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which frame stiffeners with RE long arm

premoxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Diego, CA
hey all, i have the Rubicon Express 5.5" long arm. i'm ready for frame stiffeners. who makes one that will work with the RE kit? i've searched around but have come up dry.

any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance
 
i installed a set of those on a buddy's jeep and hated them due to the large oval holes for rosette welding. they're not needed, and wastes a bunch of wire and time, not to mention they're hard to weld cleanly IMO. i prefer about a 1/2" hole, which is what i drilled in my tnt stiffeners.
if ruffstuff did that instead, they'd be great.
 
HDOffroad.
 
i would think so, but if your long arm kit cant work with frame stiffeners, IMO you need to look for a different L.A. kit or at least brackets.
 
I have installed both the HD Offroad and RuffStuff. As Vanimal said, the RS ones are a little harder to weld in an oval hole VS a round roset weld like HD Offroads. There are like 56-58 round holes (per side) in the HD's and far far few of the oval holes in the RS. Both are very well made. So the choice is really yours. "weld lots of holes" or "spend time welding oval holes" RuffStuff stiffeners do go up passed the lower control arm mount so care and time getting that cut off/cleaned up is also a factor. Where if you just cut the lower arm brackets off with a sawzall and called it good. The HD's mount to the base of that.
 
Vanimal, i already have the kit installed so getting a different one is def not an option. lol the brackets are pretty nice on the thing in regards to how they bolt to the frame rails but i think i can make it work from what i've read so far

anywho, i did some more searching around last night and managed to find someone on some abscure forum that said he ran the TNT setup but had to fire up the plasma cutter to get them on. it looks like that's the plan.

CaliXJ - other then the welding required, are there any differences in quality from one to the other? i dont mind welding 100+ holes if the quality is better.

thanks guys
 
CaliXJ - other then the welding required, are there any differences in quality from one to the other? i dont mind welding 100+ holes if the quality is better.

I have the HD's and RHDJulio now has the RS ones installed by me. Both are great products in my book. When i'm ready to do it again on another rig, (If i go with another Long Arm kit) RuffStuff would be my choice.
 
hd's are 10ga and ruffstuff are 3/16", so RS are thicker if that means anything to you. also, the lip that bends up under the floor seems pretty friggin useless. it never reaches the floor so it isnt supporting crap, and it just serves as a shelf to collect crap that can work it's way down between the stiffeners and uniframe, which we all know is awesome. ones that do not have that bend are a little easier to seam seal IMO, and without looking like crap.
I also just installed a ruff stuff kit on someone's jeep and will not use them again.
i just wish tnt would burn in some damn rosette weld holes, then they would be awesome.
 
The HD's are perfectly fine for a regular wheeler and will work with most any longarm kit you just may need some longer hardware for the belly plate/system.
 
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