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Frame rail stiffening options & opinions

Georgia Mike

NAXJA Forum User
Looking to do a bit of frame rail strengthening on my beater. I've looked at a few suppliers and was just wondering who you used? One of the areas I'm concerned with is over, and just in front of the driver's rear tire. The PO did a number on it and the rail is a bit crunched there from a rearward impact with a tree. It's not too bad, but while I'm doing the work I'd like to address that area for sure.

I'm also contemplating making a set of main rail stiffeners out of 3x3 angle. The only drawback is my local steel supplier says the thinnest they can get is 3/16", which seems a bit excessive and on the heavy side to me. The positive side to going that route is that it's only $55 for a 20' stick.

Let's see some pics of yours, tell me how you like/dislike them, how you made them, or what you'd do differently if you could do it again.
 
Frame rail stiffening options & opinions

Buy the hdoffroad set. The time you save in fabrication is worth the $$ for buying premade stiffeners
 
You will quickly find we are all very partial to HDOffroad. You won't regret the purchase.
 
Looking to do a bit of frame rail strengthening on my beater. I've looked at a few suppliers and was just wondering who you used? One of the areas I'm concerned with is over, and just in front of the driver's rear tire. The PO did a number on it and the rail is a bit crunched there from a rearward impact with a tree. It's not too bad, but while I'm doing the work I'd like to address that area for sure.

I'm also contemplating making a set of main rail stiffeners out of 3x3 angle. The only drawback is my local steel supplier says the thinnest they can get is 3/16", which seems a bit excessive and on the heavy side to me. The positive side to going that route is that it's only $55 for a 20' stick.

Let's see some pics of yours, tell me how you like/dislike them, how you made them, or what you'd do differently if you could do it again.

You should look at mine. 3x3 3/16. Up side is I mounted my long arm mounts to them and they are beefy. I land on them and drag them over rocks all the time.

Buy the hdoffroad set. The time you save in fabrication is worth the $$ for buying premade stiffeners

You will quickly find we are all very partial to HDOffroad. You won't regret the purchase.

I would and will agree 100% and go this route next time. As I get older the more I agree with what Doug says here.
 
Ive got the HDOffroad on mine. front to rear and I added some more bracing here and there.

My old jeep had the TNT set and they were pretty good.
 
You should look at mine. 3x3 3/16. Up side is I mounted my long arm mounts to them and they are beefy. I land on them and drag them over rocks all the time.





I would and will agree 100% and go this route next time. As I get older the more I agree with what Doug says here.

This statement made me laugh! All roads lead to Doug. I agree %100! Lol!
 
Stiffeners came in today! Too bad I'll be stuck doing other projects this weekend and won't get to install them :rattle:

Did you get the full set? I'll be doing a transmission drain and filter replace on greenie. Might do a header on a stroked TJ too. :hang:
 
Yeah, got the full set. What really blows is we have a CNC laser and a couple of huge press brakes here at work. All this stuff would've been super simple to make; you know, if I didn't have to worry about getting fired for doing "government jobs" and all that lol
 
Frame rail stiffening options & opinions

I'm going to be at 2/3 of a set soon. After I do the rears I am doing the fronts
 
Yeah, got the full set. What really blows is we have a CNC laser and a couple of huge press brakes here at work. All this stuff would've been super simple to make; you know, if I didn't have to worry about getting fired for doing "government jobs" and all that lol

Says the guy who said he'd work on a small project for me. :)
 
Says the guy who said he'd work on a small project for me. :)

Yeah but we've got a small lathe and a small mill in the shop behind my dad's house. I'll be doing that very same job on a replacement yoke for my 8.25" in the next few weeks or so. Then after the stiffeners are in I plan to cut the rockers out for new sliders.

I have all the ambition and creativity of a 30 year old. Unfortunately I have to live with the reality of a 44 year old's energy level :speepin: (or lack there of lol) so they may or may not get done before the new year rings in
 
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