boxing frame with body of restoration

Rebuilt 401 is almost complete! I took some time to remove the trans and transfer case to have them looked at and rebuilt. I couldn't help myself constantly looking at my broken or rusted out weak body mounts...........sooo I took off the body. Thank goodness for the one strong front body mount or I might have come off the chasis under heavy brakeing.

Questions now that I am here

1) Do I finish boxing the frame for reinforcement? advantages/disadvantages

2) I would like to do a 1 inch body lift... any recomendation to keep body lift and mounts as a 1 piece unit?

3) What other things are recomended to be done now that the body is off?

I'd appreciate all feedback.

 

Boxing the frame takes out most of the flex. if you have started to box I think you need to finish. I have heard the where you, stop it will crack. No experoence with boxing a frame though, so take this as a grain of salt



4wheel drive hardware sells a roll of heavy rubber tubing that you cut to the thickness you want. A couple guys here just did and seemed to like it. I've used it twice on Jeeps and one truck, worked good for me.
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=7128

 

I guess you could use that rubber tube for a steel body, but it is designed to be used with fiberglass tubs.

Rich

 

I've used it on both, glass and steel.
JeeperCreeper used it a month or so ago. He hasn't been here in a month but you could email him and ask him how it worked. he used it in 2" slices.

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64509&highlight=body+spacer&page=3

 

Thanks Bob.... ive already read that thread..... sounds easy enough but I was hoping to spend more money on a prefabbed kit. The 75 CJ5 has the front section of the frame already boxed by the engine mounts and I know that all newer jeeps have a fully boxed frame. I am sure this makes it less flexible but it must also make it stronger.

 

Definitely box the frame, that way your suspension is flexing not the frame. The frame flexing will cause more grief down the road if you wheel it hard. Easier to do it now with the body off than trying to weld it up on the trail to limp it home. I've fully boxed the frames on my last two Jeeps and have no regrets.
I don't know what your setup is but with a spring over and the right springs and shocks you'll have plenty of flex.
Just my 2 cents.

 

The older Jeeps had such lousy suspensions that they needed the frame to flex or you wouldn't have any articulation at all. Frame flex is highly overated. I agree with Bob, the springs should be doing the flexing, not the frame. My '67 frame has been welded back together so many times it's more weld metal than the original steel. I'm in the midst of swapping everything over to a fully boxed frame with YJ springs.

 

I would rather a C channel frame. I've got friends with toyotas, which always had boxed frames. They are all rotted out. Actually, toyota recalled most boxed frames. You bring in your truck and they will put a new frame in it. I would say its the biggest screw up in automotive history. My friend brought his truck in and they replaced it with a brand new C channel frame. I told him, toyota finally learned. Jeep did it right 50 years ago. Ive got a 59 frame and 2 74 frames, all 3 are mint condition in the rust belt up here. I've never had a problem with the frame twisting either. It does flex but dosn't crack.

 

If you wheel a stock frame hard it's going to crack, it's just a matter of time. If it's a street Jeep then you don't need to box it.

 

I say box it and reinforce it properly. Let the suspension flex. If you are worried about corrosion inside paint the channel and the reinforcing plates with weld through primer. Paint the outside of the frame when your done and it should last for a long time. Hard wheeling and a 401 will end up with a cracked frame eventually. Fix it now while you have the chance.
Greg

 

you could strap the top/bottom of the frame instead of boxing

 

What does strap the frame mean?

 

without boxing the frame, you run a full length piece of say 3/4" wide by 1/8"( or less) thick piece of strap down the entire length of the frame, top only, or top and bottom; you stitch weld or weld the strap every 3-4 inches or so, alternating from side to side.
This makes it stronger but will give less flex or twist.
Some Jeep frames have the strapping from the factory; mine does.
This may not be a good idea in the rust belt; I suppose it could trap water and debris; we don't have that problem here.

 

Thanks guys for all your input.... I finished boxing the frame this weekend with 3/8 steel plate. Not that hard with body off. I'll post pics later before I paint.

 

...and thank you for the definition of strapping a frame.

 

I have a frame that broke right through the strapping. Strapping that I had added after cracking the frame in numerous places. Depends on how hardcore your wheeling is going to be.

 

Just showing some finish work with new motor mounts

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv336/sroth66/IMG_3197.jpg

 

Just showing some finish work with new motor mounts

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv336/sroth66/IMG_3197.jpg

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv336/sroth66/IMG_3196.jpg

 

Nice job. Are those MORE mounts? I really need to change my stock ones out.

 

Yes.... They're solid and easy to install.... No more broken mounts.
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