I was doing some maintenance and a brake job on my 89 cherokee and spotted a crack in the unibody "frame" about 10 inches in front of a rear spring's front mount,where it is doubled for a hoist pad to go.. Lovely! I welded it and then plated both sides. I'm sure glad this isn't my off-road Jeep.
It cracked where it was doubled already?
Right at the edge of the doubler. I wouldn't have seen it if it hadn't had undercoating making it more obvious.
It's an 89, for pity's sake, whaddya expect for a vehicle that old?
There was a company out there, forgot who they were/are, who anticipated this problem for off road and sold a kit to gusset the area before it eventually flexed itself in two.
John > It's an 89, for pity's sake, whaddya expect for a vehicle that old? >
One problem with fixing unibody, or reinforcing it in a preemptive manner, is that unless you weld it "just right" you are going to make it weaker or more brittle. This is true of all steel, but the thicker stuff tends to be more forgiving. Another is that if you gusset the frame, you are going to take away what little flex it has in the first place.
Earle
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