Boatside thread

vetteboy · Aug 8, 2006

Paul S said:
I hate to screw-up a perfectly good 3 link thread. Why don't you start a boatside thread & we'll get some details & photos going there.

Good idea. My bad for having a minor case of ADD today.

The thread hijack started with this picture:

As I'm planning on doing something similar with mine, I am wondering about the details behind the construction of these.

My original plan is to have a length of 2x4x1/8" tube in place of the old rocker area, run some triangular bracing plates from the 3x3 frame reinforcement up to that, then skin it with 1/8" or 3/16" plate to give the boatside effect. For even greater rigidity I was thinking about holesawing some 1.75" holes just above the floor inside, and connecting the 2x4 tube to the interior cage.

Overkill? Underkill? Thoughts and pictures/diagrams welcomed.

Paul S · Aug 8, 2006

I basically did mine the way you're looking to do it.
2X4X11ga tube welded to the stock rocker, four 1.25" round tubes tying the 2X4 to the frame & 11ga CR for the boatside skid.
My cage is tied into the 2X4.

If you have doors you'll need a 2X6 for the rocker.

Here's another view:

Paul

vetteboy · Aug 8, 2006

Sounds good. I do still have 'doors' and slightly more XJ left than you do...

...and probably a little heavier as well, so I'll probably just do 1/8" all around. And 2x6 where the rocker used to be.

I was originally going to do something more like what Kaczman did, but I think I'd rather just carry it all the way down to the frame rail, especially since I've got a flat belly skid under there anyway.

Zebaru · Aug 8, 2006

How high do you want to go?

I cut the rocker (and outer floor) completely out, and ran the new rocker at the old lower body line. The new rocker is 2"x4"x0.188" and it is attached to the plated frame with 2"x2"x0.120" in six places I think. The whole thing is skinned in 16Ga (I think) and, although I dont have pictures of it, 1/2" UHMW over that (Not trail tested yet...). The pictures are of stock suspension and 33's, so you get an idea of how much cleareance it gives.

Although I don't have doors, I think it is possible with raising the rockers this high.

Travis

Jeff 98XJ WI · Aug 9, 2006

Paul, do you have any closeups showing the top side of your boatside construction? How about a link to the photo album where the pictures can be found? Jeff

Paul S · Aug 9, 2006

Jeff 98XJ WI said:
Paul, do you have any closeups showing the top side of your boatside construction? How about a link to the photo album where the pictures can be found? Jeff

Here's all I've got:

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/pictures?userid={6710824E-6880-4923-BB51-527C3970D11D}&tio=0

Paul

Jeff 98XJ WI · Aug 14, 2006

Thanks for the pictures Paul. Did you place the bottom of the 2x4 pretty much even with the bottom of the floor sheet metal? It looks like it, but I can't tell. If you set the top of the 2x4 even with the door kick panel like Andreas did in his Madxj.com article (http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/ARrockerPanels/RockerPanels.htm), I don't see how you would be able to place straight pieces of round tube between the bottom of the 2x4 and half way up the side of the "frame" rail without going through the corner of the floor/wall region. Any clarification would be appreciated. Jeff

steelmen · Aug 14, 2006

zebraru can i get some pics of you rear and quater panels

thanks

Goatman · Aug 14, 2006

From those who have done this already, what thickness works on the boatsides to keep it from getting dented and beat up looking after a while? Thick enough to get the job done, but not too thick........

David Taylor · Aug 14, 2006

Goatman said:
From those who have done this already, what thickness works on the boatsides to keep it from getting dented and beat up looking after a while? Thick enough to get the job done, but not too thick........

My 14g is getting beat up.

FarmerMatt · Aug 15, 2006

Mines 3/16" & I've dented them, but I would not go thicker.

OT · Aug 15, 2006

I'd imagine 3/16" with a 1/4" sheet of poly (much like Kaczamn's boatsides) would do well withstanding damage.

JeepFreak21 · Aug 15, 2006

OT said:
I'd imagine 3/16" with a 1/4" sheet of poly (much like Kaczamn's boatsides) would do well withstanding damage.

:eeks1:

Kaczman said:
JeepFreak21 said:

Hey man, how thick was that UHMW plastic you used on your rockers?
Billy

Click to expand...

Billy- I used 3/8". I tried to find 1/2", but it seems to be much more difficult to find as plastic shop around here that will sell cut pieces of the 1/2". They were more than happy to sell the entire 4x8 sheet for over $200. The edges are a little crushed, but overall they have held up very well. I think the 3/8" will be more than sufficient.
-Jon

Billy

OT · Aug 15, 2006

I just meant how he had skinned the rockers.
I had forgotten what thickness he'd used and was too lazy to search.

But, thanks for the correction.:thumbup:

Is it just me, or does it seem that every John in NAXJA

spells their name with no 'H'?

Goatman · Aug 15, 2006

I'm thinking about using the UHMW, but it seems like the metal behind it could be pretty thin. I see thick UHMW being used without any plate backing at all, but don't know how it would hold up on rockers.

Kaczman · Aug 15, 2006

Jon with an H is for Tards.

I made the structure out of 3/16 plate and skinned it with 3/8's UHMH.

My design needs some serious improvements. I was concerned about using the stock A, B, and C pillars as the structure for the boatsides. The B pillars are buckling from every direct impact in the area.

This off-season I plan on cutting the existing boatsides and incorporating them into the cage and sub-frame. The 3/16's steel and 3/8's poly seems to be a good combination so I'll stick with it. I'm not as anorexic as Dave and Paul.

-Jon

Jeff 98XJ WI · Aug 15, 2006

Goatman said:
I'm thinking about using the UHMW, but it seems like the metal behind it could be pretty thin. I see thick UHMW being used without any plate backing at all, but don't know how it would hold up on rockers.

I think part of keeping a sheet from denting too much is to attach it all over like Paul did. In order to dent, it needs to pull away from the surrounding structure. So, with it welded all around, it is less likely to dent. Jeff

David Taylor · Aug 15, 2006

here's a few shots on how I did mine.

Just cut it all out.

Just some of the bracing

Shot of them done.

A shot of Paul's and mine side by side.

With my fat ass I'm sticking with the 14g. I hardly hit the 14g, if I hit at all now it's the tube.

MogifiedXJ · Aug 15, 2006

Some of these rigs and others on this board are nothing but tube...I think it would sometimes be easier just to build an entire tube chassis from scratch.

Matt S. · Aug 15, 2006

MogifiedXJ said:
Some of these rigs and others on this board are nothing but tube...I think it would sometimes be easier just to build an entire tube chassis from scratch.

But then they are not cherokees.... Plus most all the ones you see tubed are in Cali, we keep them registered and smogged for use "on the street".

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