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Steering box frame failure....

Ghost

Ghost

Member Number 257
NAXJA Member
Location
Hartsville, South Carolina
Was wondering if you guys that have had the frame crack at the steering box are running a swaybar or not? Please post up if you have had cracking issues and weather or not you are running a sway bar.
 
Ghost said:
Was wondering if you guys that have had the frame crack at the steering box are running a swaybar or not? Please post up if you have had cracking issues and weather or not you are running a sway bar.
Click to expand...
1 MJ 4.5" lift, no sway bar, no cracks.
1 XJ had a 3.5" lift, got flexed frequently, no sway bar, no cracks
1 XJ with janky welded up end links, still has swaybar, 3" lift, no cracks
Out of curiousity why do you ask Ghost? Yours starting to crack?
 
Yea 2 hard runs and its starting to crack. I discovered something over the weekend though. Wanted to see what others have come accross.
 
I have 4" and no swaybar, wheeled it harder than I should at times but no crackage.. I do have a RV tow bar on the front of mine that stiffens it up considerably.
 
Time for hydro! Gotta take the stress off of the frame. Betcha Chris is going hydro assist sometime soon!
 
53guy said:
Time for hydro! Gotta take the stress off of the frame. Betcha Chris is going hydro assist sometime soon!
Click to expand...

Yeah I think I might look into that... No really as soon as my front bumper and inner brace show up it's getting bolted on... Thanks Nick
 
I have 6.5 inch lift with 33's and a swaybar on when I am on the street and sometimes at the dunes. Mine started cracking really bad at the steering box so I welded the cracks up and reinforced it with steel plates. A few months latter it started cracking again real bad on the bottom of the frame where the swaybar bolts up. You could hear the frame popping if I was stopped and turned the steering wheel, real scary! Again I welded up the cracks and added plating, so far no more cracks but we will see. I need a steering box brace real soon.
 
The old 89 no sway and some cracks after many years of offing. Fix cracks and added 3 fender washer ( very thin once) per bolt with some grinding to washers.
Two 01s: added washer from day one and home made disco. NO problems at box but crack at sway bar bolt holes in frame.
IF it ant cracken some place you ant wheeling it hard:)
 
99 xj, no sway bars, ripped gear box through the frame and bent the gear box brace.
Beef it up before you have to, otherwise its 100 X more difficult.

Really if your stearing is set up correctly and is not the limmiting factor on the front end, you shouldnt have any problems.
 
BakersfieldXJ said:
Really if your stearing is set up correctly and is not the limmiting factor on the front end, you shouldnt have any problems.
Click to expand...

It's not maxing out or binding that causes it; it's the constant cycling and fatigue in that area, although having the drag link as straight as possible helps too. Sheetmetal responds very poorly to fatigue.

On mine: currently 39.5s, no front swaybar, hydro assist, no cracks. It's been that way since April. Before that, I was DD'ing it, and it spend two and a half years on 33's and stock steering, no swaybar, and two years before that on 31's, occasional swaybar.
 
I have a bumper that has tie in plates that cover the whole area...

I dont 'see' any cracks - and thats about as far as I go...

35's, no swaybar, trailer queen now...
 
Swaybar - no cracks.

I ran it without any plates for about two years. Added an inner plate when I installed my bumper. Also, if it matters, I ALWAYS disconnect the sway bar when I am offroad, even if I am on an easy forest road (makes it ride much smoother).

Glen
 
Ghost said:
Was wondering if you guys that have had the frame crack at the steering box are running a swaybar or not? Please post up if you have had cracking issues and weather or not you are running a sway bar.
Click to expand...

Even if you don't run the sway bar, you need to keep the bolts in there.
 
XJ_ranger said:
I have a bumper that has tie in plates that cover the whole area...

I dont 'see' any cracks - and thats about as far as I go...

35's, no swaybar, trailer queen now...
Click to expand...

I did too. I got cracks under the bumper mount. :)
 
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