1/8" uni-frame reinforcement - adequate?

[XTrmXJ]

Thats 3/8 th steel, I welded and bolted it through the unibody with an internal frame spar.. The unibody is pinched and braced between everything.. Its held up to everything I can throw at it.. The square tubing is 2.5 x 2.5 x 1/4, It will last longer than the XJ..

 

[cracker]

Thats 3/8 th steel, I welded and bolted it through the unibody with an internal frame spar.. The unibody is pinched and braced between everything.. Its held up to everything I can throw at it.. The square tubing is 2.5 x 2.5 x 1/4, It will last longer than the XJ..

3/8" is way too much.

 

[BrettM]

overkill can be cool and all... but wow... just... wow...

 

[vetteboy]

Mine is 3x3x1/4" angle, stitch-welded and plugged to the unibody rails. Crossmember bolts go up and through the angle and the bottom of the unibody to a nut strip on top for each. This is with the crossmembers and junk installed but not finished:

 

[vintagespeed]

Thats 3/8 th steel, I welded and bolted it through the unibody with an internal frame spar.. The unibody is pinched and braced between everything.. Its held up to everything I can throw at it.. The square tubing is 2.5 x 2.5 x 1/4, It will last longer than the XJ..

I'm not saying it wont work. Birds fly because they dont know that physically they can't.

 

[Dan Fredrickson]

Getting some good ideas.....

 

[twisted_ed]

I intend to do what Lafontaine has done in the magazine article that has be mentioned in the thread. I figure hes abused cherokees more thna I will mine and knows what it needs. but I may add anthoer place to the inside as well and box the two together

 

[XTrmXJ]

The rock rails took a lot of abuse at Attica, Crozet, Tellico and paragon and have yet to show damage or even scratches.. People have seen what they've done and destroyed rocks in the process.. If you build them right and brace them properly its all fine, Im still adding to them, Im working on attaching an exo.. Also keep in mind those pics are not of the fully finished product, I added strenghtening to the setup, that and I just had the metal laying around in the shop from a trailer I had built

 

[IslanderXJ]

I should ask Dave about using those flare dies... or maybe suggest a frame rail stiffiner(sp?) kit for XJ's....

It will be the first thing on my list to ask him about when I get to work tomorow.

 

[myjeepsbigger]

Well, I'm going to try a design that is real similar to that in the mag....

Stripped

Setting a pattern (2" blue masking tape.)

Outside welded in and primed. Inside of the rail and crossmember work will be next.

Temp outside was about 25*, and in the garage it was.....(we like working in T-shirts. haha. .....Woodstove with a thermostatically controlled blower.)

 

[myjeepsbigger]

Inside rail section. Laid along the chamfered part of the frame, as well. Really hard to see, but it turned out very well in person. That compound bend was a nightmare.

Primed, with the old steering box bolted back up.

That's all I was able to do last night, because I'm out of MIG wire and plasma tips.