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front frame stiffeners, thoughts

4

4x4JeePmaNthINg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
What are you guys thoughts on front frame stiffeners?


Roughstuff is 3/16 thick/ 4.76mm, do not wrap under the rail, 85$

IRO is 10 gauge / 3.57mm, these wrap under the rail to, 180$

Ide probably make my own but thats a lot of cutting, notching, drilling and different sheet sizes to use without a plasma cutter.


Am I splitting hairs on the choosing the thicker material for RS?

Any thoughts on how each are welded on and the difference those welds might have related to the stresses seen?


Hooligans are nice to, but someone bumped their head in their pricing department lol 250$
 
I installed a full set of IRO's on my 99 earlier this year. Fit and welded up nicely. Seemed thick enough for me. I think the IRO center section is 3/16". I though the difference in thickness was marginal.
I got the set on Black Friday, so I paid less.
I have the Ruffstuff centers on my 97. They fit well, too.
 
A necessary evil for lifted XJs that wheel. I'd go IRO only because it will wrap underneath as one piece. The unibody is already paper thin so everything helps. When my XJ bit the dust I cracked on the bottom right of the steering box. I had a pair of IRO stiffeners I was going to put on but scrapped the XJ for the MJ. My MJ has IRO stiffeners. I didn't install them but other than the rosette welds, weird angles and welding metal to tin foil it's not terrible.
 
I have installed one set of the HD Offroad (BrianHO13's product) on my '96 and one set of the Hooligan's on a good friend's '01. I like the Hooligan's, and those are probably what I will install on my next build.
 
I want the hooligans haha, I just dont want to spend that money.

I have iro centers, they fit well and I only went with them vs rough stuff because of price at the time.

Smokey, or anyone, Do the IRO fronts match up to the centers or do you need to fish plate them?
I'll be making my own weld on steering box spacer with 3/16 and 1"× .25" Dom as well, and a trackbar mount brace with .25".

I may add 3/16 anywhere the frame stiffener doesn't wrap under.



I found it interesting that RS has horizontal weld areas vs the typical plug welds/stitching of others. Are there any pros/cons to this?
 
I dont like the little tiny plug welds.
I like 1.5"is circles. Not sure i like the long vertical welds either. But not sure any do this. Maybe stinky fab
107780095cb49cb0fb52fbe43dc8d740.jpg


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
4x4JeePmaNthINg said:
I want the hooligans haha, I just dont want to spend that money.

I have iro centers, they fit well and I only went with them vs rough stuff because of price at the time.

Smokey, or anyone, Do the IRO fronts match up to the centers or do you need to fish plate them?
I'll be making my own weld on steering box spacer with 3/16 and 1"× .25" Dom as well, and a trackbar mount brace with .25".

I may add 3/16 anywhere the frame stiffener doesn't wrap under.



I found it interesting that RS has horizontal weld areas vs the typical plug welds/stitching of others. Are there any pros/cons to this?
Click to expand...

The IRO's do match in the front. IRRC, the rears have a fish plate of sorts.
With that being said, I chose to add some additional support to the front seam. I just welded some 1-1/2" wide 1/8" flat stock over the seams for some additional strength. There are any number of ways to add support.
 
I don't know about centers. My MJ just has fronts. I'd think you can do either way. Leave it or fish plate it.
 
I did a mixture. I have Hooligan on the rear. IRO for the mid. and Ruffstuff for the front. IRO vs Hooligan, flip a coin. I do not have the Hooligan mid, but I think it wraps under and a bit over to the 45 degree. The Ruffstuff had holes missing. I think to spend the extra money and be time ahead.

Edit: Also factor in shipping cost. I think Hooligan is shipping included. IRO +S&H.
 
Last edited:
4x4JeePmaNthINg said:
Hooligans are nice to, but someone bumped their head in their pricing department lol 250$
Click to expand...
That price includes shipping.

Once upon a time, I drove to his shop in Denver, handed over cash, took home the stuff I wanted. That saved me a lot of money.
 
I did get a rear section of IROs. I think they are 10 gage. I believe the set of IRO center section was 3/16". Check their website to see if they sell both. One plus for the IRO rear over the Hooligan is they provide a cut out to fill in a section when the stiffener is bent. Small potatoes to me, though.
Also, I used T&M inside frame stiffeners. I went 10 gauge with them.
http://www.t-mfab.com/store-3/cherokee-xj-comanchee-mj-parts/
 
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