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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
I discovered some frame(Unibody) damage as I was getting ready to swap out my front diff. I'd like some input on whether I can pull this out with a slide hammer or if it will take something like a come-along and a tree.
I do want to fix this right and if I have to go to a body shop, I'll do that but if they are going to charge me an astronomical amount to just straighten it out, I'll be forced to do it myself. Thanks!
No for the slide hammer, but a come along and strong tree and some 4x4 boards can make it much better. you will want to make a bracket to accept the come along and that bracket needs to sandwhich the bumper mount tab, and be bolted VERY tightly using grade 8 bolts. If you dont make that bracket to sandwhich the frame, you will tear the holes with a comealong. It looks like there is a tear in metal that will need welding As for getting the last ripples out, maybe not, but you should be able to get the bumper mount tab pretty close to where it is supposed to be so that bumper sets correctly.
A body shop may charge an hour or two labor is my guess, if they are interested in doing the job. I assume that you will leave the bumper off for them, so all they do is pull, you can save money by doing the rest, including paint and assembly by yourself.
No for the slide hammer, but a come along and strong tree and some 4x4 boards can make it much better. you will want to make a bracket to accept the come along and that bracket needs to sandwhich the bumper mount tab, and be bolted VERY tightly using grade 8 bolts. If you dont make that bracket to sandwhich the frame, you will tear the holes with a comealong. It looks like there is a tear in metal that will need welding As for getting the last ripples out, maybe not, but you should be able to get the bumper mount tab pretty close to where it is supposed to be so that bumper sets correctly.
A body shop may charge an hour or two labor is my guess, if they are interested in doing the job. I assume that you will leave the bumper off for them, so all they do is pull, you can save money by doing the rest, including paint and assembly by yourself.
Thanks. I'm not sure how to design the bracket. I was thinking I'd try to feed a piece of flat steel inside the rail, bolt it tight in two spots and use the come along to pull from the plate against the inside of the frame outward. I could put one bolt in the threaded nut that is there and another in that bigger opening slightly to the rear.
I'll stop by a couple body shops and see what they will/can do. If it's just an hour or two and the rates aren't super high, I think I'll pay them to do it. Straightening the actual flange that the bumper bracket bolts to is not a big deal but I'd like to get the section where the threaded welded nut it pulled back out. I would just ask them to pull the section back out. I'd do any grinding, sanding, priming, painting and assembly. I have that bent bracket off of it now so there really isn't anything in the way. If they need the fender off, I can yank that off for them.
No tears in the metal, just some funky looks due to lighting and paint peeling.
Last edited by Old Man Minimalist; 04-15-2022 at 07:53 PM.
Thanks. I'm not sure how to design the bracket. I was thinking I'd try to feed a piece of flat steel inside the rail, bolt it tight in two spots and use the come along to pull from the plate against the inside of the frame outward. I could put one bolt in the threaded nut that is there and another in that bigger opening slightly to the rear.
I'll stop by a couple body shops and see what they will/can do. If it's just an hour or two and the rates aren't super high, I think I'll pay them to do it. Straightening the actual flange that the bumper bracket bolts to is not a big deal but I'd like to get the section where the threaded welded nut it pulled back out. I would just ask them to pull the section back out. I'd do any grinding, sanding, priming, painting and assembly. I have that bent bracket off of it now so there really isn't anything in the way. If they need the fender off, I can yank that off for them.
No tears in the metal, just some funky looks due to lighting and paint peeling.
Any place that has been bent should be sanded and repainted. Paint in bent areas can be compromised. These are thin frames, they will rust out quick if not correctly painted.
Clean, Sand, clean again, and brush on some rustoleum, or rattle can a bunch of coats. Pretty dont matter, but rust prevention does.
Any place that has been bent should be sanded and repainted. Paint in bent areas can be compromised. These are thin frames, they will rust out quick if not correctly painted.
Clean, Sand, clean again, and brush on some rustoleum, or rattle can a bunch of coats. Pretty dont matter, but rust prevention does.
Yeah, I will sand, prime and paint the body color first on the repair. Then follow up with black most likely. I also spray an internal frame coating inside the frame rails. I did that when a Miata I owned had some substantial frame rust needing new frame sections welded in. I made sure that wouldn't happen again.
When I owned my '88, I would get under it each year and scrub and respray anything that looked thin. It never did rust under my ownership.
I did something similar with a come-a-long for the damage to the front of my XJ, I will look for pictures. If you can support from behind, it will help to not pull TOO far and end up worse than you were.
A body show is likely to just slip a chunk of steel in there against the inside wall and use a small hydraulic piston to push it back out. Something similar to this
Yeah, I will sand, prime and paint the body color first on the repair. Then follow up with black most likely. I also spray an internal frame coating inside the frame rails. I did that when a Miata I owned had some substantial frame rust needing new frame sections welded in. I made sure that wouldn't happen again.
When I owned my '88, I would get under it each year and scrub and respray anything that looked thin. It never did rust under my ownership.
lol i had to deal with the dreaded rotted out rocker and quarter panels. what a pain but doable
A body show is likely to just slip a chunk of steel in there against the inside wall and use a small hydraulic piston to push it back out. Something similar to this
I am hoping I can get a shop to do just the basic repair at a reasonable price. I will have him look at the other dents throughout the vehicle and give me an idea if I need to replace or repair the damage. So it could lead to other work for the shop.
Option 3 - ignore it? Add a spacer or washer if needed to get the bumper mount to sit straight. Or weld a small plate on top.
Lawson, I may have to do this. I went to a couple body shops here; one said they weren't interested, the second said they would only replace the panel(frame section). I thought if I could find one inexpensive, I'd buy it, cut the damage out of mine, cut the donor to fit and have it welded. Well, it's over $800 for a panel so that's out.
I have one other guy that works out of his garage. He suggested I hook a chain to it and another vehicle and just "gently" pull it out. He thought it didn't need much to get me close enough for my purposes.
If not, I may just do like you say; straighten the front bracket flange and weld a plate over the dented part.
A couple of those guys thought a come-along wouldn't pull it out. Said it would most likely just pull the Jeep sideways.
No for the slide hammer, but a come along and strong tree and some 4x4 boards can make it much better. you will want to make a bracket to accept the come along and that bracket needs to sandwhich the bumper mount tab, and be bolted VERY tightly using grade 8 bolts. If you dont make that bracket to sandwhich the frame, you will tear the holes with a comealong. It looks like there is a tear in metal that will need welding As for getting the last ripples out, maybe not, but you should be able to get the bumper mount tab pretty close to where it is supposed to be so that bumper sets correctly.
A body shop may charge an hour or two labor is my guess, if they are interested in doing the job. I assume that you will leave the bumper off for them, so all they do is pull, you can save money by doing the rest, including paint and assembly by yourself.
One of the shops I went to said if they were to do it, I should plan on 6-8 hours labor to put it on the frame rack and straighten it out. At $85/hour, I'm looking at $500-700 plus taxes to get it pulled out. Too much at this point.
04-14-2022, 06:18 PM
Front Frame Damage-Slide Hammer or Come Along?
