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Steering box reinforcement

R

Rod Knee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Grand Jct., CO
I have a lifted XJ with 31 inch tires. I have an aftermarket front bumper with the plate that covers the outside part of the framerail adjacent to the steering box. I don't do or anticipate doing much extreme wheeling/hardcore rock crawling. I am wondering what the most appropriate augmentation to my steering box reinforcement would be. I haven't an urgent need to spend money unnecessarily. Should I:

a. just get a plate for the inside of the framerail?

b. get a brace?

c. a and b.?

What inside plates and braces give the best bang for the buck?
 
you want to tie in the other frame rail in. It give it a kind of a boxing effect, which will net you more strength with less weight and a whole lot less work. However, since you won't be beating the crap out of this thing on "hardcore trails", then in my opinion the plate from your front bumper should suffice.
 
whitneyj said:
you want to tie in the other frame rail in. It give it a kind of a boxing effect, which will net you more strength with less weight and a whole lot less work. However, since you won't be beating the crap out of this thing on "hardcore trails", then in my opinion the plate from your front bumper should suffice.
Click to expand...


I looked under my rig this morning because it had been a couple years since I put the aftermarket bumper on. The plate that is mounted on the outside part of the framerail adjacent to the steering box that came with the bumper does not use the bolts that mount the steering box to the framerail. Does the lack of tie in of this plate to the bolts mounting the steering box to the framerail change your recommendation?

I actually only see two bolts instead of three that mount the steering box. No doubt a brain fart on my part. Nevertheless, mounting reinforcement plates inside and outside the framerail seems like a substantial PITA job, contrary to how I've seen some XJers describe it. If I could get by with just a cross brace running from the base of the seering box to the other framerail I'd be happy (seems alot easier).
 
Rod Knee said:
I looked under my rig this morning because it had been a couple years since I put the aftermarket bumper on. The plate that is mounted on the outside part of the framerail adjacent to the steering box that came with the bumper does not use the bolts that mount the steering box to the framerail. Does the lack of tie in of this plate to the bolts mounting the steering box to the framerail change your recommendation?

I actually only see two bolts instead of three that mount the steering box. No doubt a brain fart on my part. Nevertheless, mounting reinforcement plates inside and outside the framerail seems like a substantial PITA job, contrary to how I've seen some XJers describe it. If I could get by with just a cross brace running from the base of the seering box to the other framerail I'd be happy (seems alot easier).
Click to expand...
Yeah,it means you should worry about your bumper FIRST!
 
you're saying your bumpers only utilize the stock mounts? if that's the case, then yes, just use a cross brace. I plated the rails and will still be building a cross brace for the tracbar and the steering box. You really want both rails to tie together as much as possible.
 
My bumper attaches to the stock attachment points as well as points in the framerail rearward of the stock attachment points. The plate I referenced above that is positioned on the framerail adjacent to the steering box shares an attachmrnt point with the bumper in the framerail. It also uses the ovoid stock tow slots. Its the XJ front bumper with receiver shown in the link.


http://www.custom4x4fabrication.com/front_xj.html
 
Correction. I have the long plates that share attachment point with the bumper on both the driver and passenger sides.

Thanks for your help everyone. Sounds like I should get both interior and exterior plates to really secure the framerail.
 
A pic would help,but you should have 7 bolts per side!The bracket should look something like this.
wb1.jpg
 
I have mounting brackets similar to the mounting brackets shown about 1/3 of the way down and at the bottom in this link, which are the mounting brackets (I have refered to them as plates) provided with the custom 4x4fabrications bumpers. I do not have a winch bumper so the front of the bracket is different. Anyway this website really answers my question as to how to work around already having plates/brackets along the framerail.

Thanks for the help everyone and for having to muddle through the lack of clarity in my questioning.

http://www.jeepin.com/features/c_rok/index.asp
 
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