uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

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Shark
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uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

i recently bought a 93 XJ 2 door that was involved in a collision. the driver of the XJ ran into someone at about 30mph. the passenger side fender was destroyed as well as the hood. i have removed most of the damaged parts and i decided to investigate whether or not the unibody frame is still usable. i took a measurement from corresponding points of the uni. the measurements were made from a hole behind the lower control arm to a hole just before the opposite rear leaf spring. the measurements were off by about a half inch. too much? any hope for this uni?
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Muad'Dib »

tigerShark wrote:i recently bought a 93 XJ 2 door that was involved in a collision. the driver of the XJ ran into someone at about 30mph. the passenger side fender was destroyed as well as the hood. i have removed most of the damaged parts and i decided to investigate whether or not the unibody frame is still usable. i took a measurement from corresponding points of the uni. the measurements were made from a hole behind the lower control arm to a hole just before the opposite rear leaf spring. the measurements were off by about a half inch. too much? any hope for this uni?
A half inch i wouldn't think would be too much... Are you sure the inertia didn't cause damage towards the rear also?

You can also get the unibody stretched back into shape... I just watched and recorded a cool example on TRUCKS. When i have it converted to flash, i'm going to post it on this website for everyone to view (all 3 parts).
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by aaronkeiser »

Yeah I'd like to see it. I remember on TRUCKS! they had a yj build up and Truck Universe had a Jeep yj buildup wear i think they put a golen stroker in it.
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Muad'Dib »

This is supposidly a 3 part budget build. There calling it there "Cheap" Cherokee build. So far they straigtened the frame, replaced the sheet metal for the front, and grabed a 8.8 from a JY to swap out the D35. They also showed thier way of repairing the door hinges.
Im having some issues with drivers for my DVR for some reason... so it may take longer to get the episodes online then i originaly expected. I recently reformatted both my laptops, so although firewire capturing was working before... its not working now.... Ive got much research to do!
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

sweet! i didnt know they had started the cherokee build yet. i have that show DVR'd. ill go watch it now.
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

damn, my series manager f'd up. they might replay that episode on this sunday. did they start on the cherokee last saturday?
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Muad'Dib »

tigerShark wrote:damn, my series manager f'd up. they might replay that episode on this sunday. did they start on the cherokee last saturday?

It was a recent recording, so i would assume so.
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by oletshot »

There calling it there "Cheap" Cherokee build
Actually, they are calling it "Cheep" Cherokee. I say this because my wife saw it and said, "Look the guy doesn't even know how to spell "cheap". I laughed and said, "I think it's a play on words with "jeep"". She said, "Oh". Probably had to be there , but thought I'd share it. :lol:
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Muad'Dib »

oletshot wrote:
There calling it there "Cheap" Cherokee build
Actually, they are calling it "Cheep" Cherokee. I say this because my wife saw it and said, "Look the guy doesn't even know how to spell "cheap". I laughed and said, "I think it's a play on words with "jeep"". She said, "Oh". Probably had to be there , but thought I'd share it. :lol:
lol your right! Stupid spell check!! haha
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

didnt a guy on naxja change the jeep logo on his lift gate to "Cheep"? nice touch i thought. thats exactly what an XJ is. a cheap jeep. seems like wranglers and CJs hold their value like nothing else. only thing i can think of that holds value like that is a vette.
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Muad'Dib »

tigerShark wrote:didnt a guy on naxja change the jeep logo on his lift gate to "Cheep"? nice touch i thought. thats exactly what an XJ is. a cheap jeep. seems like wranglers and CJs hold their value like nothing else. only thing i can think of that holds value like that is a vette.
Or a '95 toyota supra twin turbo ;)
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

my mom had one of those.
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by JoeNathan »

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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

i did. i couldnt get a good measurement because the exhaust was in the way. if its off it aint by much.

btw, just an update on this. ive welded in my new inner fender support. i found a red fender at a junkyard on the other side of the bay. i just came back inside from unbolting(mostly except for upper control arms) the front axle. the passenger side lower control arm got ripped almost completely off in the collision.
i got it started for the first time last week after getting everything under the hood bolted back into place. it should be on the road soon.

anyone know offhand what size torx the upper control arm bolts to the axle are? i know theyre bigger than T40.
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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Re: uni-frame tweak. how to tell if unibody fame is bad?

Post by Shark »

well, i finally got it on the road. terrible death wobble.
'91 MJ 4.0 ax15 Resto-mod street truck project, stroker candidate
'93 XJ 2door 4.0 aw4 np231 7" lift 33's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 2" 31's
'95 XJ 4door 4.0 aw4 np231 4" lift 31's RIP
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