My '01 has recently started exhibiting some creaks and groans in the body. It's got 130K on it and I've been out wheeling it pretty regularly of late, but it has full frame stiffeners (I welded them front to rear).

I'm not complaining by any means, it's just life. I'm just wondering if anyone has some suggestions on where to go next in stiffening up the body.

I don't want to do full internal cage as I drive it to work daily and have kids in the back seat (don't need heads cracked against pipe). I've considered an external cage (they look awesome and would certainly prevent body damage), but that's a long ways off.

 

 

The frame stiffeners are great but tend to put more stress on weaker areas. Check the unibody rails for signs of cracks developing behind the steering box and track bar mount as well as the bottom of the rails around the gas tank and the floor above the leaf spring hangers.

 

Where would I check? Are you saying where the rails would interface with the floorboard?

 

Not quite, more so on the rails themselves. Spend a few minutes going over the entirety of the frame looking for cracks similar to those shown below.

 

Got it! Areas of the frame rails that aren't plated. Does the body ever crack away from the frame rails? I was planning to do 2x6 rockers and tie them to the rails with tubing (haven't decided if I'll go boat sides or not).