- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
... and the cage.
I wouldn't trust stiffeners to fix the issue but I also wouldn't cage something without putting the stiffener plating on too.
-
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How to stop unibody flex/torsion
- Thread starter Desert4x4
- Start date
... and the cage.
I wouldn't trust stiffeners to fix the issue but I also wouldn't cage something without putting the stiffener plating on too.
- Location
- Hammertown, USA
some days i miss the 'reputation' feature.
there are some real geoff's on this forum. ;/
there are some real geoff's on this forum. ;/
XJLI
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Long Island, NY
there are only a handful of people who have plated their rails to the extent that you did. you cant compare your rig to someone with a normal built XJ and a full set of HD offroad stiffeners.
- Location
- Hammertown, USA
Thats the problem.. you've gotta get away from that 10 gauge
- Location
- Roseville, CA
foxwar71
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Foxboro, MA
I don't have a problem with 10g, I have a problem with single plane plating. From my t-case forward, I have the inside/outside/bottom plated (pretty much all 3/16 too). Even in the back I still have the bottom/outside plated, I woulda done the inside too but I have 2x4 sleeved inside the rear framerails for the bumper (which is now permanent and welded in).
I also had 2x6 rockers with five 2x2 legs per side, 2x6 front crossmember with hidden winch, two tranny crossmembers, engine cage with plated inner fenders, rear shock hoops, etc. Basically enough to kill all the flex without a cage, I only added the cage because I kept eating sheetmetal and needed a good place to mount harnesses. And its only a matter of time before it ends up on its lid.
- Location
- Hammertown, USA
- Location
- Roseville, CA
that's a bit more extensive than what I got going on lol. I'll have the rockers tied into the ruffstuff plates with 4 legs. HDO's front and back. I'll plate the bottom of the front's as time permits and **** the rear that's getting cut out later anyway. with a panhard brace and a permanent front bumper I think that'll be plenty. along with a future engine cage
if it falls apart I'm getting out of the XJ game
i guess you had to be there.
if i get unlazy later i'll dig the thread up and send it to you.
eh it's cool lol
NCCherokee
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Anderson, SC
Before I built my rig id get flex between doors and body. Full bumpers front and rear, mid frame stiffeners, trackbar brace, and front steering box brace I built similar to the boostwerks one with the bearing for the sector shaft...definitely less flex than before. But I still have some.
I consider frame plating as the basis/mounting system for the cage. Even when cage is mounted to the floor, you can drop a stringer from that mount to the plated Frame rails. Same thing with rocker panels. However following with the 3d concept, those weld on rocker replacements probably help some because they are in a different plane, and when welded to the plates frame rails, can give more rigidity. Of course, a hybrid cage welded to all pillars is the best. I will be doing sliders this summer before the cage build starts in ernest next year. I plan to keep most of the interior. The hybrid halo will be welded to drip rails, and bolted through roof to the inner cage where you get the triangulation and the true stiffness. Count on plating exterior pillars where possible like EricXJ, from the cage and the rocker replacements.
Don't stop at the cowl. Extend it forward either through the fenders or outside them, to the front bumper, which will give rigidity to the front half. Tie both sides together with an engine cage, and if possible tie that into the cowl.
Some have succeeded at a hybrid with an interior cowl bar, but that requires a lot of work.
I plan to do the B pillar tie ins like ericXJ, but hopefully while keeping the interior in place. Maybe tie into the rear seatbelt mounts, and all the grab handles. That would give you some sheet metal to weld to while keeping the interior. Which of course you wouldn't be able to remove anymore!
Rear shock xmember through the flor to tie both sides of rear cage together, and of course the b pillar x brace and harness bar.
Those cages that go between the dash and door are considered a compromise. Yes it gives you a cage, but that bent, sectioned, RE welded plate, even at 3/8" or 1/2" thick will never be as strong as straight tube down to the rocker replacement with a stringer directly underneath to the plates frame.
I consider frame plating as the basis/mounting system for the cage. Even when cage is mounted to the floor, you can drop a stringer from that mount to the plated Frame rails. Same thing with rocker panels. However following with the 3d concept, those weld on rocker replacements probably help some because they are in a different plane, and when welded to the plates frame rails, can give more rigidity. Of course, a hybrid cage welded to all pillars is the best. I will be doing sliders this summer before the cage build starts in ernest next year. I plan to keep most of the interior. The hybrid halo will be welded to drip rails, and bolted through roof to the inner cage where you get the triangulation and the true stiffness. Count on plating exterior pillars where possible like EricXJ, from the cage and the rocker replacements.
Don't stop at the cowl. Extend it forward either through the fenders or outside them, to the front bumper, which will give rigidity to the front half. Tie both sides together with an engine cage, and if possible tie that into the cowl.
Some have succeeded at a hybrid with an interior cowl bar, but that requires a lot of work.
I plan to do the B pillar tie ins like ericXJ, but hopefully while keeping the interior in place. Maybe tie into the rear seatbelt mounts, and all the grab handles. That would give you some sheet metal to weld to while keeping the interior. Which of course you wouldn't be able to remove anymore!
Rear shock xmember through the flor to tie both sides of rear cage together, and of course the b pillar x brace and harness bar.
Those cages that go between the dash and door are considered a compromise. Yes it gives you a cage, but that bent, sectioned, RE welded plate, even at 3/8" or 1/2" thick will never be as strong as straight tube down to the rocker replacement with a stringer directly underneath to the plates frame.
Thanks for all the info guys. Very informative.
So I'm almost done installing the rockhard bolt together cage.
Jeeperjohn --> Did you notice your cage pulling down on the dash? Mine seems to push the top of the dash down about a 1/4". Enough to make the seam between the gauge bezel and the dash top have a decent gap. I guess I don't mind too much though. Maybe it only happens on 97+
I had to drill new offset holes for the rear hoop. Since I have a subwoofer on the passenger side in the "pocket", I had to mount it a little to the driver's side. This didn't seem to affect too much fitment.
My Detours rock sliders get in the way of the front-most bolts on the front hoop. Thats ok because I just got a suoper long bolt and drilled a hole through the slider. Now the front hoop is tied into the slider.
I'm a little upset that I can't lean my seat back. Don't care about having no sunvisors. The top bar is in the way already anyway.
Some of the bolts are just plain too short. Maybe I'm supposed to remove the carpeting. Well I'm not gonna.
So I'm almost done installing the rockhard bolt together cage.
Jeeperjohn --> Did you notice your cage pulling down on the dash? Mine seems to push the top of the dash down about a 1/4". Enough to make the seam between the gauge bezel and the dash top have a decent gap. I guess I don't mind too much though. Maybe it only happens on 97+
I had to drill new offset holes for the rear hoop. Since I have a subwoofer on the passenger side in the "pocket", I had to mount it a little to the driver's side. This didn't seem to affect too much fitment.
My Detours rock sliders get in the way of the front-most bolts on the front hoop. Thats ok because I just got a suoper long bolt and drilled a hole through the slider. Now the front hoop is tied into the slider.
I'm a little upset that I can't lean my seat back. Don't care about having no sunvisors. The top bar is in the way already anyway.
Some of the bolts are just plain too short. Maybe I'm supposed to remove the carpeting. Well I'm not gonna.
Cerveja
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- SouthEast Michigan
I went the other route. Installed a clayton 3-Link in the front and converted the rear to a four link coil suspension when I changed axles last year. One of the magazines did a similar conversion a couple years ago using somebody elses kit, not Clayton, TNT maybe, I forget. They commented that before the conversion their body would twist up so bad they couldn't open the doors when flexed. After the conversion all the creaking went away and the doors open easily no matter how bad the truck is contorted. I have found the same thing, frame/body doesn't creak at all and although I never had a problem (not that I was really paying attention) with the doors before, but certainly haven't had an issue since.
Rod Knee
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grand Jct., CO
Did you do the installation by yourself or did you need more than one set of hands? Do you find it annoying that the cage does not tie into any pillars?
I did everything by myself. There are a few times where you have yo get creative. Like wedging vice grips under the car so you can tighten the bolt inside. Also the windshield piece , althoughnot the hheaviest is really a pain to hold above your head while you tighten the pieces ttogether.
jeeperjohn
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Temecula, CA
I used a cage intended for a 97+ and had to crush the corner of the dash to make it fit :gee:
- Location
- Torrance, CA
- Location
- sacramento
I just super glued it to the carpet on mine....
oh no wait, I remember now, I sandwiched it to the floor on both sides with supports coming off to the frame from the bottom sandwich plate under the floor, which are sort of gusseted . I feel like thats half arsed too. I should eventually tie it into the B and C pillars directly.
oh no wait, I remember now, I sandwiched it to the floor on both sides with supports coming off to the frame from the bottom sandwich plate under the floor, which are sort of gusseted . I feel like thats half arsed too. I should eventually tie it into the B and C pillars directly.
Rod Knee
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grand Jct., CO
How would you go about tieing your cage into the pillars? We are talking about the Rock Hard bolt in cage, right?
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