I would definitely be interested in seeing how you would make diy frame stiffeners. I just picked up some big pieces of 1/4" plate for free. Can't wait to see the rock slider video! I was hoping you were gonna do door trimming and get the sliders up higher but either way it will be awsome👍👍👍
Hopefully down the road, just gonna need another XJ haha. Cant beat free! I REALLY wanted to do them up high and trim the doors but they would have gotten too much in the way with these Notch Custom Flares. Love these flares, they look great but they create a lot of problems....
Iron rock stiffeners have the upper lip which is also difficult to utilize. You should consider strengthening the leaf spring boxes/mounts the front ones, ironman makes a complete front spring mount which is super beefy but rustys offroad makes a strengthening bracket you bolt and weld on i think you could make something like the rustys mount. I would also consider doing front and rear stiffeners that go behind the bumpers especially the front. Even though you have a sturdy bumper the stiffening helps because the unibody twisting can make the radiator leak where the core meets the end tank. Ive seen some of the front frame crossmembers actually twist and crack. I went a bit crazy with stiffeners on mine i did a lot. I will leave some links below i used the T-M behind the bumper stiffeners. They also make stiffeners to reinforce the door hinges ive had to repair a door hinge that ripped from the body that has nothing to do with offroading but im sold on the door hinge reinforcement especially on lifted jeeps and people putting their weight on the doors getting in and out. Here is a link below to the rustys leaf spring bracket reinforcement thingys i think you should do something like these. I know your probably going to coilovers but in the mean time with all that extra weight from heavy axles and tires those mounts need help they are only spot welded to the floor and unibody rail. Another thing to consider that might interest you is rear inner stiffeners TM is the only company i know that offers a rear design that does the inner but youd have to make something to go with your barnes stuff i had to make something to do inner rears on mine too i have iron rock stiffeners plus other brands but my main stiffeners are iron rock. I noticed the unibody rails seem really thin on the rear inner portion so thats something to consider maybe when you add coilovers or something. Then you should check out all the stiffeners in the TM link below they make a lot, like i said too those door hinge reinforcement plates for the front doors are actually something worth considering and also something you could probably make but its fairly common for the hinges to crack and break off the thin metal body. I actually had a body shop professionally repair my drivers door hinge that ripped off completely then later i got those plates. I try to protect my cherokee as best as possible ive had many xj's but this specific one has some sentimental value so i spend a lot of time on protecting things. Anyways its looking good and im excited to see those sliders and boat sides. www.rustysoffroad.com/products/rusty-s-xj-rear-spring-mount-reinforcement-brackets?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpNuyBhCuARIsANJqL9MV99LnvdV9zUrnoP5wsyIcgzhYIH4AeKOCnxRa5hWGWOnjeNIYhsYaAjmIEALw_wcB www.t-mfab.com/store-3/xj-unibody-stiffiners/
That's a great idea...you're the second one to tell me to replace/brace that front mount so I better do it before it's too late. Not something I want to fail on the trail. I've been eyeing those behind the bumper stiffeners. In a few weeks here I'm going to make some inner rear stiffeners and will probably make a behind the rear bumper stiffener at the same time...front can wait since I don't want to take off the front bumper at the moment... it's just about the only thing on the Jeep that doesn't "need work". I'll have to check out those door jam stiffeners though. Seems like a great idea. Appreciate those links Forest...I think you'll be seeing a "Leaf spring mount replacement" video in the near future haha, along with some more stiffener videos. Can't have this thing twisting on us.
Just started watching the video i just wanted to mention because ill probably forget by the time i finish the video to clean out your door drains! On any vehicle you have drain holes in the bottom of the doors because rain water runs down the glass and such through the inside of the door because the wiper seal doesn't seal perfectly and the water runs out the bottom drains. But the drains often get clogged with mud and dirt then you get rust i don't know if thats why these doors are rusty but its something for everyone to check. Also why that plastic vapor/dust barrier behind the door panel is actually important. You can just blow them out with air or actually clean out the door.
You noticed the only rust still on the Jeep lol.... This Jeep lived in New England up until 2021, she had alot of salty winters and was pretty rusty up until we went through it in 2019/2020. Good pointers on the doors, I should blow out the other doors and save them while I can.
Hahaha... why does it have to be a Jeep? got a back end AAM1150 5 link in on a 1994 ford thunderbird, 4.6 V8 is a good engine. silly 4x4 car, bottom of the fenders can not be higher then the center of the hub caps "road compliance". weird 3.92 axle gear...
Keep going. This channel should take off. You are actually building a rig. Very informative.
Appreciate the kind words! Goal is to have a beast of an XJ in the end!
I couldn't agree more. Keep up the good work 👍
I just had mine installed last year. Loved the video. I can't wait to see the finished product 🤙🏽
Great to hear! …same, slowly but surely!
Got my subscription! Great editing skills, my dude
Appreciate it!
Clah hammer FTW
Its coming a long nicely!
I’d have to agree!
I would definitely be interested in seeing how you would make diy frame stiffeners. I just picked up some big pieces of 1/4" plate for free. Can't wait to see the rock slider video! I was hoping you were gonna do door trimming and get the sliders up higher but either way it will be awsome👍👍👍
Hopefully down the road, just gonna need another XJ haha. Cant beat free!
I REALLY wanted to do them up high and trim the doors but they would have gotten too much in the way with these Notch Custom Flares. Love these flares, they look great but they create a lot of problems....
That rear hole didn't line up on mine either. I had to enlarge a few bolt holes as well.
Interesting, I'll have to let them know about it.
Iron rock stiffeners have the upper lip which is also difficult to utilize.
You should consider strengthening the leaf spring boxes/mounts the front ones, ironman makes a complete front spring mount which is super beefy but rustys offroad makes a strengthening bracket you bolt and weld on i think you could make something like the rustys mount.
I would also consider doing front and rear stiffeners that go behind the bumpers especially the front. Even though you have a sturdy bumper the stiffening helps because the unibody twisting can make the radiator leak where the core meets the end tank. Ive seen some of the front frame crossmembers actually twist and crack. I went a bit crazy with stiffeners on mine i did a lot. I will leave some links below i used the T-M behind the bumper stiffeners. They also make stiffeners to reinforce the door hinges ive had to repair a door hinge that ripped from the body that has nothing to do with offroading but im sold on the door hinge reinforcement especially on lifted jeeps and people putting their weight on the doors getting in and out.
Here is a link below to the rustys leaf spring bracket reinforcement thingys i think you should do something like these. I know your probably going to coilovers but in the mean time with all that extra weight from heavy axles and tires those mounts need help they are only spot welded to the floor and unibody rail. Another thing to consider that might interest you is rear inner stiffeners TM is the only company i know that offers a rear design that does the inner but youd have to make something to go with your barnes stuff i had to make something to do inner rears on mine too i have iron rock stiffeners plus other brands but my main stiffeners are iron rock. I noticed the unibody rails seem really thin on the rear inner portion so thats something to consider maybe when you add coilovers or something. Then you should check out all the stiffeners in the TM link below they make a lot, like i said too those door hinge reinforcement plates for the front doors are actually something worth considering and also something you could probably make but its fairly common for the hinges to crack and break off the thin metal body. I actually had a body shop professionally repair my drivers door hinge that ripped off completely then later i got those plates. I try to protect my cherokee as best as possible ive had many xj's but this specific one has some sentimental value so i spend a lot of time on protecting things.
Anyways its looking good and im excited to see those sliders and boat sides.
www.rustysoffroad.com/products/rusty-s-xj-rear-spring-mount-reinforcement-brackets?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpNuyBhCuARIsANJqL9MV99LnvdV9zUrnoP5wsyIcgzhYIH4AeKOCnxRa5hWGWOnjeNIYhsYaAjmIEALw_wcB
www.t-mfab.com/store-3/xj-unibody-stiffiners/
That's a great idea...you're the second one to tell me to replace/brace that front mount so I better do it before it's too late. Not something I want to fail on the trail.
I've been eyeing those behind the bumper stiffeners. In a few weeks here I'm going to make some inner rear stiffeners and will probably make a behind the rear bumper stiffener at the same time...front can wait since I don't want to take off the front bumper at the moment... it's just about the only thing on the Jeep that doesn't "need work". I'll have to check out those door jam stiffeners though. Seems like a great idea.
Appreciate those links Forest...I think you'll be seeing a "Leaf spring mount replacement" video in the near future haha, along with some more stiffener videos. Can't have this thing twisting on us.
@@backcountrybeagles I had mine rip off and come through the floor . Out wheeling and realized it had a major lean to the driver side 😂🤦♂️
I used black urethane seam sealer brand Akfix. Got it off Amazon. It works good and its alittle cheaper
Thank you, I'll check it out.
what side fenders do you have?nice video
Notch Customs
Just started watching the video i just wanted to mention because ill probably forget by the time i finish the video to clean out your door drains! On any vehicle you have drain holes in the bottom of the doors because rain water runs down the glass and such through the inside of the door because the wiper seal doesn't seal perfectly and the water runs out the bottom drains. But the drains often get clogged with mud and dirt then you get rust i don't know if thats why these doors are rusty but its something for everyone to check. Also why that plastic vapor/dust barrier behind the door panel is actually important. You can just blow them out with air or actually clean out the door.
You noticed the only rust still on the Jeep lol.... This Jeep lived in New England up until 2021, she had alot of salty winters and was pretty rusty up until we went through it in 2019/2020. Good pointers on the doors, I should blow out the other doors and save them while I can.
I have mids, I really need to get the front and rears 😅
Get all the stiffeners you can!
What are your welder settings on the mig? I started adding stiffeners but was burning holes .. so i stopped..
19V 200A. Pretty high, could have bumped it down a bit but it worked very well for me. I did burn through a few times.
@@backcountrybeagles wire speed? Thanks!
@@johnpecoraro1720 Wire speed/amps, same thing. My machine reads in amps.
What primer you use?
www.amazon.com/dp/B0088LVJTE?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Seymour weld through.....although I wouldn't recommend at $15 a can.
@@backcountrybeagles is there something else you recommend
Hahaha... why does it have to be a Jeep? got a back end AAM1150 5 link in on a 1994 ford thunderbird, 4.6 V8 is a good engine. silly 4x4 car, bottom of the fenders can not be higher then the center of the hub caps "road compliance". weird 3.92 axle gear...