Would a Roll Bar from a 1978 CJ7 fit on my 1967 CJ5?

My '67 CJ5 is pretty much straight stock, and I want to leave it that way as much as practicable. However, I sometimes drive it in mild off road conditions, and really need to add a roll bar for safety. Since OEM roll bars weren't available on CJs until around 1974, any roll bar I install on my '67 would of course be other than a factory option for that year.

I've thought about getting one of these roll bar kits that appear to replicate the 1974 era design - which would probably have been what a dealership back in those days would have installed on my 1967. On the other hand, these are fairly expensive with shipping included, and would have to be trimmed and welded after delivery:

http://completeoffroad.com/i-2894896-jeep-factory-replica-stock-roll-bar-cj5.html

Alternatively, I found a very good deal locally on this roll bar from a '78 CJ7, which may or may not be OEM for that year (does anybody happen to know)? It is over an hour away from where I live, and I don't have any measurements on it. Would it fit on my '67 CJ5?:

 

Yes the 78 roll bar will fit,
I have a 76 bar in my 70 CJ6 and it fit with no problem.

Andrew Hurt

 

The rollbar pictured is not from a 78.

However, my guess is that would fit your 67.

 

76 and later factory roll bars sloped back to match the slope of the later CJ's windshields, thats how you can tell it is not a factory 78. Looks like an earlier roll bar to me

 

I thought the CJ7 was wider than the CJ5??????

Scott

 

No.


Sent from my iPhone

 

The changeover for the rollbar to extend to the floor was mid-year 78

 

This looks like the same roll bar installed in infernalcolonel's rig.

 

Looks like the one I have in my 66

 

The '66 should have an aftermarket bar, which is most likely a Whitco. Except for the Renegades, Jeep did not sell a factory roll bar before 1974. There's a brochure for sale about the Whitco bars on eBay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Jeep-Universal-Whitco-Steel-Tube-Roll-Bar-Brochure-/260327111961 - look at the difference in the brace design between the Whitco and the bar above. The parts book shows a bar like the one pictured by the OP for 1974 through mid-1979. There appears to be no tilt back in this '74-79 bar as pictured, and it was only available as part of the original equipment group. There is no PN for replacement. The later bar, with a hoop that goes to the floor, does tilt back.

So yes, this should fit fine.

 

I did some online research, and found out that these particular roll bars were indeed available as a factory option on CJs from at least 1976 to 1978. These are from AMC jeep marketing brochures during those model years:

 

Sorry for the thread revival but..... I bought a roll bar like the one in the first picture of this post and it sits a little higher than the windshield frame on my '63 CJ5. Has anyone had any problems with a soft top fitting with this bar on?

Semper Fi,

Josh

 

The top bow should hold the top higher than the roll bar. The top should slope down to the windshield from the center.

 

Sweet! thanks!

 

it looks like the one I put in my 59 cj5 but I had to cut off half of the lower brace that bolts to the tub because it made mine to wide to fit my jeep. Mostly because it interfered with my top bow stake pockets. Then it was still a tight fit so I wrapped a ratcheting strap around it and squeezed it for the install then released the strap and then it was good.

 

I have a roll bar which I was a leftover which I removed from a 78 CJ5 that is identical to the one that is pictured. The diggerjeep is a 68 CJ5 body. I have installed the rollbar on the 68 CJ5. It does sit too high for a vintage soft top to fit. I have to shorten the rollbar (grinding off the base and removing 1.5" and rewelding.

If you are not concerned about putting a soft top or hard top on, then you should be fine. One note to mention is that the roll bar didn not easily fit into place, I had to use a ratchet strap across the bottom to pull the legs together toge over the upper lip of the body, but once in place and the ratchet strap removed, there was free-play side to side so there was no spreading tension on the body.

Make sure that the rollbar is attached to good firm foundation. It does no good to have a roll bar rip the rear fenders lose, or rip the metal lose from the upper fender well. When I built up my 81-CJ7, I installed a roll bar tie in kit, which uses 2"tubing and a steel plate inside the fender and the tubing gets welded to the frame. In this way, the roll bar strength is not at the mercy of the rusty body.



Of equal importance in having a roll bar is