My front frame hack up and rebuild

[Ghost]

A 2x6 or 2x8 makes a great board for setting jack stands on. I will cut them in 6" or 8" lengths. The wood will let the stands bite in a slight amount and keep them from slipping like steel will.

 

[RCman]

A 2x6 or 2x8 makes a great board for setting jack stands on. I will cut them in 6" or 8" lengths. The wood will let the stands bite in a slight amount and keep them from slipping like steel will.

X2.
I used some true 4"x6" oak and some rebar that I had laying around to make these:

The jackstands dug in a little bit and I feel perfectly safe working under them. I won't used cinder blocks or a metal stand (unless the jackstand was fixed/welded to the metal stand).

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Since we are ripping on the cement blocks, they would actually be quite a bit stronger if he flipped them 90 degrees. I agree though, cement blocks aren't a good choice. Jeff

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

alrite enough on my cement blocks! They work, and have for years!
anyway, progress----
finally got driver side finished cut out, lots of fitment going on here. C-channel cut, re-cut, and cut again....

Have to get some 3/16 angle and cut to form where i had to cut the bottom off the c channel right at where the steering box would go.

Well photobucket is being gay so no pics at the moment....

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

Photobucket stopped bringin the suck...
So i have managed to create a frame rail that is flat all the way back from where the steering box mounts. And i'm goin to put some angle on top of the c channel to tie into the inner fenderwell. And you can see a little piece of the angle i am goin to use in the top pic...

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

Finished the driver side rail. Still got to add the angle to the top. And started on passenger side rail---

 

[chris420]

Holly cow!!! I cant wait to see more. Is this going to be a street legal rig?

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

Holly cow!!! I cant wait to see more. Is this going to be a street legal rig?

I guess it hasnt been street legal in a few years, but it does have all the lights and stuff... I mean its nothin drastic, i just cut the front frame rails out and made some new ones. This will also follow into my exo cage build and front bumper/winch mount build. And i'm thinkin about test fitting my big block i got layin in the garage just to see if its possible...

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

And i'm thinkin about test fitting my big block i got layin in the garage just to see if its possible...

uh oh.... i measured the frame and my (wisper voice) "mild built" big block chevy. And its looking like i might be able to fit it in there now! Lord help my poor xj if i get my BBC in there...
:shhh:

 

[jeepcomj]

well...i've got a few things to say about your ideas and projects here, both from a state inspection standpoint and also coming from someone who has done a similar project.

first I'll just oversight mine...sorry to thread-jack a bit. I've got a 1986 comanche that came with the 2.8 v6...obviously a crappy motor, so I upgraded...to a 96 3.8 camaro motor. i wanted to keep the air conditioner compressor, so I altered the passenger side of the frame rail...i think my job was probably more through than yours (no offense) and still consider it to have been a bad idea.

I plated each section individually, and took care to leave enough metal there to be structural.

http://photos-f.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v56/198/76/69205416/n69205416_31225621_7111.jpg

it's plenty structural, and I'm sure yours is too...but it's untested, and perhaps not a good idea to take the liability upon oneself
now, I don't advise this for a daily driver. mine was...and I will begin restoring the frame rail to stock by systematically rebuilding it, along with the new supercharged 3800.

From a safety standpoint, the jeep is no longer within it's parameters for crash-test-ratings. it has no crumple zone, and will transfer more shock in the event of an accident. it will not allow the unibody to flex, and you have now created tear points with your welds...so at flex, you will more likely tear your frame rail than not.

I hope the project goes well and will keep following...hopefully you at least think about my points, regardless of whether or not you heed them. good job on the project so far!

oh, a good point when welding unibody frames...DO NOT weld vertical. it WILL tear. weld at angles wherever you can, it transfers load across the sheet steel rather than up it (i.e. angle your new plates, fishtail the ends, whatever floats your boat. just remember that vertical welds will become your next nightmare of a failure point...)

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

oh yeah i dont recommend doin this on anything to see serious street use. Obviously this causes extreme danger in the event of a crash or you never know it could just rip apart while turning the steering wheel??? Mine is just a toy. It has traveled maybe 10 miles down the road in the past year. i'm simply just trying to make room and reinforce everything from cutting the frame out. If i was to advise someone that is considering building a front frame portion i would say cut it out and start from scratch not like i'm doing. But i am goin to strengthen the rails up by tieing them into an exo cage and some rocker sliders i'm building... with that i am confident it will stay put.

 

[jeepcomj]

I'm glad you've got everything under control there.

I was about to suggest a tubed front end...for a subsequent future build, maybe this would be a good idea?

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

well plans changed! ha goin to take off the c channel, its not welded yet just laying there. Cutting the entire front frame rails out forward from the plated up section i did at the firewall and am goin to replace it with 2x4 or 2x3 3/16" wall rectangle. Im having a BIG change in powertrain and drivetrain!! and i'll let yall know what that is tuesday!!:shhh:
:greensmok

 

[Goatman]

I'm glad you've got everything under control there.

I was about to suggest a tubed front end...for a subsequent future build, maybe this would be a good idea?

Talking about crumple zones and safety and a tube front end is kind of silly, no offense meant. Once we add frame reinforcement so it doesn't tear itself apart, and add a decent cage, crumple zones are non-existant anyway. Many of us have this stuff on our street driven rigs, so no sense talking about it only being a good idea for trail rigs. We trade crumple zones for structural integrity designed around how we use our rigs. Besides, most of the folks we might hit have crumple zones, so we'll use their's.

 

[jeepcomj]

it's hardly silly...frame modifications of this size are much more dangerous and less structurally secure when trying to add or take away the unibody frame rails.

adding tube, or simply replacing the unibody subframe itself, is much safer (when planned out and excuted properly)

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

moving on..........

so i did a 1000 mile road trip yesterday. Picked up the next step in the evolution of my cherokee.

So from here on out this build will be called Sgt. Shitbox !

 

[Timmy2XJS]

moving on..........

so i did a 1000 mile road trip yesterday. Picked up the next step in the evolution of my cherokee.

So from here on out this build will be called Sgt. Shitbox !

good lord.
what did they come out of?

 

[CartsXJ]

good lord.
what did they come out of?

I really hope that is sarcasim.......seeing as you are military

 

[Timmy2XJS]

i know it was some sort of truck but im not motor T and i dont ride in them. im a flyer. lol so no im not kidding.

 

[_MURDERED OUT_]

The axles are 2.5 ton Rockwells, from a duce and a half truck.