Looking for opinions on frame stiffeners

I have a 98 XJ, 4.0, auto, currently with 3" lift and 31s. My plan is to go to 4.5" SA lift with 33s and 4.56 gears with ARBs. I am looking at the options for frame stiffeners from RuffStuff, TNT Customs and HD Offroad Engineering. There is quite a price variance from the TNT basic set to the full set from HD, though I'm not really worried about the cost as they are all affordable. Just wanting to decide what would be the most common sense for my build and would appreciate your opinions.
Thanks!

Well the TNT basic is mids vs the HD full set is mids, rear, and fronts, So yeah there will be a big difference.

I have HD mids and fronts and I would recommend them, and plan to get the rears as well.

If you don't want them all at once I would recommend them as getting mids, fronts, and rears, in that order.

And if you still need more info, search on it. This same topic was just covered last weak.

Love my HD mids...stopped a lot of the creaky plastic interior noise and could feel a difference in handling right after install. Takes a while to fill all the plug welds, but strong without adding a ton of weight.

Will be ordering the HD fronts sometime next year.

All stiffeners are better than nothing but I would go with HD's kit because it takes less time to do that than piece together pieces from other companies stiffeners ect.

Thanks for the replies. So I guess my question really was, is there a design or philosophy difference between the manufacturers? Sounds like they're all similar, just HD is the complete set vs partial from the others. Will be ordering the full HD set. Thanks again!

While I have no real life testing to prove it I think anything thicker then 10 gauge is wasted weight. At some point theres only so much you can do to strengthen 1-2 sides of a rectangle.
I also dont see welding it along the floor being worthwhile either. At least not enough to actually matter. Seems to me these thicker more complex shapes are often difficult to fit properly, and what good is it if your filling gaps with weld. The guys I have seen who have the ruffstuff style dont fit them well and then dont weld to the floor.

I wonder if the best (besides adding a frame) would be to plate it in 10g then add another dimension with something like the t&j setup. Just an idea.

wilhite78 said:

is there a design or philosophy difference between the manufacturers?

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Ruff Stuff has a piece that extends a little beyond the frame rail and attaches to the floor. Seems like a good idea to me...??

...but, they don't yet offer front stiffeners.


If they had fronts, I would have ordered a set already.

ocean_jet said:

Ruff Stuff has a piece that extends a little beyond the frame rail and attaches to the floor. Seems like a good idea to me...??

...but, they don't yet offer front stiffeners.


If they had fronts, I would have ordered a set already.

Click to expand...

Why not do the RS mid's and go with TNT or HDOR fronts?

Good thought. Is anybody using the RuffStuff with the additional area welded to the floor? If so what are the opinions? Also, for my own education, how much difference is there between front stiffeners vs the added stiffness from a front winch bumper only?

Johnnie Walker said:

Why not do the RS mid's and go with TNT or HDOR fronts?

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I might... or I might just go with HD's full set again...

still thinking :eeks1:



Anyone have any thoughts on that piece that extends to the floor? Does make much difference vs. the HD style one that doesn't extend to the floor?

wilhite78 said:

Also, for my own education, how much difference is there between front stiffeners vs the added stiffness from a front winch bumper only?

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I don't know, but IMO reinforcing the area of the "frame" where the steering box attaches is a necessary upgrade... and adding front stiffeners helps with that. I don't think a winch bumper fixes that.