How is the TJ tub put together?

[psrivats]

I want to get a better understanding of how the TJ tub is put together. Purely to satisfy some curiosity, no issues on my Jeep.

I have seen various threads where people replace floor pans/torque box and a few threads where there is discussion on plug welds and such holding different body panels together. I've also seen threads where people have discussed developing cracks in some areas after extensively using the vehicle off-road. But I cannot build a good mental picture of how the whole thing is put together.

I wish I could have been at @Mike_H garage when he swapped tubs. Maybe I need to find a local body shop that'll let me peek over an entire tub when they get one for a repair or a repaint

Barring that, does anyone know of any reading or video resource to explain what I'm seeking to understand? It doesn't even have to be specifically the TJ, any vehicle with similarities would be more than plenty.

 

[Mike_H]

I wish you would have been there too, buddy. Could have used the help, LOL.

Start here

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/jeep-wrangler-tj-body-repair-guide.46095/post-786647

 

[PCO6]

I'm not sure if this answers your question but this video provides good information on how current Wranglers are put together at the factory. The early parts show how jigs and spot welds, LOTS of spot welds, are used.

This is not for us home garage guys of course. I have done a fair bit of sheet metal work in restoring British sports cars, mainly MG floors, sills, door jambs, door skins, patch panels, etc. and some panel beating that has involved hammer welding and the use of an English wheel. I have less experience with Jeeps but have done XJ floors and cargo areas and TJ floors, torque boxes, etc.

Most of it was done using MIG or an O/A torch. For accurate restoration work, or at least as close as you can get it, spot welders can be used. These two have worked well for me. The first is a basic hand held welder that I can use on or off of the stand I built for it. The second one is a Porta-Spot that was originally designed for body shops to quickly weld overlapping patch panels on with. It has a lot of other uses though and is great for small fabrication jobs.

 

[someguysjeep]

in a nutshell, panel adhesive/sealer and spot welds.
it's all pinch seams or lapped panels on anything anymore, no?

we got some new next yr car bodies in for sys testing. you can't push on any part of this tin can without bendin it, just shovin it's own weight around on a flat cart.
i looked a few of them over..... 1 model had more than 2x the amount of lapped metal and spot welds on the rear speaker frame than it did at the rear tow point.

 

[Mike_H]

in a nutshell, panel adhesive/sealer and spot welds.
it's all pinch seams or lapped panels on anything anymore, no?

we got some new next yr car bodies in for sys testing. you can't push on any part of this tin can without bendin it, just shovin it's own weight around on a flat cart.
i looked a few of them over..... 1 model had more than 2x the amount of lapped metal and spot welds on the rear speaker frame than it did at the rear tow point.

Well, you wouldn't want speaker rattle to ruin your commute to work...

By the time you need to tug a new car from the ditch, the subframe is twisted and it's near totaled anyway, due to the energy absorbing construction.

 

[mrblaine]

I want to get a better understanding of how the TJ tub is put together. Purely to satisfy some curiosity, no issues on my Jeep.

I have seen various threads where people replace floor pans/torque box and a few threads where there is discussion on plug welds and such holding different body panels together. I've also seen threads where people have discussed developing cracks in some areas after extensively using the vehicle off-road. But I cannot build a good mental picture of how the whole thing is put together.

I wish I could have been at @Mike_H garage when he swapped tubs. Maybe I need to find a local body shop that'll let me peek over an entire tub when they get one for a repair or a repaint

Barring that, does anyone know of any reading or video resource to explain what I'm seeking to understand? It doesn't even have to be specifically the TJ, any vehicle with similarities would be more than plenty.

The construction is 100% spot welds on overlapped seams of various designs. They run flange seams to flat panels, pinch seams with some rolled edges for stiffening, and flat face to face joints like they have at the rear torque box to tail light panel. The rear corners are a flange to flange spot welded.

The only places they use adhesive is for partial support at hood stiffener and the stiffener at the sides of the fender and that may be more for sealing. There is something on top of the hood latch support that helps until the hood latch is bolted in place.

 

[psrivats]

I wish you would have been there too, buddy. Could have used the help, LOL.

Start here

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/jeep-wrangler-tj-body-repair-guide.46095/post-786647

Thanks for sharing that Mike. Looks like a good resource. I just bought a copy on eBay, it was under 10 bucks.

I'm not sure if this answers your question but this video provides good information on how current Wranglers a put together at the factory. The early parts show how jigs and spot welds, LOTS of spot welds, are used.

This is not for us home garage guys of course. I have done a fair bit of sheet metal work in restoring British sports cars, mainly MG floors, sills, door jambs, door skins, patch panels, etc. and some panel beating that has involved hammer welding and the use of an English wheel. I have less experience with Jeeps but have done XJ floors and cargo areas and TJ floors, torque boxes, etc.

Most of it was done using MIG or an O/A torch. For accurate restoration work, or at least as close as you can get it, spot welders can be used. These two have worked well for me. The first is a basic hand held welder that I can use on or off of the stand I built for it. The second one is a Porta-Spot that was originally designed for body shops to quickly weld overlapping patch panels on with. It has a lot of other uses though and is great for small fabrication jobs.

View attachment 295693View attachment 295694

Thank you, I'll watch that video.

 

[psrivats]

The construction is 100% spot welds on overlapped seams of various designs. They run flange seams to flat panels, pinch seams with some rolled edges for stiffening, and flat face to face joints like they have at the rear torque box to tail light panel. The rear corners are a flange to flange spot welded.

The only places they use adhesive is for partial support at hood stiffener and the stiffener at the sides of the fender and that may be more for sealing. There is something on top of the hood latch support that helps until the hood latch is bolted in place.

Thanks for the details Blaine. I'll have to look up some photos to understand and match up some portions of what you are saying, but with your description now I know what to search for. If have more questions, I'll ask back here.

I now wonder what the companies that make and sell replacement tubs (eg Aqualu industries in Canada) in Aluminium do. Can you spot weld aluminium like steel?

 

[jjvw]

Thanks for the details Blaine. I'll have to look up some photos to understand and match up some portions of what you are saying, but with your description now I know what to search for. If have more questions, I'll ask back here.

I now wonder what the companies that make and sell replacement tubs (eg Aqualu industries in Canada) in Aluminium do. Can you spot weld aluminium like steel?

This is an example of the spot welds holding the rear corners to the sill. Smash the corners and the only thing holding the back in place are the C pillars.

 

[psrivats]

This is an example of the spot welds holding the rear corners to the sill. Smash the corners and the only thing holding the back in place are the C pillars.
View attachment 295747

View attachment 295745

Thanks for sharing that, I see it now. Those are just pop rivets you added to strengthen ?

I am guessing you already have or will be adding corners soon?

 

[mrblaine]

Thanks for the details Blaine. I'll have to look up some photos to understand and match up some portions of what you are saying, but with your description now I know what to search for. If have more questions, I'll ask back here.

I now wonder what the companies that make and sell replacement tubs (eg Aqualu industries in Canada) in Aluminium do. Can you spot weld aluminium like steel?

Aluminum can be spot welded. Takes a lot more horsepower to do it and the deformation of the base material is a lot higher or has been historically. Looks like they have improved the process considerably.

 

[jjvw]

Thanks for sharing that, I see it now. Those are just pop rivets you added to strengthen ?

I am guessing you already have or will be adding corners soon?

Pop rivets for now. Corner armor at some point. It's all part of the larger stretch project.