My UCA brackets

XJguy · Dec 30, 2003

I made them out of 1/4" steel plate. They are contoured to match the floor. They will be secured by six grade 8 bolts and fender washers. The triangular portion gets welded to the bottom of the frame. 2 of the bolts get bolted to the frame edge that meets the floor, one gets bolted through a portion of the floor that is 3 layers of sheetmetal thick. Painted, hammered steel. Lower mounts to come

XJguy

Kaczman · Dec 30, 2003

Is there any way to increase the weld area to the frame? I'd be a little leary of relying on the sheetmetal floor for the majority of the strength of the mount.

-Jon

XJguy · Dec 30, 2003

I really dont think its necessary, most of the places that it is being secured to are very strong, and after all this is the UCA not the lower. A buddy who looked at it had the same concerns, but it is being bolted and welded to the frame.

XJguy

JJ13 · Dec 31, 2003

You may want to let someone other than the person who welded those up weld them to your rig. Those welds look mighty cold with not enough penetration. I wouldn't trust my life to those. I am glad you will at least have 16 grade 8 bolts holding each on.

XJguy · Dec 31, 2003

Yeah I know the penetration is not the greatest thats why I welded both sides of everything...I need a more powerful welder that 110 Lincoln is just not cutting it. But I did do some post weld shaping with a BFH and an anvil, no welds busted, and the whacks were powerful enough to bend the 1/4" steel so that must count for something.

XJguy

JJ13 · Dec 31, 2003

THOSE ARE WITH A WIRE FEED??? I thought for sure that was stick. If those were welded with a 110 wire feed you may want to fab another set and have someone else weld them. Seriously!!!!!!! The fab on the pieces looks pretty good, at the very least take them to someone and have them burn those welds in if you are considering putting those on a street driven vehicle

XJJPR · Dec 31, 2003

XJguy said:
I made them out of 1/4" steel plate. They are contoured to match the floor. They will be secured by six grade 8 bolts and fender washers. The triangular portion gets welded to the bottom of the frame. 2 of the bolts get bolted to the frame edge that meets the floor, one gets bolted through a portion of the floor that is 3 layers of sheetmetal thick. Painted, hammered steel. Lower mounts to come

XJguy

So rich, how far across the yard did you throw those bugger welds at that metal.

Not even a 110 is an excuse for welds like those. Learn how to weld with it. Don't blame the tool it is the users fault it is so bad. 110 welders work fine you just need to use it right.

hinkley

XJJPR · Dec 31, 2003

BTW, unless you plan on bolting them to this cage of yours thru the floor, the floor with just plates on it will NEVER hold those things in place!

hinkley

Beezil · Dec 31, 2003

rich, the backing of those brackets doesn't have enough "footprint"....

since you jeep is mainly a street posuer, you'll probably get away with that bolt-on idea, but if you are ever going to WHEEL that thing, they will fail, most definitly....

WELD them on.

also, invest in a real welder....

if you are home-fabbing brackets that HOLD YOUR AXLES UNDER YOUR VEHICLE, you certainly shouldn't be using some little fartsy welder.....

JnJ · Dec 31, 2003

Trying not to pile on. My longarms are mounted to my crossmember which is attached to the uniframe with sleeved through bolts, even this setup has caused the uniframe/floor on the passengerside to push up (deform) into the passenger side foot area. I know you don't wheel it, but if you do I believe your mounts will fail.
BTW, how many passes did you make on your welds? 110 machines are not the idea tool for 1/4" material.

Safari Ary · Dec 31, 2003

JnJ said:
Trying not to pile on. My longarms are mounted to my crossmember which is attached to the uniframe with sleeved through bolts, even this setup has caused the uniframe/floor on the passengerside to push up (deform) into the passenger side foot area. I know you don't wheel it, but if you do I believe your mounts will fail.
BTW, how many passes did you make on your welds? 110 machines are not the idea tool for 1/4" material.

John, how much contact area do your brackets have with the frame?? How much deformation are you talking? Really noticeable? or only if you know exactly where to look and what for? Just curious...

JnJ · Dec 31, 2003

I'll try and post a picture when I get home. My mount is about 9" long, the "L" covers the bottom and outside of the frame and there is a piece equal in length on the inside of the frame. I have 3 bolts going through these brackets and the frame.
I opened my passenger side door (no carpet) and immediately notice the "hump" in the foot area. I'd say it is deformed up about an inch directly over the uniframe. On the driver's side foot area the floor flexes back and forth like a tin can.
This is why I'm in the middle of stripping the XJ and putting everything on the MJ. I will rework the crossmember/longarm mounts and look at "capping" the uniframe.

JnJ · Dec 31, 2003

JnJ said:
I'll try and post a picture when I get home. My mount is about 9" long, the "L" covers the bottom and outside of the frame and there is a piece equal in length on the inside of the frame. I have 3 bolts going through these brackets and the frame.
I opened my passenger side door (no carpet) and immediately notice the "hump" in the foot area. I'd say it is deformed up about an inch directly over the uniframe. On the driver's side foot area the floor flexes back and forth like a tin can.
This is why I'm in the middle of stripping the XJ and putting everything on the MJ. I will rework the crossmember/longarm mounts and look at "capping" the uniframe.

Found a picture:

XJZ · Dec 31, 2003

Rich,

You should just do what I do. To start, I have NOWHERE near the fab skills these other guys do. I just tack weld with my artsy fartsy welder (

), then have someone with real skill take it from there. Sometimes we just have to accept the fact you don't have ALL the skills to do EVERYTHING, and there's nothing wrong with that at all. I still get to enjoy the designing (which I enjoy the most anyhow)/fabbing process and feel the pride of accomplishment when it's all said and done. When I put in the time and gain the experience I'll need, I'll take on more of the project. On less crucial projects, do it all yourself.

XJguy · Dec 31, 2003

Thanks for the comments. I will keep your suggestions in mind as I complete this setup.

JNJ...that xmember looks very stout, I am quite surprised at the failure you are experiencing. Ill see if I can tie my bracketry into the rollcage to further distribute the loads.

XJguy

My UCA brackets

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