Support for sides

[VinceY]

So we know rocker boxes add strength to the sides already.
In the picture you can see that orangeuavol added extra strength to his blazer with the orange cross piece.
My blazer has good rocker boxes. When I add my roll bar would it be a good idea to support the sides at the top (circled in the picture) to the roll bar or would that create other problems?

[bouncytruck]

I've seen rigs where the top of the door pillar is welded to the roll bar. orangeuavol's rig it the first one I've seen with actual brace welded in place. My '72 has no roll bar or added support and I don't see any problems with it (although I have never taken it off road, nor do I plan to do so.) I would only think the brace would be helpful if you are planning to do some serious off-roadin' or running outrageous amounts of horsepower.

The only problems I forsee is resale issues and access to the back seat. As far as resale goes, I would seriously question why the brace was added and what other "non-conventional" additions were made to the truck.

[72CSTC5]

I talked to orangeuvol on this and he said they work perfect. I have a 2wd Blazer and I thinkg I am going to do the same thing only curve the bar more to the body of the truck tying in everything that way plus easier access to the back seat. These things flex anyways without the top on I have heard. Looks like a good idea to me.

[vtblazer]

For an offroad or custom blazer, then sure add the braces but if it's just going to be a driver, why fix/address a nonexistent problem?

If your torsion boxes are in good shape and doing their intended job, there shouldn't be any need for extra bracing.

Orangeoval's cage was, I believe sold as a kit.
I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm thinking wrong here but I'd bet he installed the cage and cross supports due to the big block he installed in his blazer as part of his custom restoration/build up.

[72CSTC5]

vtblazer, I have heard of some blazer owners that when people get in our out of their blazer and weight and such that the doors sometimes flex at the top and may hit much as several convertibles like Mustangs and such.

[pound41]

I got my first blazer 25yrs ago when I was 16. The rockerboxes were starting to rust but back then no one knew much about them. I did some serious 4 wheeling. The one thing I noticed was without the top the body would flex horrible. The doors would pop open, hang etc. But with the top on in the same 4 wheeling situations no problem. Even today the rocker boxes are gone. When the top comes of door lines and fender lines go everywhere. But put the top back on and it all goes back into place. The weight distribution of the top flexes it back. The doors work with the touch of a finger. So by design or not.I think with the top where most of the weight sits in the back with the hatch. that is where you could keep the body from flexing. Keeping it attached or adding some kind of down force on the lower back part of the tub. Now my blazers are daily drivers so I don't have that problem. But I learn back then what a roll the top played. Not and issue on a jeep not as long of run to allow flexing

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by 72CSTC5

vtblazer, I have heard of some blazer owners that when people get in our out of their blazer and weight and such that the doors sometimes flex at the top and may hit much as several convertibles like Mustangs and such.

Didn't mean to say it could never happen, just haven't had the experience, thanks for the info.

Yes blazers flex like crazy without the top on, it's 36 year old technology that didn't really work that great even when they were new.

A hard top merly holds things in place.
Basically keeps the firewall from flexing rearward.

[pound41]

VT: I totally agree with what you are saying as well.The I reason why I place so much emphasis on the placement on the weight of the top Is with just the top sitting on the tub and not bolted down my doors become much better.When I am going in and out of the doors bolting the double wall down. Thats what pushes me to believe that without that weight on the tail end to push the bed it flexes where the what I call the knee wall where the front floor pan is welded. Kinda of like how a pick up bed squats down with a load on it and then raised back up when you take the load off.

[orangeuavol]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

...Orangeoval's cage was, I believe sold as a kit.
I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm thinking wrong here but I'd bet he installed the cage and cross supports due to the big block he installed in his blazer as part of his custom restoration/build up.

The cage was a pre-bent kit with extra pieces I didn't need. I added those mainly for added structure to the tub. Even after all the rust repair and new metal, there was too much give in the sides (not very much but enough for me to notice when leaning up against it and trying to align the doors). It was a simple fix using material I had on hand. Along with my cage tied into the winshield frame, those make everything feel more solid with the top off. Really just comes down to a matter of preference.

[vtblazer]

pound41, I know what your sayin'.

In some ways it's nice to put the top back on, they feel all solid and new again...

[raggedjim]

A little sag is a small price to pay for being topless...

Rg