my father purchased a cj7 about a year or so ago. We are planning on building it but the frame is in really bad shape. I was going to patch it If I could, but a friends cj5 unfortuanitly burnt to the ground a few weeks ago.. Moment of silence for gumby please!........................................... ................................

He gave the frame to us which is in perfect condition.

so has anyone ever put a cj7 body on a cj5 frame. Is this going to be a disaster or not that hard.

We plan on cutting the frame in the middle and sleeving it inside and out to lengthen it for the cj7 body.

what do ya think?

Sounds like a lot of work to end up with a longer "still not the strongest frame". Why do you make a new frame out of box tubing?

What years are the CJs?

If they are both late model boxed frames you could probably make it work if you sleeved it behind the trans crossmember. Just go get some 2"x4" .120 wall square tubing and splice it in.

FYI though, decent CJ7 frames can be had for a couple hundred bucks, at least in the NW.

don't waste your time
build your own frame
it's not hard if you think you can cut and lengthen a frame you can just as easily build your own, plus you know it will be straight and strong

Yep, make your own frame unless you are into fixing cracks, like spring perches falling off or you enjoy your steering gear box twisting its way off the frame. Make a new on and be done with it. It is probably easier than stretching your current CJ5 frame.

I agree, if you can splice a frame, then you have the skills to build one. And it will be a lot stronger anyways.

Just don't use 3/16" wall tubing like a lot of people seem to be doing, it's mass heavy. .120" wall 2x4 tubing is plenty strong.

You can save a lot of time by scabbing in a patch, (as opposed to building a new frame) just put a good gusset on both sides and get some good welds. Make sure you beef up the steering box area and patch any rusted areas. It sounds real easy to build a frame from scratch, but there are lots of mounts and crossmembers that you would need to fabricate, plus it won't be straight without some work.
Don't weld very much in one place without letting it cool.
I use c-clamps and masons line for determining straightness, then a hyd jack and some short I-beam cutoffs and chains to bend things into place. .

Originally posted by dirtrod
You can save a lot of time by scabbing in a patch, (as opposed to building a new frame) just put a good gusset on both sides and get some good welds. Make sure you beef up the steering box area and patch any rusted areas. It sounds real easy to build a frame from scratch, but there are lots of mounts and crossmembers that you would need to fabricate, plus it won't be straight without some work.
Don't weld very much in one place without letting it cool.
I use c-clamps and masons line for determining straightness, then a hyd jack and some short I-beam cutoffs and chains to bend things into place. .


And scabbing in a section to the middle of a frame is gonna be straight???? :rolleyes:

Ok, i guess i left out some important info.

The cj5 frame is totally redone, ie, totally boxed and gusseted, from when we built my friends 5. It is not cracked anywhere and all the spring hangers and mounts are also new and supported. The frame is a very strong frame.

This is why I want to use it. If I cut the frame in the center and make two boxed inserts one for the inside and one for the out side it will be plenty strong enough were it is lengthend.

I gues the real problem is getting the body to fit onto it and be well supported

The only problem with cutting any '76 and newer CJ frame is that the frame rails aren't parallel to each other. They run at an angle starting at about the firewall. They don't get parallel until about the front mounts for the rear springs.

Can somebody outline the process of making a frame from box tubeing:question:

Yes, I want to know also...
Rockslut, please describe your frame welding jig...pics would help.

:rolleyes:

Originally posted by cmegoup
The only problem with cutting any '76 and newer CJ frame is that the frame rails aren't parallel to each other. They run at an angle starting at about the firewall. They don't get parallel until about the front mounts for the rear springs.

ya that would be a problem, I'll have to check that out, but I think off the top of my head that theyt are parellel