLAMMABLE ITEMS AND THE WINDSHIELD—WELD SPATTER DOES BAD THINGS TO WINDSHIELDS. 

STEP THREE: FORWARD DOWN TUBES—aka A-Pillars

NOTE:  GO SLOW HERE AND BE READY TO TEST FIT A BUNCH OF TIMES.

• PAINT DOWN TUBES COMPLETELY, EXCEPT FOR THE 6” AT BOTH ENDS.  ONCE THESE TUBES ARE FITTED AND WELDED THEY WILL NOT BE EASILY REMOVED. 

• FOLD DOWN WINDSHIELD (FINALLY, RIGHT??). 

• ON TJ MODELS MARK HOLES IN DASH AND DRILL 2” HOLE AS SHOWN: 

• TRIM METAL PART INDICATED WITH A SAWZALL OR OTHER TOOL, BUT BE CAREFUL OF THE DUCTWORK AND WIRES. 

• ON PASSENGER SIDE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIT DOWN TUBE WITHOUT MOVING ANYTHING OTHER THAN PUSHING THE DUCTWORK AND WIRES OUT OF THE WAY.  THE DUCTWORK WILL REQUIRE A GOOD SHOVE TO LET THE TUBE BY. 

• ON THE DRIVER SIDE YOU WILL NEED TO DO THE SAME AS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, BUT ALSO THERE IS A DIAGNOSTIC PLUG THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FOLDED DOWNWARD TO LET THE TUBE SLIDE DOWN—it is at the very bottom of the dash. 

• SLIDE BOTH TUBES DOWN AND APPROXIMATE TUBE LOCATION ON FLOOR.  SLIDE MOUNTING PLATES BETWEEN TUBE AND FLOOR AND MARK LOCATION AND HOLES TO BE DRILLED.  IF YOU HAVE GEN II AtoZ FABRICATION ROCKER GUARDS YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE THE HOLES IN THE ROCKERS AND DRILL STRAIGHT UP THROUGH FLOOR.  IF YOU DO NOT HAVE OUR ROCKERS YOU WILL NEED TO DRILL THROUGH 

• DRILL AND MOUNT FLOOR PLATES SECURELY BEFORE FINAL FITTING OF DOWN TUBES.  THE FLOOR PLATES WILL CRUSH THE FLOOR A LITTLE AND WILL CHANGE THE LENGTH NEEDED FOR THE DOWN TUBES AND COULD CREATE FITMENT PROBLEMS IF NOT TIGHTENED BEFORE FITTING DOWN TUBES. 

• ON YJ MODELS YOUR DOWN TUBE FITMENT BETWEEN THE SIDE OF THE DASH AND YOUR DOORS IS CRITICAL.  WE HAVE FOUND THAT ¼” CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE DASH AND THE TUBES ARE ABOUT RIGHT.  TEST FIT DOORS BEFORE FINAL WELDING. 

• FITTING OF THE DOWN TUBES IS VERY TEDIOUS AND USUALLY REQUIRES FOLDING THE WINDSHILED UP AND DOWN A FEW TIMES FOR EACH SIDE.  IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THESE RIGHT.  MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE DOOR SURROUNDS FOR THE SOFT TOP.  TEST FITTING THE TOP(S) AND DOOR SURROUNDS BEFORE FINAL WELDING IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.  YOU CAN USE THE DASH BAR TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT WIDTH, BUT DO NOT TACK WELD THIS TUBE IN YET.  WE PUT A 2” SPACER BETWEEN THE DASH BAR AND THE DASH FOR THE CORRECT HEIGHT SPACING. 

• WE RECOMMEND THAT AFTER YOU HAVE THE DOWN TUBES FITTED, BUT BEFORE WELDING THE TOP CONNECTIONS, THAT YOU TACK WELD THE DOWN TUBES TO THE FLOOR PLATES AND THEN UNBOLT THEM SO YOU CAN SLIDE THEM UP AND SPIN THEM AROUND FOR FULL WELDING.  ONCE WELDED, PAINT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THE FLOOR PLATES AND LOWER PART OF THE TUBES AND THEN RE-BOLT THE FLOOR PLATES IN TO FINAL WELD THE UPPER CONNECTIONS. 

• ONCE THE DOWN TUBES HAVE BEEN FITTED AND WELDED YOU CAN INSTALL THE DASH BAR AND FINAL WELD IN PLACE.  BE CAREFUL TO PROTECT THE DASH FROM HEAT AND SPATTER. 

STEP FOUR: GRAB HANDLES

• IF YOU HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR THIS STEP SHOULD BE EASY. 

• FIT THE GRAB BARS BETWEEN THE NEW SIDE SPREADERS AND THE DOWN TUBES AND MAKE SURE THE DOOR SURROUNDS DO NOT INTERFERE IF YOU HAVE A TJ.  YOU MAY WANT TO ANGLE THEM IN A LITTLE SO HANDS ARE NOT STICKING OUT FROM THE ROLL BAR WHEN PASSING BY A TREE, ETC. 

THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IT.  WE TRULY HOPE YOU HAVE SUCCESS FITTING THE CAGE ADDITION.  IF YOU OR THE INSTALLER HAS ANY QUESTIONS DURING INSTALLATION PLEASE CALL US AT 570-385-3931.

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR AtoZ FABRICATION PURCHASE!!

Zach Vaughn

AtoZ Fabrication, Inc.

570-385-3931

info@atozfabrication.com