IslanderXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Avalon and San Luis Obispo
umm.... yes?
-
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??'s about beefing up frame rails
- Thread starter kewlkatdady
- Start date
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
There really are two issues here to consider. One is to strengthen the bottom of the frame rails so they don't cave in from banging on and sliding over rocks. The other issue is adding rigidity to the whole chassis, and adding some structure to tie the front and rear suspension mounts together seems to be a big help.
Keeping the frame rails from getting caved in can be done simply by welding a couple inch wide steel strap down the bottom of the frame. To add stiffness to the chassis, structure is more important then the thickness of the steel, so adding steel in multiple planes is more effective than adding real thick steel in a couple planes. So, plating all three sides would be better than plating two sides with thicker steel. T and J makes a tubular stiffener that attaches to the front and rear suspension mounts, and those using it said it made a difference.
I decided to run 1x3 boxed tubing down the outside of the frame, spaced away from the frame by a section of the tubing at the front and rear, the idea being to add more structure to resist twisting. Mine is pretty rigid now, but I also have a cage. Just one more way to do it. I wished I had added steel to the bottom of the frame rail a long time ago, since mine is caved in and bent up quite a bit.......kind of too late now.
Keeping the frame rails from getting caved in can be done simply by welding a couple inch wide steel strap down the bottom of the frame. To add stiffness to the chassis, structure is more important then the thickness of the steel, so adding steel in multiple planes is more effective than adding real thick steel in a couple planes. So, plating all three sides would be better than plating two sides with thicker steel. T and J makes a tubular stiffener that attaches to the front and rear suspension mounts, and those using it said it made a difference.
I decided to run 1x3 boxed tubing down the outside of the frame, spaced away from the frame by a section of the tubing at the front and rear, the idea being to add more structure to resist twisting. Mine is pretty rigid now, but I also have a cage. Just one more way to do it. I wished I had added steel to the bottom of the frame rail a long time ago, since mine is caved in and bent up quite a bit.......kind of too late now.
