what way to go?

[LizardRunner]

I'm about to get all the mechanical issues with da lizard resolved so I am at the point of needing some direction.

I know that flexing is bad for our no frame XJ's and that there are stiffener kits out there. Some of these you can go stem to stern with and some are just center section stiffeners. Now it seems to me that if you stiffen one part of the "frame" you are just asking for cracks in the non stiffened sections. So, I am thinking just do it once and get it over with but I also know most here have much more experience than I in this matter. So would any one say that stiffening just the center section is sufficent or would it serve me better to just go the whole nine yards from the get go?

I also am planning to get a belly pan or TC/tranny skid, which is better in your opinion?

I want to get the under carriage all beefed up before I get into doing the 4.5 lift. It just seems to me that would be the best way to make sure that I don't have to go back under there because I forgot something pre lift wise.

Thanks guys and gals I do appreciate your input a lot.

I have to mention here that a month ago I paid for a new steering box from a member of NAXJA, the colorado president even. I still have not recieved this part nor have I been extended the courtesy of a reply of my queries about his recieving my money order. Needless to say, I'm not a happy camper with this guy or NAXJA at this point.

[xjpirate]

http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/XJTcaseSkidPlate1.jpg

i love this belly pan/ skid plate: http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=XJSKD&Category_Code=XJArmor and they make for 231 or 242

[LizardRunner]

yes that is the one I am looking at. I like their stuff a lot and it would add a bit of extra stiffness overall.

[rguignard]

i would plate everything at one time i didnt do that and now i need to but mine has been wheeled pretty hard and im getting lots of flex now so it might be to late

[4.3LXJ]

We could probably debate the stiffener question at some length. But I have noticed in my front frame area, just behind the fire wall, it starts to get wider and instead of one layer of u shaped metal, there are three there. (I have cut into mine). So in my opinion, that area is stronger already. I have not cut into the rear area yet, but I think it is the same as the middle. The difference in my opinion is how the forces are distributed. You have one point of support with the coil spring in the front, whereas you have the leave spring spread out at over 40". So, in my opinion, the center section strengthening is sufficient unless you go to rear coils in which case you would need to continue the strengthening to the bump stop area. Another thing to remember is that the engineers used the pinch seam under the door area as a "frame" also which is standard procedure in unibody vehicles across the board. You might also want to look into the Detours rock rail/frame stiffener too as a solution.

[LizardRunner]

I've looked at the Detours products. I like his stuff a lot, but since I do fabrication work, I am planning to build my own sliders so I could do a stiffener/ slider combo (gotta save as much money as possible). Three layers up front, I did not know that but it's awesome to know. While I have been accused and plead guilty to being an overbuilder, I don't really want to add unnecessary weight via un needed stiffening.

[4.3LXJ]

My plan too. But I will be going all the way from coil spring to rear bump stop.

[hookedonxjs]

My brother turned me on to these guys his buds that jeep speed use polyperformance they make lots of stiffening plates and some other stiffeners for the leaf area. Another good place is t&j performance these guys invented jeep speed.

[prcjeep]

as far as stiffening the xj unibody i'm not too sure about that... will be something to look into for myself in the future.

If you still have the reciept for the money order I believe you can cancel it for a fee...

[xj4life2]

I agree the mid frame stiffners are the way to go I like the rock rail / stiffner the best kill two birds with one stone, I also use a p/s box stiffner on mine to keep the box from moveing as for skid plates best coverage and price !!!

[LizardRunner]

I'm going to include the steering box stiffner with my front bumper build, at least that's the plan for now. I'm thinking of just buying the skids/belly pan except for the fuel tank one, that one I'll probably bend up myself. and with two of the people I trust to know their stuff saying the same thing on the frame stiffners, I'll be going that way and save myself a lot of headache. (since I seem to smack my noggin on nearly everything when I crawl under da lizard.)

[vwfoolwhy]

If your willing to do all the work at once then go complete from front to back.

I did just the center section on one of my XJ's and a little over a year latter I was regretting it.

Do it once and do it right is the best way to go.


Mike

[LizardRunner]

I plan on doing it all at once if possible. Just trying to spend as little as possible, like most of us, but I don't want any re-do's either. I've seen one guy here that got to fix new cracks nearly after every run to the ORV park, I don't want to get into that scenario at all.

[Mudderoy]

I've looked at the Detours products. I like his stuff a lot, but since I do fabrication work, I am planning to build my own sliders so I could do a stiffener/ slider combo (gotta save as much money as possible). Three layers up front, I did not know that but it's awesome to know. While I have been accused and plead guilty to being an overbuilder, I don't really want to add unnecessary weight via un needed stiffening.

You may have noticed he has the stiffeners alone without sliders. You could build your sliders to the frame stiffeners.

http://www.detoursusa.com/images/xjuni_main.jpg

[LizardRunner]

yeah tony, I love those but can't justify the shipping costs for the whole thing. Great idea and I'll check into that for sure. the one thing I am sure of is that I will be welding the stiffeners on.

[hookedonxjs]

Hey scaley I got the jcr skid and it's alot of skid for a little bread. Rustys also has a nice skid as well for the money and ark aint that far from alabami.

[LizardRunner]

ahhh, yes the only skid I won't be buying from jcr is the fuel tank one. I have a hitch and I am remiss about removing it just to put in a tank skid. Specially when a, I already have the stock skid on there and b, I can hook one up to the hitch pillars no problem and no dinking with the bolts that took me a day to get into place and tightened up.