My CJ-8 was wheeled hard by me for years with the friggin front stabilizer ATTACHED. Articulation was acceptable like it was then so I never even thought about removing it. Unfortunately all those years of wheeling it like that took its toll and cracked the front of my frame and rails in numerous places all due to the stress of stuffing the tires up and down with that bar on.
Now I know better and have been wheeling (5 years) lifted, locked, axles etc. and even went and welded up the cracks and installed those M.O.R.E. frame braces to reinforce the frame in this area (two years ago).
Well that was all good and well till this seasons opening runs started some new crackage near the power steering lines and behind the D-Side motor mount.
I am "wondering what you would do" all you veterans and others who have come to this threshold.
The rest of the frame looks sound except for these cracks so I am thinking to either
a. cut off the frame and replace it with a new front section.

b. weld up the cracks and continue reinforcing the afected area.

c. give up hope on this thrashed frame, buy a new CJ-8 for cheap and swap all my goodies onto it (not so feasable when I say cheap I mean > $500.)

d. Reinforce, cut out, Fab a tube frame and start down the road to a rock buggy.

Man I swear each mod leads closer to "d." I guess it just Evolution baby!

Any input is welcome (even "do a search newbie", blah, blah, blah _ I did)

fab a frame. Or buy one cheap and gimme your old one ;)

I vote for making a new frame but without going all tube buggy. Make a nice strong frame out of box tubing and set everything up the way you want. Now you will have a much stronger steering gear box mount, you can widen the front frame rails if desired to not outboard the springs (if applicable), and raise you factory body mounts on the new frame for a free high clearance body lift. You can also do a shackle reversal at the same time if not already done. Lower the engine for a better center of gravity. And so on :D

Make a whole new frame?

Or just fab up a new front section. Like I said the rest is fine.
I think If I was going to go through all the trouble of making a new frame I'd just shit out some $$ and buy a new frame from one of theose companies who specializes in frame building.

I guess Id rather try to salvage what I have as well as build it up.

My question should have been more specific, like;

Can I reuse some of my existing frame and or reinforce the cracking front to make it useable?

I would say that if you just replace half of the frame then the old half will start cracking. That is why i would build a new frame. I would not buy one from a company IMO.

Do you have a shackle reversal?

Originally posted by The Rockslut
I vote for making a new frame but without going all tube buggy. Make a nice strong frame out of box tubing and set everything up the way you want. Now you will have a much stronger steering gear box mount, you can widen the front frame rails if desired to not outboard the springs (if applicable), and raise you factory body mounts on the new frame for a free high clearance body lift. You can also do a shackle reversal at the same time if not already done. Lower the engine for a better center of gravity. And so on :D


What Matt said. Especially make the front YJ width. Of course a few extra WB inches wouldn't hurt too.

No Shackle Reversal on my Rig.

I am going to fix what I have currently just to get through the rest of this season. Then Start making a new frame.

Since I haven't made a frame before I am wondering where to start.

Raw stock steel or get a frame from a yard that is in decent shape then modify it?

Any suggestions.

Also why wouldn't buying an aftermarket frame be a good idea? ($1400. seems like a deal since all the guesswork will be taken care of for me)
Also I plan on making some suspension mods like Coil over in front w? SOA in rear. Basically build the Jeep around my Axles (Dana 44 front, Ford 9" rear) and Transmission (T-18) Transfercase (D 300) and the FI V-6 or V-8 I don't have yet. When Its all together I'll hack up my Bobbed CJ-8 tub and put it on the chassis. Should be cool I guess I just need to start drawing up a plan!


Mark