frame problems

[TerrafYJ]

Hey to all out there. First time posting, so bear with me.. today I took my winch, front plate, and hood cage off the Jeep. Before I started I just thought I lost a bolt. Instead I found my front frame had broken where the bolts attach at the top. I'm considering just extending front frame approx. 5 inches. Another possible fix is actually cutting another frame. I have 2 YJ's (both 90's). Has anyone else encounter this problem?

 

[flatie46]

Hey to all out there. First time posting, so bear with me.. today I took my winch, front plate, and hood cage off the Jeep. Before I started I just thought I lost a bolt. Instead I found my front frame had broken where the bolts attach at the top. I'm considering just extending front frame approx. 5 inches. Another possible fix is actually cutting another frame. I have 2 YJ's (both 90's). Has anyone else encounter this problem?

I saw a CJ broke in the front, I was told they would do that if you didn't run a front bumper. Could you post a pic?

 

[TerrafYJ]

These were taken with my phone, so the pics may not be the best.

 

[TerrafYJ]

My winch, and "bumper" attached to these points. And my hood cage attached to them. My idea is to create a whole frame about 7" from the front. I will actually have the upper rails with a saddle in design so I can bolt them ROM the frame farther back as well. The rust in the pic is all flash rust and i live in the desert so that's usually not much of a problem. That's the direction I'm taking unless someone has had this problem before and can give me some insight..

 

[jps4jeep]

Thats not bad at all, seen way worse. It appears that when the winch was on there and it was not bolted down as securely as it should have, the jerking and tugs appear to have cracked the frame horns. OR the bumper had D-rings and suffered a couple hard extractions. Either way rot does not appear to be the cause based on the photos.

If it were me, and since you have a shackle reversal, I would cut any torn or cracked metal off the front, I would patch it up, drill the needed holes and weld in some nuts. Then I would solid weld the winch mount on the front of the frame as far back as you can so you can still mount your bumper.

 

[TerrafYJ]

Thanks for the input. The winch had pulled a few to many.. And its lower bolts had disappeared somewhere along the way.. its completey my fault for not doing my usual inspections.. But, now I'm able to put a little more design and some hooks/shackles on the winch mount while I repair this mess.. maybe even redoing my Zombie Plow cage.. hmmm.. lol.