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Frame Crack Help!

C

CStamm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Leeport, PA
Ok, so my frame is bent/cracked in the front driver's side right behind the sway bar mount. Here are some pics

http://community.webshots.com/album/92537685rhiBSD

As you can see it is bent near this frame hole (the hole where most tow hook brackets come to). It is then leads to a crack underneath the frame rail.

So it is cracked and bent. This is how I bought it. I would assume it was in a crash, but I can't find any evidence of body work. It appears as if the frame is fine everywhere else. It doesn't need to be straightened as far as I'm concerned, as the alignment is fine. The only weight hanging on it would be the sway bar mount and the power steering. I have wheeled it semi-hard, and it hasn't seemed to have gotten any worse.

I was going to buy the C-Rok power steering braces, then have my buddy weld the crack to reinforce it. Will this be sufficient? I have a lot of time and money in this rig already, and I want it fixed right so that I don't have to worry about it again.

Please let me know what you guys think I should do here, thanks ahead of time.
 
It may not have been in a crash. With 33s and a little abuse the steering box takes on alot of pressure and sends it to the "frame". My suggestion would be to check out a couple companies for steering box braces. A good one is http://www.mountainoffroad.com/catalog/SteerBrace/brace.htm . But first you'd need to remove the st. box and weld or have it welded. With the brace you probably wont have any more problems with that steering box.:)
 
I have heard of the braces like in the post above actually causing more damage than they prevent.

Both ORGS and C-rock make reinforcing plates that go on both sides of the frame for more thickness. I think the c-rock is bolt on and the ORGS is a weld on.
http://www.orgsmfg.com/product/sbs1.htm
 
CStamm said:

I was going to buy the C-Rok power steering braces, then have my buddy weld the crack to reinforce it. Will this be sufficient? I have a lot of time and money in this rig already, and I want it fixed right so that I don't have to worry about it again.
Click to expand...
Drill a hole at the end of the crack to stop it from spreading before you weld it all together...

Kejtar
 
Yes, use a 1/8 inch drill bit to stop drill at the end of the crack. When you have a round hole then the crack has no where to go - no sharp edges.

Also I think one of those aftermarket patch plates is smart money. There is not that much metal to weld plus all tht heat effect zone stuff. The patch panel will improve the area and get the loads into the uniframe better.

I have a the Mountain Offroad steering box brace and am very happy with it! I think every XJ should have one regardless of the size of tire used. Before the brace I would get steering wheel movement when I crossed RR tracks or hit pot holes, now with the brace over 90% of that movement is gone, only HUGE pot holes cause steering wheel movement.
 
I ordered the C-ROK reinforcement plates, and spoke with a guy there, Craig I believe. He was very knowledgeable and suggested I weld his plates in place, then weld th crack, then put a 1/8" reinforcing plate under the frame rail and weld it in place. How does this sound?
 
CStamm said:
I ordered the C-ROK reinforcement plates, and spoke with a guy there, Craig I believe. He was very knowledgeable and suggested I weld his plates in place, then weld th crack, then put a 1/8" reinforcing plate under the frame rail and weld it in place. How does this sound?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan.
 
time out. i want to know why the cross bar type brace would cause more damage. :bs: :D
 
small pederson said:
time out. i want to know why the cross bar type brace would cause more damage. :bs: :D
Click to expand...

The reason why a cross brace can do more damage is because of the flex in the unibody the cross bar brace acts as a lever twisting the box back and forth. The box then twists the frame and creates cracks in the frame. The only way to stop the cracks from happening is to reinforce the frame around the area and tie the inner and outer frame sides together. There is nothing that holds the area together other than spot welds and the box bolts. If the bolts loosen at all then cracks will form. The factory sleeves in the frame are only anti crush sleeves they don't hold the inner and outer sides together in anyway. So, no BS in that statement at all.

mark
orgs mfg
 
makes sense. ill be damned. so does this mean you are gonna give a guy a good deal on an orgs brace??:D
 
Mark Hinkley said:
The reason why a cross brace can do more damage is because of the flex in the unibody the cross bar brace acts as a lever twisting the box back and forth. The box then twists the frame and creates cracks in the frame.
Click to expand...
I got a crack right under the left sway bar mount-
standard.jpg


You can also see the steering box brace that I installed as soon as I put the 33's on about 3 years ago. That crack didn't appear until I mounted a winch bumper on the front. I think a lot of stress is created when you bolt a really rigid bumper to the end of a unibody that is designed to flex. I have made several attempts to reinforce my frame in that area, it keeps cracking just on the other side of the newly armored part of the frame. I now have a plate welded to the bottom of the frame between the steering box and the track bar mount, as well as a plate on the the outside face of the same area. I will know after Moab if I am done repairing the frame or if it is time to retire Humpty Dumpty and start all over. :(
 
A little trick, I learned, that works for me, is to drill the ends of the crack (like previously mentioned), then spray it with water from an old pump window cleaner sprayer, while welding with a MIG. Helps keep the metal from cracking again, right along side of the weld. Also helps some, with heat warp on sheet metal.
 
Handlebars, that is right where mine is cracking. I saw this post actually and decided to look mine over real good before the Fall Fling journey begins.... and guess what? Uh oh...

steercrack.jpg

steercrack2.jpg
 
My bumper is homemade out of 3/16". Probably weighs 70lbs. Also, I have an outer steering box plate behind my bumper mount as well. Have never used a steering box brace though.
 
Well, I would go out and take one... but it's been a long night. What should have been a simple spark plug change turned into a fiasco. Tore two boots and had to rig them up so I could drive to work tomorrow morning. I have spare everything, except those... :mad:
The mount... I have a 3/16" plate that goes all the way from the front to the very back "winch" hole. Then my bumper mount itself goes over it and looks just like a C4x4 towhook bracket. It also goes all the way back and utilizes the "winch" hole.
 
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