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How To Stiffen the Frame on a XJ Jeep Cherokee
Рет қаралды 37,727
4 жыл бұрынDon't let your XJ fold like a taco - stay stiff and keep that wet noodle intact! Everyone likes to put down XJs for their lack of a true truck frame, but of course those of us who know understand that the unibody design is one of the things that really makes the XJ as capable as it is. Over time, however, the structure of the vehicle will not hold up to repeated flexing and contact with rocks and other trail obstacles. These 3/16" steel plates are made to weld onto the middle section of the "uni-frame" to add strength and protection to your rig. Follow along as I install them and do my best to ward of any rust this procedure may make your XJ vulnerable to.
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This product is meant for entertainment purposes only. Your mileage may vary. Do not try this at home. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. For off-road use only. Slippery when wet. Batteries not included. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle, heavy equipment, cherokee XJ, wrangler TJ, wrangler JK, or any Jeep vehicle, especially the newer Fiat ones. How-to videos may be too intense for some viewers and children under 30 years of age. Please remain seated until the 4x4 ride has come to a complete stop. Studies have shown viewing these videos causes increased cancer risks in laboratory test people. I am not a professional, I have no training, I'm not even particularly good at horse whispering. Don't believe everything that you know. Please keep your hands in the vehicle at all times. Do not tap on glass. Do not eat anything that has been on the floor for more than 3 days. Keep your hands to yourself. Not to be taken internally. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Driver does not carry cash. Objects in Bleepinjeep mirrors may be farther than they appear.
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@wyattoneable 4 жыл бұрын
I'm a new owner of an old XJ. This is great information. I wasn't aware of this issue with XJ's but at last now I know there is an option.
@MrMrsregor 4 жыл бұрын
it is really only an issue for xj if you have big tires, lots of cargo weight, AND really take the xj on hard core offroading trails. stock cherokee is fine. only really a problem when you add lots of weight and articulation
@Trenttomlin11 4 жыл бұрын
.035 wire is pretty big for the thin metal frame. If you use .024 it’s a lot easier
@constructiontech1970 4 жыл бұрын
Nice job Jon! Good to see another of your videos!
@aggrex 4 жыл бұрын
Great instructional video plus important wrap up and tips!
@SarahSmith-hd8kd 4 жыл бұрын
Awsome job dude. I just did a full front to rear unibody frame out as well bought the IRO full kit even bought the front and rear pillar tie ins from T&M fab cause IRO did not offer them so its fully boxed out now. One thing I did different but similar was I used u-pol copper weld thru primer covered the sanded down unibody and underside of the frame kits to protect them I would have possibly used the stainless steel stuff if I'd have known about it but I think the same effect was achieved although I know that copper can't rust at all so I'm still happy, then I used a 500° black engine paint for the outside after the finished job I haven't driven almost at all as I want to keep it clean enough to raptor line over that cause undercoat spray does not dry properly it just stays rather soft and a bit porous which would keep moister and allow possible rust. I would never want to drive a stock unibody XJ again after this was finished as it is beyound amazing also an Iron man 4x4 steering box brace will do WONDERS for you after this much of a project. Next up is hydro assist😜
@gmoney5643 4 жыл бұрын
Turn up settings for tacking and whack it when its still hot...great video man!
@GoatOffroad 4 жыл бұрын
Great job! Don’t think our rock sliders would fit anymore 🤣 ❤️🐞
@pra3t0rian 4 жыл бұрын
It’s a Bug’s Life you might have to mod your sliders.
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
I have the JCR Crusader sliders now and there was enough adjustment in the tie in brackets to make up for the added 3/16”
@mblake0420 4 жыл бұрын
I swear these are rust magnets, have to be. You did do better rust prevention than most people who do this
@Whiteandsonsgarage 4 жыл бұрын
M Blake Jr in Australia ever single one is pretty much rust free
@mblake0420 4 жыл бұрын
@@Whiteandsonsgarage I mean the stiffeners, I have a 97 and its just now starting to rust bc I stopped worrying about it, its worse out. I'm the only one locally that have no rust on their Cherokee
@anthonyzhang4918 4 жыл бұрын
Great job! I also hate how not rusty your XJ is.
@davidtwa8492 4 жыл бұрын
I'm glad to see more of the short boys build
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
David Twa hey now, I’m 5’10! Hardly what you’d call tall but not exactly short either 😂
@davidtwa8492 4 жыл бұрын
Auto correct I meant to type bus
@danhambrick6331 4 жыл бұрын
Nice job John.JCR has some very nice stuff....
@denverdyer8660 4 жыл бұрын
Jam Tool AND weld on your jeep. Were we separated at birth? Keep rockin bro
@josephmcclure6229 4 жыл бұрын
Grear job. Anymore content on the tdi swap?.
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
There will be several more videos on the swap
@VT5874 Жыл бұрын
Would you folks have any recommendations on who could do this for me? Im in central Oregon.
@jeeplova 4 жыл бұрын
Great video.Do you guys think a 2 door is better than a 4 door for rock crawling
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
picvid entertainment not necessarily. They are a bit lighter but wheel base is the same. The 2 door are more rare and as such if I found a nice one I’d be more inclined to fix it up nice rather than beat it on the rocks.
@granitesand78 4 жыл бұрын
Why isn’t this showing up in the main list of videos?
@bleepinjeep 4 жыл бұрын
its not out yet... you are special!
@Colorado-overland2020 3 ай бұрын
How much to do a job like this? Full set
@headlesnorseman701 4 жыл бұрын
with welding something like this, less is more. it doesnt need to be fully 100% welded, especially not in one shot
@Tylerjschmidt 4 жыл бұрын
Are you gonna stiff the rear?
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
cheep jp not any time soon, unless I go with a coil spring setup
@jgiannol 4 жыл бұрын
What is the stainless steel paint you're using?
@weed34600 4 жыл бұрын
Probably steel it
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
Justin Giannola Seymour Stainless Steel off Amazon. Same thing as Steel-IT
@rf14dmb 4 жыл бұрын
“Stainless steel paint”? Is that really a thing?
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
Jeff Hutton no I made it up just to confuse people 🤦🏽♂️
@rf14dmb 4 жыл бұрын
Jon BleepinJeep well that’s a sufficiently wise-ass response from a KZfaqr. Good work.
@jud-asinsmith-stansell2022 4 жыл бұрын
Maybe the paint you used was weldable but the etching primmer? doubt it..
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
Jud -AsinSmith- Stansell the etch was not a primer, just an acid to remove some surface rust
@wherestarget1607 3 жыл бұрын
@@DRTJon Why not just use the weld thru primer prior to welding?
@patpollifrone1651 4 жыл бұрын
Stay STICKY amigo... also stay stiffy👌
@alankluttz9546 4 жыл бұрын
OK, so let's back up and start from the beginning... WHY would you want to do, or need to do this? What's the purpose (answer other than "to stiffen the frame" please)
@RB-rl7kv 4 жыл бұрын
Flexing the XJ unibody frame repeatedly under load will eventually wear it out, crack it, break it, etc. This mod adds longevity to your build. Really makes a nice foundation for bumpers, recovery points, sliders, and all that follow...also settles down the ride & steering.
@alankluttz9546 4 жыл бұрын
@@RB-rl7kv What do you do that you need the extra rigidity on the frame?
@JoeGarofaloII 4 жыл бұрын
@@alankluttz9546 rock crawling, going through big ditches and just general off roading. All of that puts a lot of stress on your frame, especially when you add bigger, heavier wheels and tires and axles, etc. The factory unibody frame was not design to handle all that
@alankluttz9546 4 жыл бұрын
@@JoeGarofaloII Thanks Joe. I've never done that. I have a 4WD F150 Super but never had it off road like that, and never made any mods to it.
@JoeGarofaloII 4 жыл бұрын
@@alankluttz9546 no problem! The F-150 has a really solid frame and if you're not doing any modifications or hard off roading, it's perfectly fine. Part of the problem with the old Cherokees is that they technically don't have a frame like most SUVs and trucks. They call it a "unibody" because the frame is really just some more sheet metal stamped and welded to the body versus a thick steel rectangular tube like your truck or even Jeep Wrangler TJs have.
@MrRmga420 4 жыл бұрын
If only they made Jeeps that are body on frame..
@metaldog7128 4 жыл бұрын
Just drop some viagra 🔷 inside the chassis that should stiffen things up 👍
@Whiteandsonsgarage 4 жыл бұрын
Metaldogrides Hahahaha would definitely help
@goin200mph 4 жыл бұрын
WTH ever happened to the rest of the diesel swap?? Been waiting and waiting... aaaaaaaaand nothing. Bunch of trail riding videos, emergency lights and a CB antenna. The real how-to content has fallen to zero on this channel. Not mad and not trying to bash anyone- just disappointed. This was, by far, my favorite KZfaq channel and now I rarely watch it at all. Frame stiffeners have been done plenty but diesel swaps in a XJ have not.
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
We will be getting back to the diesel swap videos, I've been too busy driving it around to finish editing the videos :-) SO it's not a dead project, like so many of the ones you find on forums, it's complete running and driving I have about 10,000 miles on it now and I'd do it all over again too. Thanks for hanging in there
@SarahSmith-hd8kd 4 жыл бұрын
@@DRTJon Hi John I was wondering since you have 10,000k on the TDI swap what kind of MPG average or minimum you are achieving since I'm highly interested in this or a similar diesel swap?
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
@@SarahSmith-hd8kd I've actually been through a few different stages of modifications with it since starting out, my current setup of 165 HP/300+ TQ having about 70% of the total mileage on it though, I've logged every mile and fueling, and 28.6 MPG is my standing average. The lowest I have ever gotten was 25.5 which was towing a utility trailer weighing about 2000 lbs total. The best I have gotten was 37.8 when the engine was closest to stock, and I was lightly loaded with gear on an all highway trip. If you follow me on Instagram @BleepinJeepJon you can keep closer tabs on the day to day :-)
@SteifWood 4 жыл бұрын
dont need metal to stay stiff ....
@Dragnet2 4 жыл бұрын
Seems kinda thin metal..? For stiffening? No...?.
@DRTJon 4 жыл бұрын
Ozzy Tapanes 3/16” is what most if not all the kits out there use. The bend in it is really what gives it the added strength. This particular stiffener id say is kinda mid way between nothing and all out stiffener where it wraps all Sides of the rail and you have to weld to the floor pan. It is beefing up the factory thin sheet metal inherently stiffening it, as well as providing a ton of protecting from slamming your frame rail down on rocks and obstacles
@Dragnet2 4 жыл бұрын
Jon BleepinJeep yep, I can see it adding protection..
@shartingkhumbubbles7169 3 жыл бұрын
all of those welds sounded and looked pretty cold . almost like you sere scared to death of putting the heat to it , I would recommend if your a hobby homeboy welder you let FRAME work to the big dogs . that was a great kit botched up by shotty welding in my book a true false sense of security . thats my OPINION . and i'm stickin to it
@MrRmga420 4 жыл бұрын
If only they made Jeeps that are body on frame..
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