YJ style sport bar on a TJ?

Will’s TJ

Will’s TJ

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Joined
Nov 23, 2019
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Location
ATL Georgia
Has anyone done this? I'm aware of the safety sacrifice but I really like the style of the YJ sport bar. Could I get the bar from a junkyard and just bolt it into my TJ? Should I get one custom made? I don't plan on doing this if I can't do it right, just curious if it's possible.

Please post pictures of the conversion if you have any, thanks.

YJ Sport Bar.jpg
TJ Sport Cage.jpg
 
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William’s TJ said:
Has anyone done this? I'm aware of the safety sacrifice but I really like the style of the YJ sport bar. Could I get the bar from a junkyard and just bolt it into my TJ? Should I get one custom made? I don't plan on doing this if I can't do it right, just curious if it's possible.

Post pictures the conversion if you have any.

View attachment 143439View attachment 143442
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I really like the old YJ roll bars too. I'm not sure there'd be a safety issue unless you carry rear seat passengers. I'd have a hard time turning one down at a good price.
 
Personally I would go custom. Get a higher grade and wall thickness tube at the same time. Upgrade the spreader bars as well.

You may need to upgrade the mounting points, because the triangulated bar may not deform as much as a TJ cage, potentially increasing the risk of it shearing off.
 
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William’s TJ said:
Has anyone done this? I'm aware of the safety sacrifice but I really like the style of the YJ sport bar. Could I get the bar from a junkyard and just bolt it into my TJ? Should I get one custom made? I don't plan on doing this if I can't do it right, just curious if it's possible.

Please post pictures of the conversion if you have any, thanks.

View attachment 143439View attachment 143442
Click to expand...
Do it!!!! post pics!
 
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William’s TJ said:
I wish I could, but having it as my DD kind of prevents that, at least until the school year is over. I also don't want to have the soft top fail on me in the rain and the cold, and being a jobless 16 year old gives me a bit of a tight budget... Should I keep going? Lol
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Ohhh that changes things. You need to keep researching to see if it’s a direct swap then. Goodluck
 
William’s TJ said:
I wish I could, but having it as my DD kind of prevents that, at least until the school year is over. I also don't want to have the soft top fail on me in the rain and the cold, and being a jobless 16 year old gives me a bit of a tight budget... Should I keep going? Lol
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You definitely have your head screwed on right!
 
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The YJ sport bar looks so much better than the TJ sport bar, that's for sure.

Of course I understand why they did it, as the YJ bar wouldn't be safe for passengers in the back. But if you aren't going to have passengers, then I think the YJ style bar would look great in a TJ.
 
William’s TJ said:
I wish I could, but having it as my DD kind of prevents that, at least until the school year is over. I also don't want to have the soft top fail on me in the rain and the cold, and being a jobless 16 year old gives me a bit of a tight budget... Should I keep going? Lol
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Take the time then and cruise the internet via craigslist, ebay, or even your local junk yard. Find a seller who is willing to take some measurmenrs for you to verify the fitment. Or just buy a junkyard one, I couldnt imagine it being more than ~$200 to see if it fits yourself.

IIRC you need a 87 - 91 YJ for that style roll bar.
 
Fouledplugs said:
Take the time then and cruise the internet via craigslist, ebay, or even your local junk yard. Find a seller who is willing to take some measurmenrs for you to verify the fitment. Or just buy a junkyard one, I couldnt imagine it being more than ~$200 to see if it fits yourself.

IIRC you need a 87 - 91 YJ for that style roll bar.
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Yeah, I was planning to just try to find a cheap one and test fitment. Then I could just put it on Craigslist if it doesn't work well.
 
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Fouledplugs said:
Here’s one in SC. Pretty far drive, but dirt cheap. $30. He may meet you halfway if you pay his gas or offer him double.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/392691274746
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That is either from a CJ or a very early YJ. It doesn't have any spreader bar mounting points.

And here's someone that thinks somebody might prefer a family style bar. BEWARE If you watch too much you'll see at least one Bloomberg ad, maybe more, I only watched until the first one.
 
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JEEPCJTJ said:
That is either from a CJ or a very early YJ. It doesn't have any spreader bar mounting points.

And here's someone that thinks somebody might prefer a family style bar. BEWARE If you watch too much you'll see at least one Bloomberg ad, maybe more, I only watched until the first one.
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Yeah, I was looking at that trying to find the mounting points. It’s pretty cheap, so maybe I could just get some tubing and rent a welder to finish the front part. If that doesn’t work I’ll just watch that video in reverse, haha.
 
The YJ bars I've seen are similar to the TJ. Those look like CJ bars. Could be some stupid NY law about rear seat safety.
Also the TJ inner rear tubs are all cater-wumpy (my mother's word) unlike the CJ/YJ that had those nice squared off inner tubs. So mounting at least that part might be tricky.
Do the YJ bars have the mounting brackets for a soft top to fit the TJ? The slant bar would be in the way wouldn't it? It might be easier if you did a bit of sawsall work and cut the stock TJ bar and reconfigure it to the slant back style.
They are by far the best looking bar for a CJ/Wrangler. Never cared for the 'family bar's set-up. If you do it please take plenty of notes so others (me) can also modify our (mine) bars.
 
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Goatman said:
The YJ bars I've seen are similar to the TJ. Those look like CJ bars. Could be some stupid NY law about rear seat safety.
Also the TJ inner rear tubs are all cater-wumpy (my mother's word) unlike the CJ/YJ that had those nice squared off inner tubs. So mounting at least that part might be tricky.
Do the YJ bars have the mounting brackets for a soft top to fit the TJ? The slant bar would be in the way wouldn't it? It might be easier if you did a bit of sawsall work and cut the stock TJ bar and reconfigure it to the slant back style.
They are by far the best looking bar for a CJ/Wrangler. Never cared for the 'family bar's set-up. If you do it please take plenty of notes so others (me) can also modify our (mine) bars.
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That’s a good idea about just re-configuring the TJ bars. I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll have to take a closer look at how the soft top mounts on the TJ bars when I get home, but I bet I could find a place to put them on the YJ bars
 
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