gthbryce

So I jacked up my front end by my pumpkin and before i threw it on jack stands i had to grab something out of my hatch. When I went to close it it wouldnt close it kept sounding like it was going to break also...When i dropped it back to the floor it closed easily. Do rock sliders by themselves help stiffen the unibody or would frame rail stiffeners be needed? Furthermore, is this unibody flex really bad?

ktmracer419

frame stiffeners wont fix that. welcome to the jeep cherokee, they will all do that without extensive cage work and whatnot.

Gee oh Dee

Depending on the style of sliders they can help, but not much to notice any difference. Actual frame plating would be better.

Gee oh Dee

Wont fix it completely, but wont hurt, either.

gthbryce

So its normal and wont lead to.cracking etc...?

93XJLI

abuse (use?) your jeep and it will. 90% of people don't run their cherocars hard enough to see them fatigue away. my 93 lasted 4 years and 60k miles worth of DDing and decent wheeling without any unibody stiffening other than bolt on sliders and bumpers til it was bad enough for me to get rid of. i could have repaired it but with 200k on her and lots of beat components it wasn't worth it.

ktmracer419

my frame is completely plated and the unibody failed anyway.

if wheeled hard the unibody structure will eventually fail without extensive modification. its as simple as that.

ktmracer419

it will eventually. how quickly depends on how your rig is used.

Gee oh Dee

THIS.

You arent exactly par for the XJ course...

My 87 isnt cracking. It isnt completely rigid, but the unibody is far from failing. At this point, if daily driven and lightly wheeled, the rust will take it before anything else begins.

And I'm also not the first owner who took it offroad. The previous owner made several trips to the Badlands to wjeel this rig.

TheJerm

My unibody wasnt too bad but I did notice cracks in the frame rails when I cleaned them for stiffeners,which helped enormously cut down on noises from the interior and unibody. I know my unibody is twisted from jumping it one winter, broke the taillight and cracked the tailgate, but still goes 75mph so meh.

ktmracer419

eventually may be longer than you have had your rig for.

ive seen stock xjs that havent been wheeled with cracks in places

crbnfibr

Gee oh Dee

I suppose. But being an 87, and about 24 years old already, she has held up immaculately according this thread. I mean, I must have quite the rig!!


I mean, at what point does it become the fault of age and normal wear and tear as opposed to the unibody design?

After 24 years of use and abuse, this thing is doing quite well.