Frame Rail Reinforcement

karstic · Nov 1, 2007

I have a set of the TnT Customs frame rail reinforcements.
Is a stich weld adequate to attach them? Or should rosette welds be used also? If you recommend rosette welds how large should the holes be?

Sliders will be attached the rails along with tying in a cage.

IntrepidXJ · Nov 1, 2007

many people have just used stitch welds with no problems.....however, I went with stitch welds + rosette welds to tie the plating in even more places to the framerails.

i just used a 1/2" drill bit that had on hand, and it worked out well.

HTH

JeepFreak21 · Nov 1, 2007

IntrepidXJ said:
many people have just used stitch welds with no problems.....however, I went with stitch welds + rosette welds to tie the plating in even more places to the framerails.

i just used a 1/2" drill bit that had on hand, and it worked out well.

HTH

Did the smaller rosettes allow you to grind the weld clean and make the surface look smooth again?
Billy

IntrepidXJ · Nov 1, 2007

JeepFreak21 said:
Did the smaller rosettes allow you to grind the weld clean and make the surface look smooth again?

if i wanted to, i could have.....but i just left them 'as is'

IntrepidXJ · Nov 1, 2007

here's my latest frame plating with 1/2" rosettes

Matt S. · Nov 1, 2007

Definitaly go with the rossets and stich welds.

beakie · Nov 1, 2007

on this topic, I have access to 3" wide 3/16 plate in 12' lengths. would I see any benefit from using this to plate the sides of the frame rails, or the bottom, or both. I figured the bottom would help keep the frame in better shape when high centering and such.
The sides would be good as I want to tie my rocker replacement rails into the frame, but not weld straight to the frame.
I don't expect to get great stiffening from this, just wondering if its worth it at all?

JeepFreak21 · Nov 1, 2007

beakie said:
I don't expect to get great stiffening from this...

Why not?

beakie said:
just wondering if its worth it at all?

Most will say, "yes".

Billy

beakie · Nov 1, 2007

JeepFreak21 said:
Why not?

Billy

well from my limited understanding, I will get some stiffening, just from the plating.
however for the amount of stiffening most people are looking for I'd need to plate 1 side and bottom, but tied together, like angle iron.
I know I'll get some, but I don't need very much for the trails I do now, or expect to in the future.
I think this will do very well for my needs, just thought someone would have other ideas for this steel, something I hadn't thought of.

I'll see if I can grab some of it tomorrow.

thanks

JeepFreak21 · Nov 1, 2007

beakie said:
well from my limited understanding, I will get some stiffening, just from the plating.
however for the amount of stiffening most people are looking for I'd need to plate 1 side and bottom, but tied together, like angle iron.
I know I'll get some, but I don't need very much for the trails I do now, or expect to in the future.
I think this will do very well for my needs, just thought someone would have other ideas for this steel, something I hadn't thought of.

I'll see if I can grab some of it tomorrow.

thanks

Oh, sorry... I read that wrong... I thought you were talking about angle iron. I would say your statements sound correct

Billy

IntrepidXJ · Nov 1, 2007

beakie said:
on this topic, I have access to 3" wide 3/16 plate in 12' lengths. would I see any benefit from using this to plate the sides of the frame rails, or the bottom, or both.

both. in my pictures above...those are strips of 1/8" plate...not angle.

beakie · Nov 1, 2007

great, thanks both of you, now to swing some steel.

Dan Fredrickson · Nov 2, 2007

If I understood your question you asked if just the bottom or just the sides would give some stiffening. The answer is some but very little if done independantly of each other. Done together they would add quite a bit to the overall picture......

corbinafly · Nov 2, 2007

Scrappy said:
Definitaly go with the rossets and stich welds.

Agreed.:conceited

ruggedjeep · Nov 2, 2007

karstic said:
....
Is a stich weld adequate to attach them? ...

I hope so.... :shhh:

XJEEPER · Nov 4, 2007

I did both, but not to the same extent as some. I used 3/4" holes for rossettes, but a uni-bit gets tired quickly, more 1/2" holes would have been better.

Stitched top and bottom, rossette side and below, then tied into TMR plates up front. I welded the TMR plates complete, top and bottom.......just because.

I ground the rosettes on the TNT units flush before painting, lots of extra work, but I like it smooth.

JeepFreak21 · Nov 4, 2007

XJEEPER said:
I did both, but not to the same extent as some. I used 3/4" holes for rossettes, but a uni-bit gets tired quickly, more 1/2" holes would have been better.
[IG]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w52/XJEEPER1/XJ%20Build%20III/000_0274.jpg[/IMG]

Stitched top and bottom, rossette side and below, then tied into TMR plates up front. I welded the TMR plates complete, top and bottom.......just because.
[IG]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w52/XJEEPER1/XJ%20Build%20III/000_0302.jpg[/IMG]

I ground the rosettes on the TNT units flush before painting, lots of extra work, but I like it smooth.

[IG]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w52/XJEEPER1/XJ%20Build%20III/000_0419.jpg[/IMG]

Tell us more about how the crossmember attaches. Since the T&T kit only covers one side (and the bottom)... did you add sleeves? Did you add steel to the inside of the "frame rail"? Did you weld a 3rd side on in that spot?

Thanks,
Billy

Goatman · Nov 5, 2007

The rossette welds are important in my view. It could easily be strong enough without them, but with just the stitch welds the stress of frame flex is all absorbed by those welds. Rossette welds will make the frame and the new plating act like one unit, so no possibility of stress cracks on the welds doen the road.

I always grind my rossetts smooth.

XJEEPER · Nov 5, 2007

JeepFreak21 said:
Tell us more about how the crossmember attaches.With bolts? Since the T&T kit only covers one side (and the bottom)... did you add sleeves? I only add sleeves when my arms are cold............the kit comes with and is designed to use sleeves through the frame to reinforce the mounting bolt areas. Did you add steel to the inside of the "frame rail"? Nope, the kit comes with an inner angle bracket that bolts to the x-member and mates up with the bolts/sleeves that attach through the frame. Did you weld a 3rd side on in that spot? No.

Thanks,
Billy

I didn't document the individual pieces in my build thread, since the TNT instructions are good and there are plenty of threads on the web that already show how the parts fit together.

karstic · Nov 15, 2007

Just a little note
TNT Chassis stiffeners + Drop Bracket braces = longer cross member bolts

Frame Rail Reinforcement

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