New guy, old jeep head
#1
Member
Thread Starter
My Build
I had a 90 XJ a while back, locked, 8.8, 5.5", 35's (mostly rock crawling) and maybe didn't notice any problems with the frame too much but in doing a lot of research on a Cavfab long arm kit I'm thinking of purchasing I'm seeing a lot of emphasis on frame stiffeners. I read somewhere having a strong bumper, a good center piece (long arm kit) and good rear bumper is suffice for the frame? I'm planning on building this new little XJ I got up to the same specs as my old one.
Last edited by paulhead; 04-21-2018 at 10:24 AM.
#2
Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Seattle
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Renix
So here is my deal. I have an 88 cherokee that I bought built with a cage. I have spent a ton of hours redoing the jeep fixing issues from the prior owner. I run freeways and offroad pretty hard. Even with HD bumpers front and rear and full cage, long arm, and some reinforcement, when I flex out the interior creaks and goans and it feels like its going to pop the windshield out. After riding in my buddies 300K miles cherokee with stiffeners offroad, his barely makes a sound going over obstacles. So, I gave up, bought another stock cherokee and have a full set of stiffeners bumper to bumper going on. I think if you are going to wheel it, and want it to live, or just appreciate a solid feel, you have to start with stiffeners.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
So here is my deal. I have an 88 cherokee that I bought built with a cage. I have spent a ton of hours redoing the jeep fixing issues from the prior owner. I run freeways and offroad pretty hard. Even with HD bumpers front and rear and full cage, long arm, and some reinforcement, when I flex out the interior creaks and goans and it feels like its going to pop the windshield out. After riding in my buddies 300K miles cherokee with stiffeners offroad, his barely makes a sound going over obstacles. So, I gave up, bought another stock cherokee and have a full set of stiffeners bumper to bumper going on. I think if you are going to wheel it, and want it to live, or just appreciate a solid feel, you have to start with stiffeners.
#4
CF Veteran
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4,481
Likes: 0
Received 16 Likes
on
12 Posts
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
So here is my deal. I have an 88 cherokee that I bought built with a cage. I have spent a ton of hours redoing the jeep fixing issues from the prior owner. I run freeways and offroad pretty hard. Even with HD bumpers front and rear and full cage, long arm, and some reinforcement, when I flex out the interior creaks and goans and it feels like its going to pop the windshield out. After riding in my buddies 300K miles cherokee with stiffeners offroad, his barely makes a sound going over obstacles. So, I gave up, bought another stock cherokee and have a full set of stiffeners bumper to bumper going on. I think if you are going to wheel it, and want it to live, or just appreciate a solid feel, you have to start with stiffeners.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Been dragging *** on this. Getting the little mechanical issues out of the way, power steering leak. I got all the parts for my build but I have questions. Do I start a (new) build thread? And what do I start with first? Frame stiffeners then long arm/rear leafs? I got a 231 with a SYE I'm gonna swap in there and after the lift is said and done then I'll get DS measurements. Suggestions?
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Well live and learn, learned from the drivers side frame stiffeners. Worried about burning thru the thin unibody I used a 110 flux core to weld on the stiffeners and that was a mistake. It worked but I didn't like the welds and even touched it up with my 220 gas welder that I shoula used. Passenger side came out a lot prettier. I prepped everything with weld primer (this stuff ain't cheap). Then I got busy on the 8.8 grinding off the stock hardware and welding the tubes. Gonna pull the D30 tomorrow and get both axles to my gear guy.
#7
Member
Thread Starter
threw the Spartan in the D30 carrier I got for the axle since it needed a higher ratio carrier and it was out and dry. Of course I greased the parts up before putting them together. Foot note: If installing one of these I guess it's a common problem the hardened cross shaft has issue going in some carriers so after I installed the locker I had to pop it back out to grind down the carrier shaft holes a little. (might be common knowledge but it was news to me)
Trending Topics
#8
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes
on
37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
You should not grind down the center pin OR the locker at ALL to get it to fit.....if you do, the locker may not work right.
What do you mean carrier shaft holes ??
Do you plan on welding up those vertical seams on the stiffeners ??
.
What do you mean carrier shaft holes ??
Do you plan on welding up those vertical seams on the stiffeners ??
.
Last edited by TRCM; 02-14-2018 at 03:02 AM.
#9
Member
Thread Starter
The holes in the carrier itself were not wide enough for the shaft to go thru so I dremeled the holes wider. I google it and it seems a common issue
#10
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes
on
37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
OK...I thought it was a problem with the center pin itself or the locker.....
I had a guy once who rebuilt an axle for me grind the center pin down to get it in (high side of 1 gear tooth had to be ground down, which I told him had already been done, but he put the ring gear back on the carrier differently), and it had so much play, the locker could literally fall out.
I had a guy once who rebuilt an axle for me grind the center pin down to get it in (high side of 1 gear tooth had to be ground down, which I told him had already been done, but he put the ring gear back on the carrier differently), and it had so much play, the locker could literally fall out.
#11
Member
Thread Starter
Axles on there way to get geared to 4.88, getting chromos for front and rear, Grizzly locker in the rear (8.8). Prepping the body for front stiffeners and CavFab 3 link
#13
Member
Thread Starter
So I got a SYE for the stock Tcase, Easy Off and a quarter car wash got it clean and able to work on, installed it after
Tried putting the CavFab cross member together and then mocking it into place but that ***** is heavy! Had to mount the sides first then the center.
Turns out my exhaust was getting in the way a little but just trimmed the cross member a hair and it fit fine.
Got it to support the trans/Tcase and everything looks good, ran out of day but whats left is to mark and drill holes, to be continued........
Tried putting the CavFab cross member together and then mocking it into place but that ***** is heavy! Had to mount the sides first then the center.
Turns out my exhaust was getting in the way a little but just trimmed the cross member a hair and it fit fine.
Got it to support the trans/Tcase and everything looks good, ran out of day but whats left is to mark and drill holes, to be continued........
#14
Member
Thread Starter
#15
Member
Thread Starter
Drivers side frame stiffeners on, pain in the ****. I'm not a great welder so at good angles I got a decent bead but others not so great. Then the bumper had took a hit which bent the frame, had to drill through it and added backing reinforcement to the corner. My concern with these RuffStuff stiffeners is there's not a lot of meat to hold to with an aftermarket winch bumper. In hindsight shoulda got the JCR brackets and stiffeners. Any suggestions? I had gotten the Mauler from JCR and sold the brackets thinking the ruffstuff stiffeners would work but now I'm all fubared.