NEWS PARTS JEEP & 4x4 ATV & UTV

Kentrol Front Roll Bar

1468 Views 8 Replies 2 Participants Last post by ducmon900, Apr 25, 2000

Discussion Starter · Apr 13, 2000

I am think about buying a Kentrol Front bar for my 86 CJ-7.
Has anybody ever put this into there Jeep ?
And is there any problems with using it with a hard top and steel doors ?

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Discussion Starter · #2 · Apr 13, 2000

I bought the smittybilt front hoop from a guy that said it wouldn't work well with his hard top. Didn't questio why as I was getting it cheap! I think you have to open the doors to roll the window up or down.

Can you fix it?
I got a welder and a grinder. Heck yeah I can fix it./wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

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103

· #3 · Apr 13, 2000

I just put a Kentrol front kit in my 78CJ7 about two weeks ago. It fits great...I have soft doors though, so I dont' know what kind
of problems you might run into with hard doors. I also can't open the glove box all the way either, but enough to still use it though.
I can probably have pictures in about a week to ten days. I am putting on the tie in kits next tuesday (6 point) so I will let it be
known to the board when I have that finished. Then I can give you a complete idea of how it went.

I would recommend this kit to you though.

Alec

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288

· #4 · Apr 13, 2000

How much was it? I've been thinking about doing the same?

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Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 14, 2000

Let me know how the installation went. I would love to see some pictures.
RCJ7

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Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 14, 2000

I installed the Kentrol front roll bar on my 75 CJ5 last year. I still have to complete the rear tie to frame portion though. The front tie to frame went really well. I used those neoprene body mount bushings to sandwich the tie to frame gussets to the interior roll bar plates. It worked great. I also have a soft top, I did leave my dash pad on and the roll bar pushes against the pad and does squeak but no big deal. I got big feet so getting in and out is even more limited now but hey its the price you pay. I also had Kentrol cut the front roll bar in half for shipping...it cut the shipping drastically. They provided me with a splicer pipe to re-weld the pipe together. I still need to complete the rear tie to frame. I see that I am going to run into some problems with finding a place to secure the rear tie to supports due to the location of my rear hitch supports etc. When I attached the front tie to frame gussets I did not weld as they suggest, I welded the gussets to steel plates and then drilled and bolted to frame. Im gonna try and get some digital photos in the next couple of days. I think I could have gotten a cheaper price through 4wd Hardware, but I couldnt have gotten it cut for shipping...

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 14, 2000

Works great. Make tie-ins to the frame. Use 4 spreaders on top, one across the front hoop at the bottom of the windshield, and one on each side from the front hoop to the rear hoop.

Don't sacrifice glovebox fitting, etc. for strength, and make sure the welds are very strong. There's lots of tech tips on this on the board - do a search. But the Kentrol kit is not a toy - it's made out of 2", .120 wall D.O.M. mild steel tubing which exceeds NASCAR standards - the disclaimer is there for insurance purposes only.

Saved my life and my Jeep. When they go over, the front hoop takes all of the weight. First the Jeep lays down, but when it goes upside down, the engine is so heavy that it never leaves the ground, so when the Jeep is upside down, it's on the front edge of the hood and whatever else there is. Therefore, the front bar takes all of the weight - put strong frame tie-ins up there.

Chuck Hadley

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