roll bars

hello i was wondering if a 65 cj5 came with a roll bar ? mine has one with the wheel well cushons . wanting to know if there original or not thanks ed.

 

None of my Kaiser Jeep literature from the mid-60s shows any roll bars. I don't recall factory rollbars until the Renegade I around 1970, but they may have been used earlier. Nearly every old CJ 5 has a rollbar installed today.
Usually the wheelwell cushions were found on Tuxedo Parks, though they were an accessory item.

 

Aftermarket only before 1974, except for the Renegade packages. "Factory equipment" usually means it was on the options list, and appears on the window sticker.

What do you mean by "original?" Most Jeeps left the dealership with some "Jeep approved" special equipment - aftermarket equipment - such as a roll bar and locking hubs. The special equipment came to the dealership through the dealer parts network, so it was nominally factory parts. This equipment was typically rolled into the purchase price and financing. Did this equipment arrive with the Jeep from the factory? No. Was it part of the Jeep as delivered? Yes. Original? You decide.

 

thanks for input . then i guess i need to ask is if you had rollbar and cushions would you put them back on or leave them off .

 

Opinions vary on this here. If you're going to be off roading, most will suggest that you have a roll bar at least, if not a cage. Some wouldn't drive a JEEP without a roll bar, period. Others like the look of them without the roll bar, as they came from the factory. It's personal preference to some degree and, safety to another.

 

wont be doing any off roading

 

The safety issue is undeniable. I've never rolled a jeep in 40 years, but if I did I'd want the protection.

But personally I feel a roll bar is not the right look for an early jeep. And not much value without adding seat belts. Where I go jeeping it would hang up on trees etc. I take my chances without.

 

thanks for all the input i'm leaning towards no rollbar i do like the look better

 

I took off the roll bar because the look is better, and it was not legally mandatory. But if the car is sold with the roll bar as standard and mandatory, we must keep it. You can see the difference with photos below.
By the way, the CJ5 is a good car for roll over, so no belt, be ready to jump... or get a strong roll-bar.
How to drive without roll-bar?
That's not so easy, the solution is to have good suspension, good tyres and drive slowly, in curbs do not accelerate strong, do not turn the steering wheel brutally, take care of angles on slopes, crossing ditches...
My idea is to drive my Jeep like a motorcycle, because when in 2 wheels drive, it is a propulsion, there are some tricks to understand.

with roll-bar : it can be safer


Without roll-bar : the look is better, more "vintage". And we can drive where low branches of tree.

 

For what it's worth in my opinion..........neither of these two quotes above should ever be used in the same context as a reason to not or to consider a "roll bar or roll cage".............The only correct context or reason to even consider one is purely "Safety".

Lets face it being in a Jeep is like being in a topless Tin Can. And if you do add a Cage , Bar , belts or harness's and do not secure it to the frame.....the likelihood of injuries with or without is about a tossup!

I have rolled over a Jeep twice while off road ............a slow roll but in either case not something I planned on or was looking forward to that day , but accidents do happen!
In both case's we all survived except perhaps my pride , a broken windshield , some bent sheet metal and a cooler that spilled out our soft drinks. Trivial things of course , but most injuries I have seen occur when folks stick there hands & arm out somehow thinking that they can stop the inevitable.........Had either time been in a different place where the Jeep could have rolled a few more times then things could have gotten real interesting.

I understand everyone has an opinion!

 

The PO of my Jeep flipped it at 45 MPH (slid sideways on an icy bridge, then hit dry pavement).
The rollbar and seat belts literally saved his life. This was just the simple hoop bolted to the rear wheelwells, like most early CJ's came with.
The bar was bent over to one side at about a 20 degree angle, but he walked away.
I do like the look of a stock Jeep with no rollbar, but the safety factor has to be considered.

 

Obviously the CJ5 is well-known for "rolling" due to size, gravity center, etc... and this is why there is roll-bar.

I just took it off, the look is better, but if I had to use my Jeep more, I'll put the roll-bar on.

Meanwhile, I drive very carefully, like on a (old) motorcycle.

 

Does any one knows where can I get someone to bend the tubing for my 62 CJ5 in South Florida? Or maybe a kit I can get? I can weld it, I just don't have the pipe (or tubing ) bending capabilities. I want something that would also protect the heads of the passengers sitting in the rear seat, so the traditional arch with the angle-positioned support needs to be beefed up somehow. Any ideas are welcomed!

 

Check your local 4x4/Jeep clubs and/or bulletin boards. There's typically somebody doing this kind of stuff as a side business, and you can get referrals and recommendations from the boards and clubs. You may find somebody that will just bend the tubing for you, but likely they'll want to weld it for you too.

If you search the net, there are places that sell kits. Shipping might be prohibitive. Example - CJ roll bar, cj roll cage, cj5 roll bar,cj5 roll cage, jeep cage,cj7 roll bar,cj7 roll cage,Willys roll bar,willys cage, mb roll bar,m38 roll bar, cj8 roll bar - I expect you'll do better locally.

It's not pipe, it's tubing, either electrically welded ERW or mandrel drawn DOM. Most racing organizations now require DOM exclusively. I would not skimp on material for something safety related.

 

all the jeepers that don't sport a sport bar, what do you do for a top? I would get one just for the bikini top. its too hot without one for me.

 

I would consider bending conduit and making a bow for the side holes in the body. Then modify a bikini top to fit it.

 

Please report back about your experience after your first rollover.

I haven't been driving Jeeps for 40 years but I have rolled Jeeps on their sides and fronts in a few occasions. The worst was during a race when a steering knuckle arm broke, the wheels splayed wide open, and I endo'd and rolled on my passenger side. Jeep still has the scars from that episode. If not for the full cage I'd probably be dead. The high back seat (not a race rated seat) folded to the side The Jeep landed on wrenching my back to that side. Something most people don't consider (I didn't). Basically the seat back bent to the passenger side at about an 80 degree angle taking the seat belts and me with it.
Any cage should be tied to the frame as was mentioned. This one was not and still saved my arse. Mounted to good solid wheel wells and front floor pans. That same tub is still in use and is still solid. Down the road it will be tied to the frame.

 

Obviously our cases are quite different. I am not racing my jeep.

There is a spectrum of legitimate choices in any situation.

Do you wear a helmet in your daily driver? Yet I have witnessed horrific head injuries (including gruesome fatalities) in everyday passenger vehicles.

 

I don’t have a roll bar on my jeep because I don’t like the way they look on a flat fender with the windshield down. I wheel smartly and avoid dangerous situations with it. If a trail is too sketchy, I don’t go down it. Just be smart and enjoy.