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Framerail Reinforcement Plates

I am considering doing a set of reinforcement plates before I do anything else, I figure a solid foundation is a good starting point for my build. I am looking at the Ruff Stuff Specialties Plates.
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/XJRAIL.html
Thoughts? Comments? Opinions?
Thanks,
Bama99Classic
Pros-Easy to install, already made and bent
Cons-Price

i made mine for less then $80 that go bumper to bumper, its 3x3x3/16 angle, drilled for plug welds and contoured to the frame, they can be made in a day with a drill press/chopsaw and angle grinder

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Them pics were from over a year ago, it now has 16 ga floors I also wondered how the body didn't crumble with out floors
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I went with HDoffroad's stiffeners, because 1 I will only be running 33's 2 I dont wheel the pee out this thing as it's a multi purpose vehicle. If I were going with 35's or bigger and planned on an agressive wheeling I would've made my own, RS has great stiffeners/ products but I for 1 am not a rich guy and could use that money else where. Just my 2 cents..
 
I run 42's with 1 tons and straight beat the tar out of my heap. So for those of you who are worried about the thickness don't.

BTW my front and rear suspension both hang from the "frame" rails

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I went with the TNT stiffeners way back when I started, as they were the only ones available... that being said, I'd NEVER buy them again.

I'd go with Brian's or RuffStuff in a heart beat. The TNT's are actually too thick in my opinion, welding 3/16" to sheet metal is pointless.
 
Pros-Easy to install, already made and bent
Cons-Price

i made mine for less then $80 that go bumper to bumper, its 3x3x3/16 angle, drilled for plug welds and contoured to the frame, they can be made in a day with a drill press/chopsaw and angle grinder

00210.JPG


013.JPG
while they came out nice, i cant see spending that much time to make them to save a little bit of money. the ones you buy seem to fit the contour of the frame a little cleaner and it was a quick job putting them on. it was worth the $150 or so i spent on them to just get them mounted and be done with it. granted, mine don't go bumper to bumper (yet), but since i have rather complicated coilover towers, it wasnt as simple as some angle iron anyways.
 
I went with the TNT stiffeners way back when I started, as they were the only ones available... that being said, I'd NEVER buy them again.

I'd go with Brian's or RuffStuff in a heart beat. The TNT's are actually too thick in my opinion, welding 3/16" to sheet metal is pointless.
in my case i prefered the thicker tnt stuff. i liked being able to really burn in my front and rear lower control arm brackets and have the load distributed over a greater distance via stitch and rosette welds to the uniframe. i know some of you won't agree, but....
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in my case i prefered the thicker tnt stuff. i liked being able to really burn in my front and rear lower control arm brackets and have the load distributed over a greater distance via stitch and rosette welds to the uniframe. i know some of you won't agree, but....

I made my own out of 3x3x3/16 angle because no one makes reinforcement plates for MJs.

But I don't understand how your second statement has anything to do with what material you use. They all get stitch/rosette welded across the uniframe.
 
I made my own out of 3x3x3/16 angle because no one makes reinforcement plates for MJs.

But I don't understand how your second statement has anything to do with what material you use. They all get stitch/rosette welded across the uniframe.
the thicker material wont flex as much in concentrated areas of stress like where the control arm brackets are mounted on my jeep. this spreads the load a little better over a broader area, with more welds sharing it rather than the few closest to the stress zone.

i certainly understand wanting or needing to make them yourself, i probably would have also if i had a brake press. I like the 45(ish) degree corner along the edge of the tnt's and whatnot so i decided against the angle iron. For the front and rear, i plasma it all out of 3/16" plate since they also act as part of my coilover towers.
 
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while they came out nice, i cant see spending that much time to make them to save a little bit of money.

:bs:

It took me longer to weld mine on then it did to make them, and the materials only cost like $20 bucks. It takes nearly no effort to make them outta 3x3 angle, two cuts to allow for the kick-up just after the tranny crossmember mounts and drill some holes. Start to finish, I had mine made and welded on in only a few hours. I also prefer to have 3/16 for my plating, pretty much my entire framerails are.

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while they came out nice, i cant see spending that much time to make them to save a little bit of money. the ones you buy seem to fit the contour of the frame a little cleaner and it was a quick job putting them on. it was worth the $150 or so i spent on them to just get them mounted and be done with it. granted, mine don't go bumper to bumper (yet), but since i have rather complicated coilover towers, it wasnt as simple as some angle iron anyways.
cause i have less then half that 150 going bumper to bumper, they took 2 evning after work to fab up and 1 evening at mopar maniacs to drill the the holes, its simple, save money here, and spend the saved money on cooler things
 
i just thought it was worth the $80 more to work with clean sheet instead of scaley hot roll angle iron. i'm not knocking it, they came out awesome, i just have a hatred for working with hot rolled steel :D
plus i run a business so machine time is money for me, not quite as cut and dry as saving $80.
 
Everyone keeps saying $80 savings, his run bumper to bumper, that kit costs $270 plus shipping. Looks more like a $200 plus dollar savings to me? I have the 3/16" angle, just need to weld it up. Why pay more for less?
 
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