Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here XJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.

HD Offroad Frame Stiffener

Old May 22, 2011 | 12:51 AM
  #1  
AVjeeper's Avatar
Thread Starter
Seasoned Member
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 299
Likes: 12
From: Whittier, Ca
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Default HD Offroad Frame Stiffener

Here's a couple pics of the HD Offroad Frame Stiffener
http://www.hdoffroadengineering.com/...ame-stiffeners
Lots and lots of scraping and sanding of the unibody frame rails to get bare metal. Next step is undercoating and JCR rock rails.
Special thanks to Hugo at Whittier Muffler Auto Repair for welding them on for me.
Attached Thumbnails HD Offroad Frame Stiffener-bottom.jpg   HD Offroad Frame Stiffener-side.jpg  
Reply
Old May 22, 2011 | 01:17 AM
  #2  
rideordie66's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 850
Likes: 4
From: Arcata California
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Default

notice any difference in the ride?
Reply
Old May 22, 2011 | 01:38 AM
  #3  
96_xj's Avatar
Honorary Moderator
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,135
Likes: 16
From: Gilbert AZ/Las Cruces NM
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 upgraded
Default

x2 whats it ride like?
Reply
Old May 22, 2011 | 02:01 AM
  #4  
brown bomber's Avatar
Newbie
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: crystal lake il
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 i6
Default

Nice I wann het those too but I need floors first. How did you get the rails clean
Reply
Old May 22, 2011 | 08:14 AM
  #5  
wildspear's Avatar
CF Veteran
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,680
Likes: 5
From: Western Michigan
Year: 1993
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0l inline 6
Default

Did you do a test fit and get the stiffeners pre-bent before you took it to your muffler guy (so all he would have to do is put it in place and weld)? With the JCR rails did the stiffeners change how the rails will be installed. The JCR rails are attached to the uni-body and the pinch seam. Having the stiffener added wil change where the rails line up in relation to the pinch seam.
Reply
Old May 22, 2011 | 12:13 PM
  #6  
That Jeep Guy XJMJ's Avatar
CF Veteran
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,611
Likes: 447
From: Michigan
Year: 1987 MJ, 1973 J2000, 1986 XJ, 08 JK
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0L H.O
Default

Originally Posted by wildspear
Did you do a test fit and get the stiffeners pre-bent before you took it to your muffler guy (so all he would have to do is put it in place and weld)? With the JCR rails did the stiffeners change how the rails will be installed. The JCR rails are attached to the uni-body and the pinch seam. Having the stiffener added wil change where the rails line up in relation to the pinch seam.
yea they sure will, i installed my jcr sliders a few weeks back and the way they're setup is a direct factory spec fit... your frame stiffener is going to set your pinch seam mount out.... but a quick grind and re-weld will fix that
HD Offroad Frame Stiffener-downsized_image04272011180942.jpg
Reply
Old May 22, 2011 | 09:43 PM
  #7  
AVjeeper's Avatar
Thread Starter
Seasoned Member
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 299
Likes: 12
From: Whittier, Ca
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Default

Thanks for the questions. I know there are a few dirty spots. It rained before I could primer and undercoat.

I have not gone off road yet. The ride seems like I don't hear a lot of the squeeking that I used too. There are still a few rattles, but significantly less. It also feels kind of boxy or boaty. It feels like I feel the shocks more. The steering also feels tighter, weird.

The stiffeners are 1/8" thick so I ordered the JCR rock rails with a 1/8" offset.

If you zoom in, you can see some slits in the angle iron to allow forming to the frame rail. We mated the angle iron to the frame rail with C-clamps and those special jacks that welders use to smash it flush. The slits line up with the seams on the frame rail, and I added one more slit.

Next to the leaf spring fwd mount there is a seam fold over. The angle iron was over-lapping here so I cut out 1/4"x3" so the angle iron laid flat and welded to the seam.

I used a couple stiff putty knives, 1" and 3" to scrape off the undercoating. Next I used a drill with disc sander pads, and also an angle grinder with sanding disc. After it was bare I sprayed it with Bloxide Weldable Primer. I'm kinda paranoid about two bare metal surfaces touching each other developing corrosion.

I'll continue my build pics when I put the JCR rock rails on.
Attached Thumbnails HD Offroad Frame Stiffener-slits.jpg   HD Offroad Frame Stiffener-seam.jpg  
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2011 | 02:04 AM
  #8  
praetorian's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
Default

Hey bro I just purchased these along with the front and rears too. Have you plated your front and rears at all? If so, do you got any pics?
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2011 | 02:11 AM
  #9  
Unleashed's Avatar
CF Veteran
 
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 1
From: SoCal, San Fernando
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Default

does it make a big difference?
Reply
Old Oct 29, 2011 | 10:20 AM
  #10  
AVjeeper's Avatar
Thread Starter
Seasoned Member
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 299
Likes: 12
From: Whittier, Ca
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Default

Originally Posted by praetorian
Hey bro I just purchased these along with the front and rears too. Have you plated your front and rears at all? If so, do you got any pics?
I thought about doing that but this is my DD and I don't have the time to do it. Money is also tight as I'm still building a rear Dana 44. I have to focus on finishing that. Hopefully by February.
Here is a Pic with the JCR Stage 2 Rock Rails.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ms/basic-view/

Last edited by AVjeeper; Oct 29, 2011 at 10:25 AM. Reason: Forgot the picture.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Austindude2015
Cherokee Chat
17
Dec 28, 2020 05:12 PM
ROCKRIDGE 4WD
Vendor Showcase
6
Jul 13, 2016 12:11 PM
eepjeep
Modified XJ Cherokee Tech
22
Dec 3, 2015 09:46 AM
DynoGuy
Modified XJ Cherokee Tech
7
Sep 27, 2015 09:48 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:51 AM.