Chassis Stiffeners

[gogetemturbo]

How many people would be interested in the T and J Performance Chassis Stiffeners for thier Short or Long Bed Comanche??? I'm told that if they are made, they will be priced the same as the XJ - $299.95. They just need to know that thier is a market for them.

 

And if they make those, then they will probably make the rock sliders also, which go for $345

 

Please let me know.

[88swampedmj]

thats kind of expensive seeing as how i can make my own rock sliders and stuff

[gogetemturbo]

I understand. Same goes for lift kits. Damn near anyone can make thier own for these things, but how many really do? It's easier to buy some that are already figured out, or you don't have the correct tools to make your own, or you don't know how it should be made.

 

It comes down to personal preferance

[Rokhound]

do you have a link to there xj stuff i would like to look at them

[Pete M]

I'm not sure how much of a need there for a frame stiffener on an MJ. :dunno: Our frames aren't as wussy as the XJ. That being said, the rust on my 90 is bad enough that I'll be adding rockerguard/stiffeners to it like the ones I made for my 88.

Rockerguards on the other hand... Every MJ should be sporting rockerguards. There's a lot of wheelbase there. :D

[88swampedmj]

I understand. Same goes for lift kits. Damn near anyone can make thier own for these things, but how many really do? It's easier to buy some that are already figured out, or you don't have the correct tools to make your own, or you don't know how it should be made.

 

It comes down to personal preferance

 

its preferance but also know how, if you know what your doing you can make your own lift kit.. as i did and many on here.. or by not knowing much youd have to pay.. its worth it to learn lol

[Oizarod115]

I'm not sure how much of a need there for a frame stiffener on an MJ. :dunno: Our frames aren't as wussy as the XJ. That being said, the rust on my 90 is bad enough that I'll be adding rockerguard/stiffeners to it like the ones I made for my 88.

Rockerguards on the other hand... Every MJ should be sporting rockerguards. There's a lot of wheelbase there. :D

 

whats weird is, when i was wheelin (on packed dirt trails) i nailed the frame, but never the rocker, the framerail was takin it fine though, and the rocker seemed fairly protected by it.

 

(just a thought, don't know how relative or anything)

[DirtyComanche]

Aren't their chassis stiffeners just a peice of 3x4 angle with some holes in it that you weld to the outside of the uniframe?

 

 

Or is that somebody else?

[JeepcoMJ]

yea the mj frames are pretty tough. rocker action comes into play on corners/rocks etc when you slam the side into an object. rock sliders would be a useful thing...but I think i've taken a good enough look at Pete's to know that i can build my own (perhaps even better...just kidding Pete). basically, I'd build them before i would buy them...but that's the way i am with almost everything. except lift kits..i will leave that to the Pro's.

 

as for the stiffeners...I think i'm in the same boat. don't take this the wrong way at all...there is a market, cause god knows if any of us had money we'd just buy the product and bolt it on...but i know i don't at least lol.

[feerocknok]

I think sliders would sell amazingly well, because the majority of owners don't own a welder or aren't comfortable with their work enough to build them.

I love to make my own stuff, and even if I had the money to buy this stuff (read: broke) I probably would still build it, because I love to fabricate. I am semi-limited on time though.

[gogetemturbo]

You can check out the CHerokee Stuff on T and J's web site

 

www.tandjperformance.com

 

I like to build my own stuff also, so I completly understand all of that. But I would like to see these companies build more stuff for our MJs, so I am trying to push them a little.

 

 

Thanks for the input guys.

 

Is there anything else you guys would like to see manufacturers make and sell?

[Pete M]

Replacement bed sides. Preferably out of aluminum, plastic, SS, something that doesn't rust. And I'm not looking for expensive ones that "replace" the current sides. I'd like ones that are an overlay of sorts, to hide to gapping holes and make the truck look good from 30 feet.

[87manche]

they should make the rocker guards.

no one makes a decent set of bolt ons, I paid $250 for mine and they needed to be modified to fit properly.

I would have paid $345 for ones that just bolted on, and covered the entire length.

 

Something they should also consider is just rocker guards that go the length of the cab, for those of us that are likely going to chop the sheetmetal off the bed, or just lose the bed all together.

[Oizarod115]

rear bumpers... XJ ones don't work. and noone makes a MJ rear bumper.

 

but I'm having a local shop fab me up a wrap around rear bumper kinda like pongs old one (which is my inspiration) and its gonna tie into the frame rails with an extra X peice (saw that on another members bumper) and add as much weight as it possibly can to the @$$ end.

[DirtyComanche]

Replacement bed sides. Preferably out of aluminum, plastic, SS, something that doesn't rust. And I'm not looking for expensive ones that "replace" the current sides. I'd like ones that are an overlay of sorts, to hide to gapping holes and make the truck look good from 30 feet.

 

 

The funny thing is, I could do that... I have no interest in it, but other than the curved corners at the back of the bed there's nothing difficult about bending them up (the curves at the back are pretty much impossible without the right roller and a lot of time). Depending how tall the bed is (I don't remember - 40"?) I could do one side out of a single sheet.

 

 

The main problem is that I'd use aluminum, and while it doesn't rust it does corrode. And it isn't very tough. And you'd have to rivet it on which will cause a massive dissimilar metal thing.

 

 

My advice... Find an aircraft sheetmetal shop that isn't busy, and ask them to do it... My shop does all sorts of crap on the side because our specific business is seasonal (floats). It's cost you about $60 plus materials if we were to do it - based on my rough estimate of how much work it is... That would be, if you lay it out and ask them to bend it.

 

 

Although, thinking about it, getting them to bend up satin coat would be even easier... I don't know about stainless - it might crack it the brake? Or need an air/hydro brake - which isn't something you'll find in many places other than a serious machine shop. Which will cost $. Lots.

[JeepcoMJ]

i disagree with you Pete...if they were making enough of the bedsides, you KNOW there would be a market. mass production would lessen the price...so I'd want metal, as I could just replace them when they rust anyways.

 

and while you could do MOST of the the sides from a flat sheet, you wouldn't be able to get the ridge where the fender flairs bolt onto. that'd be the worst part to make, and they're always gone on the truck beds.

 

i wouldn't want aluminum or stainless. the metals are different than the original box and it would have funk corrosion. fiberglass would be okay...that way at least when it gets cracked or hit you can just glass it up and be done. but i'd rather pull dents than refiberglass....

[DirtyComanche]

i disagree with you Pete...if they were making enough of the bedsides, you KNOW there would be a market. mass production would lessen the price...so I'd want metal, as I could just replace them when they rust anyways.

 

and while you could do MOST of the the sides from a flat sheet, you wouldn't be able to get the ridge where the fender flairs bolt onto. that'd be the worst part to make, and they're always gone on the truck beds.

 

i wouldn't want aluminum or stainless. the metals are different than the original box and it would have funk corrosion. fiberglass would be okay...that way at least when it gets cracked or hit you can just glass it up and be done. but i'd rather pull dents than refiberglass....

 

 

Well, the reality with parts for these trucks is that they WON'T be truely mass-produced. The stock bedsides were formed with a stamp; which I would assume the tooling for is long gone. Either way, that's the only way to mass-produce original quality peicess and it costs a HUGE amount to set up. There simply isn't a large enough market and never will be.

 

The next easiest thing is to make them out of sheet in a brake. And with that there is limitations. That nasty little flange for the fender flare isn't something I could do out of one peice. The head sheety at where I work might be able to - providing you're using satin coat. That would take time, lots of it. It could be done with a second peice welded it place - it's all covered by the flare anyways. But hey, if you're already at it you might as well change the retarded design that jeep used.

 

And I hear you on the corrosion. Although, with aluminum if you rivet it with an aluminum rivet - typically the rivet bears the brunt of the corrosion. Expecially if you etch/alodine the aluminum, and better yet use Alcladded sheet. But, alcald isn't cheap. Nor is good aluminum. Not that 6061 crap.

 

Oh, there is actually fiberglass that is strong (novel concept) and doesn't fall apart constantly off-road. I'd never use it, just a personal thing.

[JeepcoMJ]

i work alot with snowmobiles...and i've done alot of fiberglass work as such. i've also seen and repaired crappy fiberglass work. as such, i no longer enjoy fiberglass...it sucks. doesn't help that i get rashes from working with fiberglass...then again, who doesn't?

 

and welding wouldn't be a big deal. i'd keep the design the same way though, as changing it would result in having to change the flares to fit...and that's extra work i don't want to do.

 

at least you could bend 90% of it then change it up by hand a bit...it's a better option than patching I think. i'd rather patch/adapt 3 or 4 large areas than a bunch of little ones.