Cherokee bumper mounting question

[OrangeSkidPlate]

I am building a bumper with tow points for my xj. I am building the tow mounts and unibody mouny so they are a single piece for strength. I was going to build it out of 3/16" steel. Would this be strong enough or should I lap two pieces together? I have at least six bolt locations.

 

[thenag]

With xj's it is all about spreading the load into the unibody.

I am a big fan of what Terry Tucker, Ridgidco, does here are some pics of his setup.
This is the passenger side plate and a bulkhead reinforcing plate,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rigid/1068485426/in/set-72157601335658760

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rigid/sets/72157601335658760/

The bumper mounts between the outer plate and bulkhead plate with 2 bolts on each side (there is some more structure in the middle of the bumper it varies depending on winch bumper or not)

What he does for his tabs (and we did the same building my father in law's bumper) is a piece of 1/4 with two pieces of 3/8 on each side, the inner 1/4 is tied into the bumper structure
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rigid/1166189766/in/set-72157601532211378

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rigid/sets/72157601532211378/

The front bumper mount has like 16 bolts into or through the uni-body not counting the PS box bolts.
His rear bumper mount has 14 bolts into the uni-body and if you do the modified quarter panels it picks up 2 more bolts on each side through the body.

Also Carl (ilean) on here makes some nice PS box re-enforcing plates, you probably could get him to make you 2 inners and 2 outers and use that for the start of your bumper.
post 109 here
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?83436-Nathan-and-Tanja-s-99-XJ-Build-up/page8

Nathan
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?83436-Nathan-and-Tanja-s-99-XJ-Build-up

 

[N-Smooth]

My first bumper had 5/8" plates. My second one had 3/8". Third had 1/4" and now I build them with 3/16"

It's more than enough.

 

[RogueJeepr]

I know you can buy pre-fabed bumper tie-in plates that (I think) have steering box braces already in . Not 100% sure but im going this route when I build mine just to speed things up. Tons of info on XJ sites.

 

[RockMonkey]

3/16 is perfect. Make inner and outer plates. Weld in sleeves for all the bolts that will go through the frame. Otherwise you will just crush the frame and the bolts will get loose.

 

[XJEEPER]

^^^This....plating the XJ steering box area without installing sleeves for the bolts is an exercise in fail. If you haven't added inner and outer plating already, do it before building the bumper. http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=913774&page=2

Beefy bumper plates will not make your unibody stronger in this area.....I witnessed 2 steering box bolt failures on seperate XJ's, while in Moab last month, both with beefy bumpers,but no uniframe plating in the steering box area.

PS, plate both drivers and passenger side, inner and outer. Carl can build you some, or JKS has their SBS plates for sale as well. HD Offroad Eng. makes a nose to tail uniframe plating kit, http://hdoffroadengineering.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/xj-frame-stiffener-set which you can add to beef up the entire unirail of your XJ.

After wheeling a 94 and 89 XJ for several years, I made the conscious decision to reinforce the uniframe of my 2000 XJ before I ever took it offroad and don't regret it a bit.

Add a steering box crossbrace too, for some extra insurance.