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Get stiff!

Dirk Pitt

Dirk Pitt

Adam Dowling
Location
Salem, IN
Here are a few shots of the install of H.D. Offroad Engineering's new frame stiffeners...

Made from 10 ga. steel, CNC cut and punched for plenty of rosette welds.

Clean the frame well to prep for welding. I found a 24 grit sandpaper flap wheel works best for the undercoating, which is still a pain to remove. Make sure you go up past the rail on the bottom of the floor also to stitch the top of the stiffener to the unibody.
Sleeves004.jpg


Loosen the crossmember bolts enough to slide the stiffener above it (~3/16").
Sleeves005.jpg


Slide the stiffener into position.
Sleeves006.jpg


Start at the front and cinch the stiffener snugly against the frame using a large c-clamp. Then use a floor jack to push the bottom against the frame and tack weld as you move back. (In this picture the front has already been tacked and the jack and clamp have already been moved back).
Sleeves010.jpg


Once it's tacked where you want it, finish welding. Fill the rosette holes and stitch weld around the perimeter of the stiffener on all edges.
Sleeves012.jpg


Sleeves013.jpg


The finished install. Afterward grind the welds smooth (optional) and prime and paint to prevent corrosion.
Sleeves001.jpg
 
Pardon my ignorance, but is this your company? I clicked on the website in your signature, and I am very interested in these frame stiffners. How are they shipped, UPS or USPS? what is the shipping weight? ( I have an APO military address that can only be used with USPS is the reason I am asking.)

~James
 
stumpXJ said:
Pardon my ignorance, but is this your company? I clicked on the website in your signature, and I am very interested in these frame stiffners. How are they shipped, UPS or USPS? what is the shipping weight? ( I have an APO military address that can only be used with USPS is the reason I am asking.)

~James
Click to expand...

Yes, myself and Brianho13

PM on the way.
 
emr1101 said:
good job, looks awesome. wish i had a welder haha
Click to expand...

Get to know some people in the club and I bet a case of beer will get these welded on for you.
 
Isnt that sort of a personal thing?






Do these work with the TnT skid/long arm mount?
There is a third hole in front of the two stock xmember which it uses. Is that still assessable, or is a minor touch of the grinder needed?
 
Starboard M said:
Isnt that sort of a personal thing?






Do these work with the TnT skid/long arm mount?
There is a third hole in front of the two stock xmember which it uses. Is that still assessable, or is a minor touch of the grinder needed?
Click to expand...


I was thanking him for his service to our counntry.:us:

These should work with anything out there if you are willing to move everything down a 1/8".

Yes you will have to grind (drill) to make your other holes accessible.
 
Maybe you should add these holes for TNT (and others that you discover) to your CNC program. These look great. I will likely buy a set, after I get the pile of iron I already have piled on the garage floor on the XJ and get back from the 25th.
 
Hallo Jeeper. Great Job. But one question about rustprevention.
Do you have to coat the inside first? And what about the grinding frame?
Between the stiffener and the frame can come water.
The holes in the frame are also an outlet for water.Do you respect them?
Rainwater is coming from the front of the window through the hoodvents into the jeepframe and go out under the mainframe. (drivers side?)
Are there any solutions for that? Mayby special holes? :wave1:
 
Most (if not all) of the aftermarket stiffeners do not take into account drainage, if it bothers you leave a couple of the holes on the bottom unwelded and pop a hole or two in the frame.

As far as paint, its kind of hard to get good welds if you paint them or the frame. I am interested in others views on this. I know people have been taking this approach for a very long time either with others products or with angle iron and I have not heard of anyone having issues after doing this mod with rusting out.
 
Hallo. Ya you are right about the welding,it is hard to do that with a paint.
Mayby the solution is ,when the job is done,add some oil into the framerail.
The oil will go between the two layers of steel, when it is possible.
You can also use very thick grease,which is solved in patrol. When the patrol has gone, the grease is sticking in the small areas.
I have stiffen up my frame with angles and I am very pleased with it.
The extra holes for the water work well. Succes with your company.
P.S. I will sent a link to the Dutch Jeepforum.:loveu:
 
BRIANHO13 said:
As far as paint, its kind of hard to get good welds if you paint them or the frame. I am interested in others views on this. I know people have been taking this approach for a very long time either with others products or with angle iron and I have not heard of anyone having issues after doing this mod with rusting out.
Click to expand...

A good weldable primer is a good investment, and will not cause any porosity/bad arc.

Those stiffeners look great. It's about time someone put plug holes in em.
 
Bryson said:
A good weldable primer is a good investment, and will not cause any porosity/bad arc.

Those stiffeners look great. It's about time someone put plug holes in em.
Click to expand...

Eh, while I agree weldable primer is good, I wouldn't leave it alone to the weather/water. I believe most (if not all) primers are fairly hygroscopic. Seems to me if you're trying to prevent rust leaving something in pure primer isn't the best way to go about it. Honestly, I'd probably just leave it bare metal to metal, get the best welds, prime and paint where you can, and leave it at that.

On that note, I got mine in the other day and they look good. It'll be some time before I get 'em on as I need to build an x-member first, but they do look good!
 
BRIANHO13 said:
I was thanking him for his service to our counntry.:us:

These should work with anything out there if you are willing to move everything down a 1/8".

Yes you will have to grind (drill) to make your other holes accessible.
Click to expand...
I was referring to your thread title.:gee:


.
 
I would use a "weld through primer" on the inside of the stiffeners and the frame rails after they are cleaned up. the primer is formulated as to not put contaminates into the weld. I have not looked for this product very hard and do not know where to find it. I suppose, maybe at shops that specialize in muscle car builds (some of them do frame stiffeners too) and/or welding supply houses.

EDIT: oops, looks like someone beet me to the punch with weldable primer
 
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