Logan's metal bumper...

[SanDiegoOverland]

Hi all,
I have one of these on its way to my house. I'm pretty good on such installs, but have heard a bit about the steering box bolt issue.


I've read somewhere that the bolts get corroded from the "electrolysis" between the steel of the box and frame, and the aluminum of the spacer under the box, is this true? Of all models?

My truck lived its life in Arizona, and is now here in san Diego, with not a speck of rust anywhere...would you say I might get lucky with PB blasting only?

If a bolt breaks can I simply replace that bolt or do they usually break in a catastrophic, "can't get the fugger out" way?

Last question, I read tidbits about a replacement steel spacer, is this still produced?

I searched and only found 6-8 bumper opinion threads mentioning the logan steel setup.

thanks!!
-B

 

[Ronbo]

You shouldn't have an issue. If you're worried, use a little PB Blaster, Kroil, etc, ahead of time. C-Rok sells the inner frame plate: http://www.c-rok.com/sb.html

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

awesome, thanks so much!

$40.00 seems like a great price. Slam dunk.

 

[jeeperjohn]

I don't recall seeing any of the aluminum spacers corroded out but they certainly could due to electrolytic corrosion. This could make the bolt hard to remove from the spacer. The steel spacer is a great way to avoid that in the future.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

I don't recall seeing any of the aluminum spacers corroded out but they certainly could due to electrolytic corrosion. This could make the bolt hard to remove from the spacer. The steel spacer is a great way to avoid that in the future.

Yeah, I'm all about installing something once. :repair:

If I can beef up and make that mounting point more reliable, all the better. Especially if my bolts aren't corroded right now, and I have to remove the box at a later date, due to it being blown or worn out.

 

[codyyy]

TNT Customs and JCR also make the plate you want, I'm in the process of making my own out of 1/4" plate. I'm wondering if that spacer will prevent the cracking of the frame there better and tighten up the steering some.
http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=XJSTSPC&Category_Code=DPL
http://tntcustoms.com/page.asp?pageid=56

 

[dano.75]

I have a Logans Metal front bumper & mine came with the frame plate. Have had it on for 2 yrs. & have had no problems, very happy.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

I have a Logans Metal front bumper & mine came with the frame plate. Have had it on for 2 yrs. & have had no problems, very happy.

interesting.

So here's what I understand is included...

-bumper
-left and right mounting plates
-fairlead/winch mount
-hardware

So you're saying in addition, your's came with a plate to replace the breakage/corrosion prone steering box spacer? Or does the left hand plate BECOME that spacer?..

Thanks for any clarity...

 

[danwho]

The bumper mounting plate becomes a brace/spacer on that side of the steering box.
You may want to beef the other side as well. I bought a C-Rok brace for the other side of the box.
I also read about the broken bolt issue, but Jeeper John and I didn't have a problem.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

The bumper mounting plate becomes a brace/spacer on that side of the steering box.
You may want to beef the other side as well. I bought a C-Rok brace for the other side of the box.
I also read about the broken bolt issue, but Jeeper John and I didn't have a problem.

aha...great!

I dig adding something to the other side. Pure beef.

 

[codyyy]

aha...great!

I dig adding something to the other side. Pure beef.

Think of it as a steel sandwich on your frame. I know how the unibody frame cracks in that area. My friend Dan's XJ is so messed up he's had to do a lot of welding, and he has the Rusty's steering box brace which didn't really help him after it cracked. Started as something small, and from what I heard he's had to weld a crapload of it back now.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

Think of it as a steel sandwich on your frame. I know how the unibody frame cracks in that area. My friend Dan's XJ is so messed up he's had to do a lot of welding, and he has the Rusty's steering box brace which didn't really help him after it cracked. Started as something small, and from what I heard he's had to weld a crapload of it back now.

Man, that sucks. I'm really hoping to keep my XJ for a while, knowing I'll probably have to do an engine swap or rebuild in the next 50k or so, but things like these reinforcments are well within my budget, so that it never becomes a problem.

Hence, the reason for buying a stout bumper first. I can't count anymore the threads I've read in here of rigs that were build SO nicely, and had something like frame cracks or a simple fender bender completely ruin the rig.

I'm trying to learn from those experiences, so I hopefully only have to build mine once...

BTW, I'm a designer by trade, so the image of a "steel sandwich" is perfect..hahaha!

Cheers all.

-Brian

 

[codyyy]

Man, that sucks. I'm really hoping to keep my XJ for a while, knowing I'll probably have to do an engine swap or rebuild in the next 50k or so, but things like these reinforcments are well within my budget, so that it never becomes a problem.

Hence, the reason for buying a stout bumper first. I can't count anymore the threads I've read in here of rigs that were build SO nicely, and had something like frame cracks or a simple fender bender completely ruin the rig.

I'm trying to learn from those experiences, so I hopefully only have to build mine once...

BTW, I'm a designer by trade, so the image of a "steel sandwich" is perfect..hahaha!

Cheers all.

-Brian

Yeah, some people say these XJs are a "temporary rig" but I like mine, I'm kinda in the same boat. I don't want to give it up. There's lots of inexpensive "preventative maintenance" mods to do to these vehicles which is always good.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

yup. next on my list is, probably in feb or march is a set of sliders/stiffeners, that I'll tie into rollcage of some sort.

I like the bolt in options...Rockhard, I think?, but I've got several fabricator friends here in san diego, that could build me a nice exo for around the same price.

I'd like to add all that, weigh the rig, and then figure out what rate/height springs I'll need to replace my worn out stockers.

 

[codyyy]

Yeah that's what I need, unibody stiffeners and sliders. I'd love to exocage my Jeep but do something more basic.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

I'd love to hear/see any designs you're thinkin' of...

-B

 

[codyyy]

I don't really have any designs, but I'd like to follow the lines of the Jeep. The basic hoops going around the A, B, and C pillars as well as around the sides of the hatch. The problem is, I still want to open all 5 doors nicely, which really cuts a lot out of an exocage. I'd basically need to tie it into an interior cage I believe, to keep the strength of the structure high.
To be honest, I don't think I really need an exocage, but I would like to do something to the front of the vehicle. Something like this:

Here is kinda something I've wanted to do exactly. The bad part is, I haven't found anything like it since and have no other pics of this Jeep:

I'd love to do something like that latter pic to my Jeep, however I have no idea how that functions.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

that top pic is interesting. not bad at all. The bottom one reminds me of a few hummers I've seen. Check out the "Transformers" trucks on google image, to see what I mean.

I typed in, "Transformers hummer". Check out the second picture of a rescue/SAR type truck.

 

[xj_mike]

interesting.

So here's what I understand is included...

-bumper
-left and right mounting plates
-fairlead/winch mount
-hardware

So you're saying in addition, your's came with a plate to replace the breakage/corrosion prone steering box spacer? Or does the left hand plate BECOME that spacer?..

Thanks for any clarity...

Here is the plate I bought plus two additional tie-in's, which I can't remembe where I bought them from. The one with the three tube pieces replaces the stock aluminum steering spacer.

The extra tie-ins on the front crossmember and two of the stock bumper bolt locations.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

cool, thanks mike...


I was just talking to my dad about exo's. (He runs a built FZJ80 cruiser, that he's taken ALL over the sierra's)

I told him I didn't want anything inside except for the load area, where I plan to have a cage/load barrier built behind the rear seat.

and that I wanted to run a safari snorkel.

he suggested:

-install set of good frame stiffener/sliders
-install good rear bumper (logan's?, etc)
- Start exo @ b pillar behind front door, allowing for rear door opening, tie into C and d pillar hoops/halo, and possibly tie into behind rear seat roll bar/ load area divider.
-This along with a set of grill/headlight hoops welded to front bumper that is higher than the hood, should maintain the passenger compartment VERY well for the rear passengers and good enough for the front passengers in all but the craziest of rolls, though I migh have to wear googles from a pillar crumpling.
-install snorkel to protect my rig from my fondness of the rare puddle here in socal, that I always find myself in.

It would also provide for a rearward, low profile roof rack with simply a floor and some tie-downs (no conferr style rails or anything. maybe a post at each corner to keep lumber from sliding off. and to mount my awning on. I could keep my thule mounts up front, too,(b-pillar forward) to help carry our canoe.