angle iron vs channel steal

[thobson]

angle iron vs channel steel

I have finally decided I can't go any longer without some sort of unibody frame bracing. I have the rock krawler 3-link longarms so I can't use the TNT stiffners. I have narrowed it down between using angle iron or taking a peice of box 3x6 channel steel but I can not decided between the two which would be the best to use some input would be great!

Thanks in advance

 

[RCP Phx]

The frame is not square or completely flat on any side,but if your going to steal some "steel" that would be the right size!

 

[PornstaR]

I belive you are going to have better results with angle vs channel. There are many fuel and electical lines you will have to move and replace to use the channel.

 

[thobson]

:doh: thanks for the spelling corrections must have been a long day at work or something. But I know the sizes for everything I have researched that and found all I can on it I am wondering the pros and cons of these two and if anyone has some personal imput that would be the best.

thanks

 

[corbinafly]

I would think that 1/4" x 3" x 3" channel should be more than adequate. That's what I'm gonna use.

Kyung

 

[Timber]

I can't find the thread, but I thought I remembered Goatman once mentioning that plating with thinner (thinnish?) steel along multiple planes was preferable to/stronger than just welding on some thick angled steel. I may be mistaken here, though.

 

[ddeadserious]

Why can't you use TNT's with your RK 3-link? Why not just cut the brackets off and reweld them to the stiffners?

 

[DirtyMJ]

I would think that 1/4" x 3" x 3" channel should be more than adequate. That's what I'm gonna use.

Kyung

Way unnecessary. I'm pretty sure I used that to do the mid-section of my MJ. There was no point. 1/8" would have been plenty good.



Especially now that there's a skid plate under it too. Yay for weighing 4200lbs for stupid reasons.

 

[thobson]

Why can't you use TNT's with your RK 3-link? Why not just cut the brackets off and reweld them to the stiffners?

It would be more work than I feel I need to do. I also welded the upper control arm mount on to the inside and outside of the frame rail so I would have to cut that off. I think I would just rather cut the angle iron or channel steel into section to fit around the mounts. Also I have Aj's rock rails and with how they install I would have to shorten the frame attachments. One of the first posts said replacing gas lines, obvioulsy you have to weld along were they run on the inside of the frame rail but why would they need replaced? I also will in the future attach a cage so I don't have to do it twice is one better for this than the other?

thanks

 

[madmax]

i did 3x3x3/16 angle on the out side of the frame and 3x3/16 bar stock on the inside.

i would have to say it over kill too

 

[thobson]

after finding a thorough write up on the pirate 4x4 site about some intense sub framing I have come to wonder if I do just sections of bracing, from the rear rock slider attachment point up the frame stopping at my LCA mounts then going from the front of the LCA mounts forward to the front rock slider mount, am I creating a very weak point at the control arm mounts. And is this not one of the essential areas that need bracing or would I be fine doing the sections?

 

[RWKHausSupply]

ya know with out looking at it or looking it up (search works great in this forum by the way) I think I used 4ft of 4x4x.250 tube and cut it in half and had enough then to do both rails. Overkill? Maybe. But since I dont have any body left and not only does the front susp. mounts all attach to it as well as some of the cage and tube, I felt better welding to it and then just being overly careful to just sitch weld and plug weld the U to the rails.

I think angle is not as sufficient as a U shapped piece. not only do you get to weld more area but you also get to sandwich the rail somewhat.

Thats just my opinion though.

 

[Jeep914x4]

Here's what I did.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?p=243526741#post243526741

 

[MudDawg]

The "frame" is most likely galvanized metal under the paint...the heep was anyway....it would be best to sand or otherwize remove the galvanize before welding...

 

[Jeep914x4]

The "frame" is most likely galvanized metal under the paint...the heep was anyway....it would be best to sand or otherwize remove the galvanize before welding...

Very True. I used a flapper wheel on the angle grinder and a flapper wheel on the drill to remove the undercoating and get down to bare metal. That was the worst part of the whole job! Took me forever to clean it up under there.

 

[MudDawg]

I try to encourage people who have never had the pleasure of breathing zinc welding fumes to avoid it all together....the first time I got a good dose of zinc fumes, i puked up my toenails.uke: never mind that it makes it far easier to stick a good bead with the galvanize gone.

 

[thobson]

So the question still being should I remove all of the mounts of my long arms which is a 3-link RK, all welded to the frame, which could be very hard cutting them off and not damaging the mounts or the rails, or would it be plenty strong if I just did sections were I could that did not require removing the mounts or shortening my rock rails attachments?

 

[jmop]

I used channel and though it was a pain and overkill I'm happy with the results.

If you went with channel you could cut the mouts out and the channel will cover up the damaged areas.

 

[TNT]

Run the frame stiffeners to the mounts and weld the mounts to it. Do this on both sides of the mounts and you will have 1 piece stiffeners. No need to remove the mounts this way. Steel thickness should be about 3/16" max. Anything more is overkill. 1/8" should work fine also.

 

[thobson]

tnt that is what I was thinking about doing do you know anyone who has gone this route?