• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Frame stiffeners

califxj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
california
Hello-

New member here, although I've owned my 2000 XJ for a while.
A bit of history. Bought the XJ back in 2010 . I always loved the boxy style and found a well kept one for sale. I went though it, keeping things stock.
My daughters liked it too and took it with them to college.
They have returned the XJ and now I can drive it again.
I'm thinking of making some improvements which include installing Ruff Stuff frame reinforcements. I don't wheel much at all but I do hike a lot and use fire roads.
A buddy of mine mentioned that the frame stiffeners will improve the ride on the road quite a bit(highway, street, etc)
I would be very interested if anyone has installed stiffeners and what the effect is for a daily driven XJ.

Thanks in advance.
 
After several years of having frame stiffeners, the only thing I notice, driving on the street, is less creaks from the dash.
Off-road, I do feel a difference, the most obvious being how the gap between the top of the door and body doesn't not move nearly as much, when flexing the suspension .
220,000 miles on the body and no cracks yet.
 
Some may disagree with me, but creaks from the dash can be solved by simply taking the dash apart and putting it back together again. I have far less creaks from the dash after changing out the evaporator. Body has 352,000 and apart from some fire roads or trails in the desert to blow shit up, hasn't seen much offloading.
 
.... installing Ruff Stuff frame reinforcements. I don't wheel much at all but I do hike a lot and use fire roads.

Unless you are running lots of difficult 4x4 trails, or extreme 4x4 trails, frame reinforcements should be farther down your modifications list. If you are simply looking to firm up the uni-body structure, a rear Class-III receiver hitch and a front hitch or winch bumper, or front cross member reinforcement ( https://www.hooliganoffroad.com/products/xj-front-cross-member-stiffener ) would be a better idea. If you are looking to improve the on-road ride, look at installing new springs, new suspension bushings, and some upgraded shocks. If you want some suspension lift to go along with your improved ride, look at OME springs and shocks.
 
Last edited:
"Some may disagree with me, but creaks from the dash can be solved by simply taking the dash apart and putting it back together again. I have far less creaks from the dash after changing out the evaporator. Body has 352,000 and apart from some fire roads or trails in the desert to blow shit up, hasn't seen much offloading."

totally agree same experience with my '94 limited, not only less creaks but also seemed to stiffen up the front,
 
"Some may disagree with me, but creaks from the dash can be solved by simply taking the dash apart and putting it back together again. I have far less creaks from the dash after changing out the evaporator. Body has 352,000 and apart from some fire roads or trails in the desert to blow shit up, hasn't seen much offloading."

totally agree same experience with my '94 limited, not only less creaks but also seemed to stiffen up the front,

I don't see reassembling the dash doing anything for the front end, but to avoid the noises, put some stick-on felt under every fastener when reassembling the dash. You know, like the factory did on later years?
 
My XJ is a major improvement over my CJ-7, I always thought clunks, squeaks, and rattles were installed at the Jeep factory. Stiffening the XJ "frame" and fixing dash rattles are sort of two different goals.
 
actually i wasn't making reference to the advantages or otherwise of using frame stiffeners, and based on the intended purpose of the vehicle i would agree that they could be a good investment.

i was just acknowledging that in my case , as was the experience of another poster that when i did the evap. on my jeep and put it all back together there was a noticeable improvement in squeak reduction and perceived front end (body) stiffness, the implication being that in vehicles of this age checking all fasteners for tightness can have a positive outcome.

thats not implying in any way that simply doing the above will resolve issues or strengthen the frame.

sorry if you were confused.

macca
 
Back
Top