Noticed on Ebay

This is your problem Bill; you seem to think that because you can find some nich where older technology is still in use, that the older technology is inherently better than the newer. C channel fram rails, Diesel, leaf springs, and now you're touting PUSH RODS?!? LOL...

I'm with Bill on C channel frame rails - I know they have to be heavy to get proper stiffness but they don't rust out so badly as box section.

Dave

Dave, I helped a friend do a complete 100% frame-up three-year restoration on a '73 CJ5 he had owned and pampered since it was brand-new. Yes it has a C channel frame. Even though its frame is a C channel, the frame was still well rusted and needed lots of restorative reinforcement work and welding despite the fact it had never lived in an area where the roads were salted. I will never go along with anyone who feels a C channel frame will outlive a fully boxed frame due to rust. That's a purely theoretical argument in my book that isn't supported by evidence that boxed Jeep frames have any kind of a significant rust issue. Besides, a boxed frame is simply inherently much stronger... any first-year mechanical engineer knows that. And with entire vehicles with boxed frames like the TJ being dipped in rust preventive protectants, the argument that an open frame will hold up better than a boxed frame is not one I'll ever go along with. To me, the C channel thing is just an argument with a hidden agenda.

Jerry

Dave Milne wrote:

Hi Jerry,

No doubt about the fact that box frames are stronger. LandRovers were shipped with a simple ornery paint covering for their box chassis, and they rusted like crazy. The big Austin my Dad had, came with a C channel chassis and that never rusted so badly for the simple reason that dirt didn't collect in it and if it did, it was easy to hose it off. The stiffness came at a price - it was massively heavy though - bigger than the chassis of the CJ and the Grand Wagoneer (which has rather boat-like handling at the best of times).

However, I'll accept that perhaps my experience is out of date in that hot tub galvanising or whatever a box chassis would probably remove the problem of crud collecting inside and rusting outwards. I don't agree with Bill that a C channel rivetted chassis is a good thing on a SWB Jeep - the wheelbase is so short that you are only going to get minimal improvements offroad and is not worth putting up with the jelly-like handling on road.

Dave

in

It took me 2 days of hosing to almost get all the crud out of my 86 CJ's boxed frame. Needless to say the mud laying in the box had totally rotted it out.

YJ's are the same up here, especially at the tail end.

Mike

When I need a 6000 lb 7 seat, puffed up station wagon, with a high towing capacity, engineered for ON ROAD use then I'll consider Ford Excursion's use of leaf springs to be a valid argument for leaf springs... Ditto with work trucks designed for payload and towing.

We are talking about short wheelbase Jeeps...

Front coils brought out in '05.

Here's the Ford truck link again:

I did...

This one had trouble all day on the trail:

-Rob.

Open front diff, stock tires, long wheelbase on tight trails, driver ability all had a factor. I don't think I would bring my Excursion on trails like that until I at least get some bigger tires and an LS in the front.

-Rob.