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Ruffstuff XJ Unirail Channel Reinforcement....

Dan Fredrickson

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Sacramento, CA
These have been a long time coming but were well worth the wait! Perfect for a Crawler or Jeepspeed, our version of the Cherokee Unirail Reinforcement plates.

normal_xj%20rails%20flat%20w%20cudjo.jpg


They are certainly as well made as any of the rest but have some very definate improvements over them also. First off they are 3/16" thick, I tried them in 10 gauge but they just felt lite. Then, where the others stop the Cap at the floor creating a very long stress riser on the very weak floorboards, ours continue 1" onto the floor itself spreading out the load further and increasing the lifespan of the body. Another of the unique ways these are made is the front and rear risers following the Unirail into the wheelwells, the rear dosen't need too much but the front goes up 9" into the front fender at the angle of the rail after it turns into the well towards the motor.

normal_xj%20rails%20side%20by%20side.jpg


When you install these is the perfect time to create your own longarm kit and we have the brackets for it! If you are sticking with stock either cutoff the leading 9" or remove and replace your link bracket after you install the rails. The last thing these do that others have chosen to ignore is to make adding a skidplate easy.

normal_xj%20rails%20showing%20nuts.jpg


These come built in with 4 additional threaded holes for skid attachment! The holes are there and the weldable nuts come with it but if you don't want them use it as a plug weld hole, to use the nuts you will use a 3/4" hole saw to fit the nut into the existing channel.

These are shipped to you flat and very easy to install, first you weld the flat area around the crossmember and then use a jack to custom fit the bends, it is extremely easy to do! If we pre-bend the large end the shipping cost jumps nearly $20 because the box gets much bigger. We charge $10 to ship these within the lower 48 so we are eating the majority of the shipping cost already.
 
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As they sit they are $175 before the NAXJA discount, $157.50 after. If enough people want it we will make them without the fenderwell plate area for $25 less but I would use the extensions if at all possible, it adds too much strength to not.....

This area here goes 9" up into the front fenderwells....

normal_xj%20bends%20side%20x%20side.jpg


The one on the right is unbent and the one on the left is after the bend.....
 
hey Dan, just a thought,
but where the upper bend is (to meet the floor) could you cut slices out in between rosette holes which would allow stitch welding along the top too?
I would think some 3-6" long cuts just below the floor bend would give another spot to weld too, and add some more strength.

just a thought, even still these look great.
 
We looked at that but my engineer convinced me additional welding may do more harm than good. Many plug welds are good, too many and it becomes an entire zone of heat affected material, especially in the area of creases or folds of the welded material.

That said, I will still talk to him about 3 or 4 smaller ones, maybe 1.5" long.....
 
I have clayton long arms and the mounts are welded to the frame rails do you think it would hurt too much to cut these in half to be able to form them around my control arm mounts?
 
what about puttin a long arm mount on top of these? like clayton, Rock krawler, or R.E. how would it effect the kit?
 
what about puttin a long arm mount on top of these? like clayton, Rock krawler, or R.E. how would it effect the kit?

These are 3/16" thick, the difference would be absolutely minimal and with adjustable joints correctable. These were designed with the idea that you should use them with a performance kit. They would bring the chassis up to the performance level of the kit.

Lets think of simple leverage and strength. Longer arms = more levereage = more need for additional strength in the link bracket mounting area...... These add the strength you want and spread out the impact over a larger area, thats the main reason they ride up into the wheelwell. These are a first step towards making the XJ less of a disposable vehicle.
 
Any pictures installed? Looks like a great product.


We won't have any installed pics 'til next Wenesday, we fitted them up on my sons XJ. He is out of school next week and will be back in the shop to pay for the longarm kit we are developing with his truck.....its gotta be nice to be 16 and have the coolest stuff in the HS parking lot!
 
We won't have any installed pics 'til next Wenesday, we fitted them up on my sons XJ. He is out of school next week and will be back in the shop to pay for the longarm kit we are developing with his truck.....its gotta be nice to be 16 and have the coolest stuff in the HS parking lot!

You wanna adopt another son?:wave1:

-Alex
 
would that front section be as beneficial if it were added later? i am currently running a short arm kit but plan on upgrading in the future and dont want to cut my mounts off yet.
 
I'm currently saving my pennies for these. Any more info/specs on that long arm kit? I really wish someone made a heavy duty crossmember that would allow me to fab my own links. ;)


The crossmember is next, thats the easy part.....

On the longarm kit, we already make all the parts, just need to see what combinations work best together in an XJ. We may end uo making a couple of new parts for them though.....
 
These are NICE!!!!!

If I keep my XJ, these will be going on it with the TMR front plates (I already have them in the garage) and T&J stiffener's on top (just to make sure, and also in the garage already)
 
2 years later any pics and opinions on how they are? Are they still available? I couldn't find them on their site.


Uhh....what are you referring to?
 
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