I got my jeep all torn apart again, and I can see why my jeep does the crab walk on the highway - what a weenie frame! It is only boxed to the shackles up front (behind the springs) and then C all the way back to the rear shackles.

Is it worth welding a plate in there? I suppose it has worked this long..

I boxed mine. It still sucks, too flexy--but much better than it was. The frame cracks are usually limited to one per outing. Without the boxing, I'm sure I'd have more, or a trail failure.

Won't be a problem for much longer though, the frame's leaving. I'm tired of dealing with it. (what was I thinking using a 50+ year old frame anyway?):confused:

mine is 49 years but I just redid all the front and rear spring hangers - wishin I just got a new frame before all this :(

So you just got some plate steel and welded it in the channel?

Pretty much. I had a sheetmetal place bend up some 1/8" plate, so it formed a "C"-shaped channel with 1/2" legs. Those legs fit just inside the original frame, so the weld wasn't edge-to-edge. I also had them punch 2" holes along the whole length of it so I could still get inside the frame.

is there some aftermarket place that sells something? Figure enough people do it..

Not for anything that old Brandon. Easiest to commission someone or make your own. One of the things we kicked around when we did mine was using a second frame I had lying around to box the origional with. We decided against that and just plasma cut 1/8" plate to fit and stitch welded it in place. Works well enough I suppose, but for the work I'd just build a new frame. Especially considering that now I want more wheelbase, so it looks like I'm building one anyway

Originally posted by Brandon
is there some aftermarket place that sells something? Figure enough people do it..

E-mail Mike Knorr. I think I heard him yapping about a place that will sell precut inner plate to box the frame....:confused: I'm not sure, see what he sez...:)

If it was mine, I'd maybe think of building my own out of 2x4x1/8.
(You've probably thought of it allready)
I mean, since you have it tore down and all.
Hard part is forgetting the work you have started on your old one.
Just my .02

Brandon, your frame really only needs to be boxed over the spring/shackle hangers and the front horns, what you should do though is strap the top and bottom frame rails, ads lots of strength, all welds end up going with the grain of the steel, and VERY easy to do.

tore down cause I am finishing the rear hangers, and putting in a new tcase. Only tore down in the sence that with no tcase n stuff the unboxes section of the frame is real easy to get to

http://www.rivercityrockcrawlers.com/TechReports/BornAgain/Suspension/JeepRearHanger.jpg