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is the rear hatch a structural part of the XJ?
- Thread starter 90Pioneer
- Start date
WB9YZU
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Madison, WI
In a Unibody, technically - all doors, and windows provide structural support.
So Yes, it does.
A number of times on the trail, I have opened the hatch to remove a strap, and have been unable to close it until I untwisted the Cherokee
So Yes, it does.
A number of times on the trail, I have opened the hatch to remove a strap, and have been unable to close it until I untwisted the Cherokee
RCP Phx
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix,Az
A number of times on the trail, I have opened the hatch to remove a strap, and have been unable to close it until I untwisted the Cherokee
x2 on that!
- Location
- Nashville, TN
or vice versa.....went to open the hatch and couldn't until you untwisted the Jeep!!!
GrimmJeeper
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gardena, CA
the door/hatch getting wedged into the opening does not mean it's providing structural support, the only part of the hatch that has an interference fit with the body itself is the catch pin at the bottom and the hinges at the top. It may provide some small amount of structural support in a slow twist of the body, but it's not keeping the back of the jeep together. whatever force is against it is all transferred to that pin at the bottom, and the assembly that latches onto it (which is held into fiberglass with rivets/screws). The 97+ may be a different story because of the metal hatch, but the earlier models? no way.
souske
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The land of competition
it will fold like a taco
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
Dunno how much it really does structurally, but I went wheeling weekend before last and the hatch flew open after a particularly fun section. I am not sure if it opened when the rear wheels left the ground or when they came down again.
- Location
- San Diego
^ this. do you really think a FIBERGLASS hatch provides important structural integrity to an XJ? cause i sure dont. same with the doors and windows. just because they are harder to open when flexed does not mean they are structural. if any of those were structural the way in which they are mounted would be much stronger. such as larger bolts, more of them, thicker material, more brackets etc. but since the doors and hatch only resist twisting with a small striker, i find it impossible to believe they are of any support to the body. thats what the A, B, C, and D pillars, roof, floor, unibody rails etc. are for.
joe_peters
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grants Pass, OryGun
it will fold like a taco
This.
lowicz96
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Flint/Asheville
You also have to realize the entire XJ chassis is made up of sheet metal and saying if the hatch or doors were a structural part then it would be beefier is kinda stupid cause the unibody should have been beefier.
courtesy of macygvr on here
I think both the doors, glass and hatch help the rigidity of the XJ. Frame stiffeners would help too
courtesy of macygvr on here
I think both the doors, glass and hatch help the rigidity of the XJ. Frame stiffeners would help too
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
yep... and it's all a bunch of stupid spot welded together crap
I would much prefer it if it had been arc welded... the spot welds tear out because they concentrate stress in the spots, and because they aren't right at the edge of a seam, so the moment of inertia is far greater. Of course, they were fine for what the vehicles were designed for, but that doesn't help us much. Stiffeners and cages do though.
I would much prefer it if it had been arc welded... the spot welds tear out because they concentrate stress in the spots, and because they aren't right at the edge of a seam, so the moment of inertia is far greater. Of course, they were fine for what the vehicles were designed for, but that doesn't help us much. Stiffeners and cages do though.
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