first gen toyota exo

big_dodge · Mar 5, 2014

TBItoy said:
Is the front fender part of the tube work even tied to anything?

Yes, it's tied into the frame just before the bumper. That's the way he wanted it. He didn't want it tied into the bumper because it can currently be unbolted and he wanted to retain that feature. He also didn't want a bar across the cowl or down the windshield. It's designed exactly how he wanted.

jordan7118 · Mar 5, 2014

Wow... That was an incredibly clean first gen :-\

I think the exo leaves a little to be desired. Functional? For the most part. Could I do better? Probably not, but my skills aren't being questioned or touted ;D

Try 1.75" tube next time (looks more proportional), and work more WITH the body features instead of just throwing it up there. The B-pillar tube could've been brought back just a little and also been parallel with the back of the cab. As it is, it seems out of place in the middle of the B-pillar and slightly a skewed to the back of the cab. Sure, the customer may have designed or thought it out, but it could've been executed a little differently and still made him happy.

It's fairly easy to see in your welds that they are the same as those in question on the F-Toy. They are better here but have fingerprints similar to what is shown on the F-Toy.

I have no dog in this fight, so take it for what it cost ya. Not trying to stir the pot; simply offering a little constructive criticism, as it does seem that you want to improve, and I've seen a lot of Toyota exos from which to compare.

buggy68 · Mar 5, 2014

Thanks for u input. Once again on the cage design this was not our design it was the customers but thanks again

SomewhiteGuy · Mar 5, 2014

Then you need to realize the customer is not always right, I wont build things that I know suck or are weak by design just to make a buck.

jordan7118 · Mar 5, 2014

SomewhiteGuy said:
Then you need to realize the customer is not always right, I wont build things that I know suck or are weak by design just to make a buck.

Agree. It is your job as the builder to decipher what the customer wants into something safe and hopefully aesthetically pleasing, not just do it exactly as they want. If they knew exactly how to do it and how they wanted it, why would they come to you?

buggy68 · Mar 5, 2014

I guess casue he don't have the tools to do it. Once again this is not a crawler, its a mild trail truck

Mutt · Mar 5, 2014

Why do both fenders look like the were left over cab bars. Welds look good just not digging the lines or the way it sits on the "sliders".

jim koch · Mar 5, 2014

What gets me is the rocker bars look they are tied to the frame with one kicker at each end, I guess if it's just for looks that's ok

buggy68 · Mar 5, 2014

Mutt, it was his design the way he wanted the fenders and yes jim this trucks pretty much for looks. He drives it to work and occasionally trail rides, when I say trail ride I mean rarely even sees 4x4

Mutt · Mar 5, 2014

buggy68 said:
Mutt, it was his design the way he wanted the fenders and yes jim this trucks pretty much for looks. He drives it to work and occasionally trail rides, when I say trail ride I mean rarely even sees 4x4

Fair enough, have plenty of customers that leave you going... Well if thats the way you want it...

jim koch · Mar 5, 2014

Sounds like he got what he asked for, it's his money, as long as he's happy that what matters most, I hope you explained to him there is not much structural integrity to hisdesign

buggy68 · Mar 5, 2014

Ya we did but he did not want anything in front cause he had a removable bumper. I told home we cld make it to where it welded to th frame behind the bumper but he said no. Also he did not want a bar on the bottom of the windshield cause he did he didint like the way they looked. Lol. But like I said hes by no means going be crawling in it and he's very pleased with it. And thanks jim .

JRoach321 · Mar 5, 2014

Well the difference in the random shitty work on hjpcummins and this truck is quite different but I'm not sure its much better. Looks like you need to spend a little more time laying things out.
Even if it's exactly the way the customer wanted it, it certainly could have been executed better. Dead nodes and tubes not lining up to the others. I could go on for a while. The cage doesn't serve any purpose if it is not built properly.
Lets see some pics on how that front fender tube is tied to the frame.