I did a search and only got 1 hit on the subframing. Searched for 63" springs and got alot of Toy stuff.

I am planning on doing a 63" spring conversion on an XJ. I think that they will be soft enough for the 9", 35" spare, cage, trail tools, and other misc. shit. BUT, I am going to have to subframe the unibody to move the shackles around. The front needs to move forward about 8.5 inches and the back needs to move back about 3. I think that the back can be done with a shackle.

The question is - Will 1/4" tubing cut on the top wrapped around the unibody rail and plug welded about 8" O.C. be enough to keep the shackles from twisting the body. I plan on cross bracing too.

I have had all the standard "the springs are to stiff" "that will change the wheelbase" and "sounds cool do it" responses that I can handle. Real tech help would be great.

personally i think you might want to try and go with 5/16", its just a little bit thicker, and maybe a little heavier, but it is stronger. i used 5/16" angle iron to make my spring hanger brackets in the front and i'm pretty sure it's not going anywhere. the other thing to consider is that you might want to just tack weld it to the "frame" since it is just sheetmetal, i would think that it would weaken it a little. personally i think a better idea would be to tack it all along and then use grade 9 bolts to hold it in. i am using a YJ main leaf, i can go and take some measurements for you if you want on how long they are. let me know.

5/16" sounds really thick to me. Especially since all I am doing is accenting the stregnth of the unibody and trying to add stiffness. What are the measurements of the angle that you used? Do you have any pics.

I thought that the 1/4" would be fine because I am wrapping the whole thing. I was also going to skip weld along the top edge where the flange is on the floor pan. If I bolt through the unibody rail wouldn't I need to sleeve it so that I don't crush it??

All these idea running around in my head are giving me a headache!

hey B...... whene you going to have that thing done:flipoff2: j/k btt 4 ya

well i have pics jsut not on the net right now. anyway, 1/4" will prolly be fine if you are doin the whole "frame". i am too drunk right now to thin k about this though so i'll reply better tommorrow. just go t my junk done today and got pics so i'll get em scanned tomorrow.

Just a thought, is there any possibility that you could tie it into the rollcage if you are running one? I am just thinking of any longterm effects...like rust attacking the insides of the welded "sheetmetal" frame that you are attaching to and eating it away over time. Then maybe, just maybe, you could get away with less material, I realize weight probably is not an issue here, correct? John

Just a thought, is there any possibility that you could tie it into the rollcage if you are running one?

Exactly, I haven't had it done yet because I wanted to get this done first. But, I am having a 8 point put into it and am going to attach it to the wrapped portion with 1/4 plate and triangle gussets. That should provide some structural rigidity and keep the unibody from twisting as much.

I got the springs yesterday and have just about decided to pull the overload and maybe one other leaf. Have to get it together and see how it flexes.

KA - You got them pic's yet???

Just my opinion but you should look into the 86-96 F-150 rear spings.These are 57" long with a pin offset of 7".They are way softer than the chevy 63"ers.Just food for thought.Blazin:D

i got the roll of film done, i just gotta find someone with a scanner though cause i'm still in the stone age and don't have a digital cam yet. i should have them up by wednesday hopefully though. you can imagine it though, its just a peice of 5/16" 3x5 angle iron bolted to the "frame" using the stock bumper mounting holes, and the steering box holes on the driver's side, and there is a 3/4" hole in the frame on the pass side a little bit back that has a gusset around it, i used that and the stock bumper holes on the passenger side, then i welded my bumper (also made out of 5/16") to the top of the brackets as they extend out about 5" or so to put the bolt on CJ style spring hangers on the bottom. any of that make sense??

yeah where the fawk are the pics!!!!!! u down at school yet?? ill give ya a ring when im down at AU
peace

I figured it out KA - I am doing the back and you are talking about the front. What do you think now???

I would use 5/16 that far forward too.

I still want to see the pics.

oh oh ok, i had it all mixed up. well, now that i know that i would say that you will be more than ok, especially if you cross brace it. 3x5 with the top cut out should slide right over it. the only thing i am not really sure about would be the plug welding. i would use bolt and just skip weld along the top like you said, i think that would be better strengthwise. i'm not engineer or anything, but i think plug welding it would just make weak points because you heat up the metal so much in that one part and its not very thick to begin with. i will develop the pics today then i just gotta find someone with a scanner.

BWAHHHHHHHH!!! You had me all worried until that last post!

I was all like WTF?? 5/16??? That is WAY overkill.

Now we are on the same page.

I am thinking about doing something to the front to get rid of some of the inner structure in the fenderwells. That is next. So get the pics up.

Thanks

ok yeah now we are thinkin the same thing. anyway, i'm workin on the pics you impatient fawker :flipoff2: i shoudl have em up soon though. got a friend with a digicam and we're gonna take some pics tomorrow morning.

got a friend with a digicam and we're gonna take some pics tomorrow morning

I thought that you were looking for a scanner!

Fawk, I tTHOUGHT that I was indecisive! :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

LOL - WHERE ARE THE PICS!

well i got my pics developed but we took some more with his camera but they won't be up till friday and i'm a lazy fawker so i gave up on the scanner so now you're gonna have to wait! :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2: