Author Topic: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck  (Read 22926 times)

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BeaterToyota

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Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« on: Aug 12, 2012, 05:17:33 PM »
About two weeks ago I ordered one of the Marlin Crawler cages 'cause I've needed one for way too long, and I've never gotten around to building one from scratch.  I'm gonna post pics here as I go through installing the cage in my '88 regular cab truck.  It'll probably take another week or two, working a little at a time, 'cause I have some other stuff going on.

It shipped right away, and got here (to VA) in about a week.  The three main legs/pillars are shrink wrapped together, and the rest of parts are in the box:


The box unloaded; a pile of tube:

« Last Edit: Aug 12, 2012, 05:24:17 PM by BeaterToyota »
'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #1 on: Aug 12, 2012, 05:20:50 PM »
I got started a little bit with installing the cage today.  I decided to chisel and scrape out some of the tar-like floor covering to put the plates down for the A pillars.  When I pulled out the driver's side floor mat and started scraping the floor covering I ran into some rust.  The body mount itself is solid, but I'll have to patch up the floor board as I continue the cage installation...





Passenger side was drama-free.  (Don't pay any attention to the mountain of crap on my workbench.)





Got the B pillar clamped and tacked in place...





Started test fitting the A pillars into place but still need to notch/cut them to length...

'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #2 on: Aug 12, 2012, 05:22:49 PM »
Seems like there's enough clearance for my head. That has been my biggest concern, for years, about an internal cage.  There's plenty of room, and my wife got me some roll bar padding for my birthday:





'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #3 on: Aug 12, 2012, 09:35:36 PM »
I gotta watch this!
"A friend will help you move.  A real friend will help you move a body."

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #4 on: Aug 13, 2012, 06:18:07 PM »
how does the front plate fit underneath the body mount
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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #5 on: Aug 13, 2012, 06:23:15 PM »
Thanks for posting this BeaterToyota. We will do an official install guide hopefully within a few weeks. :thumbs:
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BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #6 on: Aug 13, 2012, 06:41:51 PM »
how does the front plate fit underneath the body mount
There isn't a plate on the bottom side of the truck.  The bolts go through from the top and just get washers and nuts on the bottom.  Since the plate sits right over the body mount you can't put a plate underneath.  I suppose it would be possible to move the plate back behind the body mount, and then you could sandwich the body between two plates, but the the A pillar would be moved way too far back. 

Thanks for posting this BeaterToyota. We will do an official install guide hopefully within a few weeks. :thumbs:
No problem.  I won't finish for a while, so you guys will probably have your write up done before me.

I have a couple of sticks of of 1.5 HREW sitting in the garage, so my plan is to add a harness bar behind the seats, with some diagonals and one vertical piece that drops down from the top of the B pillar.  I don't think I can do diagonals from the top corners of the B pillar 'cause they won't fit behind my seats.  I'm gonna add a dash bar, and finally some bars that tie the feet of the A pillars to the feet of the B pillars.  I'll eventually tie my seats and harness into all of that, so if the cage was to break free from the body it won't really matter...
 
'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #7 on: Aug 13, 2012, 07:22:06 PM »
There isn't a plate on the bottom side of the truck.  The bolts go through from the top and just get washers and nuts on the bottom.  Since the plate sits right over the body mount you can't put a plate underneath.  I suppose it would be possible to move the plate back behind the body mount, and then you could sandwich the body between two plates, but the the A pillar would be moved way too far back. 
No problem.  I won't finish for a while, so you guys will probably have your write up done before me.

I have a couple of sticks of of 1.5 HREW sitting in the garage, so my plan is to add a harness bar behind the seats, with some diagonals and one vertical piece that drops down from the top of the B pillar.  I don't think I can do diagonals from the top corners of the B pillar 'cause they won't fit behind my seats.  I'm gonna add a dash bar, and finally some bars that tie the feet of the A pillars to the feet of the B pillars.  I'll eventually tie my seats and harness into all of that, so if the cage was to break free from the body it won't really matter...
 

I have been thinking of doing the exact same thing, but tying it to the frame in a different way.

Do you know if the A and B pillars are centered directly above the bolts for the body mounts?  I'm not worried about the feet for the cage.....
"A friend will help you move.  A real friend will help you move a body."

"They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken"

"Hopefully, if I crap in a gopher hole, one doesn't try and nibble at my taint"  - my freind Fat Tony

"I once read somewhere that drinking causes violence, so I quit reading"

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #8 on: Aug 13, 2012, 07:39:21 PM »
My understanding is that this kit is sort of universal for 1st-3rd gen trucks. So the pieces are cut a bit long and you can customize the fit (for example, I cut about 3.5" from the bottom of the b pillar hoop because it was so tall that I couldn't stand it up inside the cab).  It would be easy to center the A pillars right over the body mount, but it would take some work to do the B pillar that way. 

In these pics you can see via my Sharpie lines that I centered the plates right over the body mount, but the legs of the B pillar don't sit right at the center. 

Driver side rear:


Passenger side rear ('cause I didn't get a shot of the hoop tacked to the driver side):

'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #9 on: Aug 13, 2012, 08:15:17 PM »
Good to know.  Thanks for the information.
"A friend will help you move.  A real friend will help you move a body."

"They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken"

"Hopefully, if I crap in a gopher hole, one doesn't try and nibble at my taint"  - my freind Fat Tony

"I once read somewhere that drinking causes violence, so I quit reading"

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #10 on: Aug 19, 2012, 06:44:55 PM »
I got a little bit done tonight...

After thinking about the best way to continue with the cage, I decided I would get the sleeves for the A pillars put into place.  I figured it would be easier to get the main legs drilled and cut into two parts before they became part of the whole cage.

The sleeves are pre-drilled, so I decided where I wanted them to be, and I drilled one hole all the way through the main A pillar.  I bolted it in place so I could move on to drilling the next hole...



Once bolted together I drilled the other holes for the second bolt.  I test fit to be sure it all lines up and both bolts go through cleanly...



With all the holes drilled, I unbolted everything and I cut the main pillar into two parts with my sawzall...



Cut in two, bolted back together, and test fit into place...


More to come later this week...
'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #11 on: Aug 19, 2012, 08:38:19 PM »
Looks good...I always wanted to do an exo cage to protect the the truck at the same time but this has caught my interest.
85 4Runner powered by 7mge,W56 trans,dual t-case, 5.29 gears and Toyota E-locker front and rear, Longfield 30 spline front axles and chromoly hub gears, Front Range full float rear axles, Tundra front brakes, v6 calipers and FJ60 rotors on rear, t-case e-brk, 6shooter knuckles with trunnion bearing eliminator kit, Stage 8 locking spindle nut, 41x14.50x16 Swamper Iroks.

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #12 on: Sep 01, 2012, 06:13:38 PM »
I worked on this a little bit on Thursday and then some more today...

I got the A pillars notched where they meet the B pillar and then I got them tacked into place...




Then I moved on to the windshield bar.  I measured it a billion times, then I laid out the three sleeved pieces, notched the ends, and cut the center piece to the right length...










Then I moved on to the center piece that runs front to back.  With that piece in place the cage (as it comes from Marlin) is ready for removal and final welding...

'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #13 on: Sep 01, 2012, 06:34:47 PM »
I decided I wanted to strengthen the cage and make a harness bar for my shoulder belts.  A straight piece running from one side to the other wouldn't let me push my seat back far enough. A friend had hooked me up with some scrap tube and two full 8' sticks, so I cut some small bends out of a pre-bent scrap piece he had given me and I connected the two bends with a length of tube in the middle.  The three pieces are just butt welded together, but I'm not too worried about it.  You can't really see the bend in this picture, but it pushes the harness bar back from the B pillar towards the back wall of the cab...



I want to add some diagonal pieces, but there's just no room to fit them behind the headrest.  I might just drop a vertical piece down the center of the back window to tie the two bars together. The harness bar looks a bit high in this shot, but I'm gonna raise my seat up slightly when I reinstall it...




With the harness bar done I moved onto the dash.  I decided to make the dash bar removable. Once again I used some scrap pre-bent pieces and a length of tube between them.  They'll bolt together with sleeves like the other parts of the cage...



'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

HogCanyonHopper

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #14 on: Sep 01, 2012, 06:35:19 PM »
Nice work man!! Looks really good and this is giving me ideas for my 80. Thinking I would rather have an interior cage than exo.
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=88478.0
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BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #15 on: Sep 01, 2012, 06:37:49 PM »
Thanks.  I've needed a cage for too long.  These cabs don't hold up too well on their own when the roll.

I ran out of time today, so tomorrow it will get pulled out and fully welded.
'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

daniresch

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #16 on: Sep 01, 2012, 07:15:46 PM »
thank you for posting this!!! following!
1988 Blue Std Cab: SAS, Longs, HP/ARB/5.29 Front, ARB/5.29 Rear, Marlin Dual Ultimate w/ 23 Spline MC07XD-R10, Marlin 30 Spline Front & Rear Output Shafts, Dave's Triple shifter, FROR crossmember, Bilstein 12" f+r, RUF w/ 63s, 7in bob, 40x13.5x17 MTR's on Racelines Monster Beadlocks 17x9.5

build: http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=80954.510

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #17 on: Sep 03, 2012, 02:57:21 PM »
I didn't take any more pics, but it's basically done.  I'll take some pics later. 

I pulled it out of the cab to finish the welding.  I added the handles to the A pillars where they bend, right at dash height. 
I added some 1/4" plate gussets to the corners. I decided I liked them better than all the 1" tube pieces that come with the kit. Again, I didn't take pics, but I essentially just made a handful of these from scrap I had...




A couple of things that I learned doing this cage...
1) I used the bigger, rectangular plates for the base of the B pillars and the smaller, square ones for the base of the A pillars.  I should have done it the other way around.
2) Where the A pillar is sleeved to the main hoop I should have put the sleeves farther back towards the main hoop (the B pillar).

These two mistakes made it impossible for me to get the B hoop out of the cab for final welding.  The foot plates were just big enough, and the tubes that were tacked to the hoop were just long enough, that I couldn't get it out of the cab.  I was able to lean it and weld it all, but it would have been easier to weld outside of the cab.  See pic below for what I should have done...

'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #18 on: Sep 03, 2012, 04:30:08 PM »
Two casualties caused by not being able to get the main hoop out of the cab:

1) It slipped out of my hands, fell, and broke the plastic of the gauge cluster...




2) I lost my balance, fell into it, and burned my arm. Twice...

'88 pickup
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BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #19 on: Sep 04, 2012, 05:55:03 PM »
I don't really have anything to report, other than I added some padding and bolted the cage to the floor.  It's basically done...

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #20 on: Sep 05, 2012, 04:23:11 AM »
Nice write up brother, Casualties aren,t to bad considering.   I hope you lost a little blood somewhere or it won't work right. :biggthumpup:
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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #21 on: Sep 05, 2012, 08:02:11 AM »
Looks great man!! :beerchug:
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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #22 on: Sep 05, 2012, 12:24:37 PM »
OK, thats it, I think I'm going to be doing a Marlin interior cage yup yup, that is freekin' sweeeeet  :thumbs:  :turtle: :driving:
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=88478.0
Where are we going? And why are we in a handbasket?

My friend is goin to moan this weekend - RockcrawlinJK

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #23 on: Sep 05, 2012, 02:10:25 PM »
Thanks y'all.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I'd definitely recommend it if you're thinking about a cage.  And really, for the price, it's worth getting a cage before a winch or a bumper or whatever.

I had been putting it off for years 'cause I didn't want to give up room in the cab (and I really dislike exo cages) but after a few too many of these scenarios I decided I NEEDED a cage...

'88 pickup
dual cases and dents

acreves

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #24 on: Sep 05, 2012, 06:09:31 PM »
I've got two extra gauge clusters that are getting ready to be trashed. You pay for shipping and they are yours. Let me know.

BeaterToyota [OP]

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #25 on: Sep 05, 2012, 07:07:03 PM »
I was thinking I might like to replace the gauges.  It's just a trail rig, but still...
Not sure where you are, but I imagine that shipping wouldn't cost too much.  It's pretty light.  That'd be great if you could ship one and I can PayPal or send a check or whatever. 

I suppose they're both just the crappy ones like mine, not the SR5 one?
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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #26 on: Sep 05, 2012, 07:59:15 PM »
I have read thru this three times now.........I like it. My truck isn't really exoed and I really didn't want it to be, the cage stops behind the door, I think I will be doing this and leave the front alone.
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acreves

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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #27 on: Sep 05, 2012, 08:40:24 PM »
I was thinking I might like to replace the gauges.  It's just a trail rig, but still...
Not sure where you are, but I imagine that shipping wouldn't cost too much.  It's pretty light.  That'd be great if you could ship one and I can PayPal or send a check or whatever. 

I suppose they're both just the crappy ones like mine, not the SR5 one?

Yeah they are just the crappy ones. I am in Socal. I think shipping will run about 8 bucks. Shoot me a pm with your address so I can figure it out


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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #28 on: Sep 24, 2012, 12:29:20 PM »
CruzrDave just brought this to my attention -- Is that a rooster?! hahahah cool :rofl2:
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Re: Marlin Crawler Cage in my '88 Truck
« Reply #29 on: Sep 26, 2012, 02:39:31 PM »
Yep that's a rooster.
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No matter where ya go..... there ya are.
Hillbilly Offroad
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