What are the weak points of a YJ frame? - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Boulder Rash · 02-20-2003, 10:56 PM

I am striping down a YJ frame to put under my CJ 7 tub. I understand the front spring hangers and rear cross member need to be beefed up or replaced. Are there any other areas of concern? Does the frame need steel doublers welded in anywhere?

tunedportcj5 · 02-21-2003, 10:52 AM

YJ frames seem to be much stronger than CJ frames.. The only weak point (that I have seen) is on the front frame rails right at the front of the tub (firewall) There are holes drilled on the top edges of the framerail so the frame will "crush" if there is a front end collision. You need to weld up those holes and it will keep your frame warping right there when you are twisted up!

hope this helps!

David
www.homebuiltjeep.com

bigdude · 02-21-2003, 12:11 PM

rear cross member and spring hangers. Also I've ripped the steering box off before....

Spank · 02-21-2003, 01:14 PM

Front shackle hangers. I've already broken one clean off.

Boulder Rash · 02-21-2003, 06:54 PM

Thanks!! Tell me more about the holes in the frame. Hadn't heard of that before. Should I plate over them with 1/4" plate?
Let me know what you think.

Mike

kwrangln · 02-21-2003, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boulder Rash
Thanks!! Tell me more about the holes in the frame. Hadn't heard of that before. Should I plate over them with 1/4" plate?
Let me know what you think.

Mike

Filling these holes with weld will be suffiecient. Adding 1/4" scab plates will only benefit you in the quest for booty fab points.

Boulder Rash · 02-23-2003, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Filling these holes with weld will be suffiecient. Adding 1/4" scab plates will only benefit you in the quest for booty fab points.

OK!! Thanks

tunedportcj5 · 02-24-2003, 08:08 AM

yep, just weld up the holes and grind 'em smooth..

ChadLloyd · 02-24-2003, 08:33 AM

I've lost one rear fixed spring point, and 2 front shackle hangers. Not 'weak', just really lousy factory welds - you could see from looking at the pieces that fell off that the weld never penetrated, and there was just one or two short pieces of weld trying to hold the whole damn thing on. So if you get a chance, try and weld them on better before they fall off on you.

BostonWrangler · 02-24-2003, 04:04 PM

One of my front spring hangers snapped off also. This was while driving over a bumpy road in the city

I used it as an excuse to do a shackle reversal.

Airpup26 · 02-24-2003, 04:04 PM

square headlights

Brad · 02-24-2003, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Airpup26
square headlights

Trango · 02-25-2003, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Airpup26
square headlights

Dude Amateur night is over. Slag off.

One thing you might want to do right now to beef the front shackle hanger is to weld a little strap (like a 4x1" piece) of 1/4" at a 45º from the bottom of the bushing back up to the frame behind the bushing (like right below the front bumper). My mate snapped that very same mount off driver's side (classic Jeep use of 16gauge sheetmetal in the suspension), and when I welded it back in, I was sorta worried about the deformation from the breakage and heat from the rewelding, so I put that strap on to bombproof the bitch. Thus far it's held quite well and it might be a good precautionary measure for all you YJ abusers...

Bob

Boulder Rash · 02-25-2003, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Trango

Dude Amateur night is over. Slag off.

One thing you might want to do right now to beef the front shackle hanger is to weld a little strap (like a 4x1" piece) of 1/4" at a 45º from the bottom of the bushing back up to the frame behind the bushing (like right below the front bumper). My mate snapped that very same mount off driver's side (classic Jeep use of 16gauge sheetmetal in the suspension), and when I welded it back in, I was sorta worried about the deformation from the breakage and heat from the rewelding, so I put that strap on to bombproof the bitch. Thus far it's held quite well and it might be a good precautionary measure for all you YJ abusers...

Bob

Sounds like a good idea!!

02-20-2003, 10:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Boulder Rash Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Member # 17226 Location: SoCal Posts: 20	What are the weak points of a YJ frame? I am striping down a YJ frame to put under my CJ 7 tub. I understand the front spring hangers and rear cross member need to be beefed up or replaced. Are there any other areas of concern? Does the frame need steel doublers welded in anywhere? Last edited by Boulder Rash; 02-20-2003 at 11:09 PM.

02-21-2003, 12:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
bigdude Zeus of the Sluice Join Date: Jul 2001 Member # 6007 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 4,410	rear cross member and spring hangers. Also I've ripped the steering box off before.... __________________ 4-Seats of Fury LS1, 700r4, Atlas 3.0, 2.5 SAWs, Reds Lead Foot Syndicate

02-21-2003, 01:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Spank Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Member # 12504 Location: Palm Desert, CA Posts: 808	Front shackle hangers. I've already broken one clean off. __________________ -Will

02-24-2003, 08:08 AM	#8 (permalink)
tunedportcj5 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Member # 17223 Location: Florida Posts: 327	yep, just weld up the holes and grind 'em smooth.. __________________ www.terratraction.com

02-24-2003, 04:04 PM	#10 (permalink)
BostonWrangler Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Member # 2364 Location: MA Posts: 268	One of my front spring hangers snapped off also. This was while driving over a bumpy road in the city I used it as an excuse to do a shackle reversal. __________________ 82 Wagoneer Brougham 360/T176/NP208 ([color=red]for sale[/color]) 89 YJ "Sachem" 258 Motorcraft 2100 custom shackle reversal Q78s Waggy SOA Ford 8.8 T18 on the way 88 Grand Waggy stock - ([color=red]need parts?[/color]) 63 Honda CB77 SuperHawk 305 ([color=red]for sale[/color])

02-21-2003, 10:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
tunedportcj5 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Member # 17223 Location: Florida Posts: 327	YJ frames seem to be much stronger than CJ frames.. The only weak point (that I have seen) is on the front frame rails right at the front of the tub (firewall) There are holes drilled on the top edges of the framerail so the frame will "crush" if there is a front end collision. You need to weld up those holes and it will keep your frame warping right there when you are twisted up! hope this helps! David www.homebuiltjeep.com

02-21-2003, 06:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Boulder Rash Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Member # 17226 Location: SoCal Posts: 20	Thanks!! Tell me more about the holes in the frame. Hadn't heard of that before. Should I plate over them with 1/4" plate? Let me know what you think. Mike

02-24-2003, 08:33 AM	#9 (permalink)
ChadLloyd Registered User Join Date: Jan 2001 Member # 2705 Location: Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 711	I've lost one rear fixed spring point, and 2 front shackle hangers. Not 'weak', just really lousy factory welds - you could see from looking at the pieces that fell off that the weld never penetrated, and there was just one or two short pieces of weld trying to hold the whole damn thing on. So if you get a chance, try and weld them on better before they fall off on you.

02-24-2003, 04:04 PM	#11 (permalink)
Airpup26 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Member # 14143 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 481	square headlights __________________ Looking for a new rig.

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