Drawbar Rear Bumper Bracing

The plan is to relocate the gas tank tank to the rear on my 60 cj5. Looked at Boyink's excellent page and, as with mine, the relocation will require the removal of the Drawbar Rear Bumper Bracing. Assuming that I do not plan to tow with the CJ, does this bracing serve any other important function (say, frame stiffening)? Doesn't look like it does by my eye. Thanks.

 

I am sure it does impart some strength, especially if you were to hit something that would tend to rack the frame. That said, if you wacked it that hard, it would probably be totaled anyway. I removed those braces in 1977 in my 3B and it has been wheeled a lot since with no problems. I also removed them in my CJ5, also without any ill effects. Not something I would worry about.

 

Thanks, Jim & Duffer. One more item to add to the list.

 

Look at an intermediate with a drawbar. That's the design you should emulate. The intermediate years have the same ladder frame without the V brace and their drawbar has additional braces to the outside of the frame rails.

 

My '71, with rear tank, has a triangle tied to rear x member and side of frame. Don't know what happened to the left side. Is this factory or after market?

 

Factory. There also should be a couple of bars to the frame from the ends of the drawbar.

Sorry my CJ does not have a drawbar. Maybe someone here with the factory setup can post a few pics.

 

Maybe this will help.

 

Yep thats exactly how my 71 is put together. Thanks Tim I'm gonna save that image for use later.

 

click, save
Me too. That stuff is missing on my daughter's '70. Picking one up this weekend and gonna modify the earlier one to fit that mounting style. I want to switch her from an under seat tank to one in the back also.

 

Anybody know why the triangular gusset is only the driver's side and not the passenger's side?

 

Fule tank filler hose and vent line prevent it, plus the brace for the spare tire mount.

 

Why switch locations instead of running dual tanks?

 

So there is no smell of fuel in the cokpit or chance of fuel leaking and causing a fire. Besides it gives more space for storage and the rear fuel tank is at least 4 gallons larger then the inside tank and can be even larger.

 

For the win! Much safer than having the fuel tank inside the vehicle.

 

Hey Tim, could you tell me what book you got that out of ?

Thanks.

 

1974-80 Jeep Parts Catalog.

 

Thanks for all the info.