TJ Frame Repair

So a little update:

I went ahead and went with the Pocono Metalcraft front and rear trail arm patches. My center section of the frame is still solid due to my sleeved through-hole skid plate mount modification. I got the driver rear patch welded in with all of the measurements correct and I went on to do the passenger side and found that the lower control arm mount is welded 1/8" higher on the patch than it was on the other side. I reached out to Pocono and they said that this is completely fine and that I wouldn't have any issues at all with 1/8" difference in height from one side to the other, but the measurement from the front control arm mount to rear is extremely critical and I need that measurement to be the same on both sides (57 3/16" in my case). They said that my control arm bushings will make up for that little amount of difference in height. Does this info check out or are they just looking for a way not to send me a new mount?
 
I would say that sounds correct. An 1/8" off in the vertical direction shouldn't be an issue. Truth be told, if you're using a tape measure to set these mounts up (and most of us are), getting the mount located within an 1/8" in any direction is about the best you can ask for. Glad to hear you're making good progress. 👍
 
Okay so I went out in the garage when I got home from work and got the patch clamped up tight to the frame in the right spot relative to the front control arm mount but I am measuring a 1/4" difference from top of the frame to center of control arm bolt hole than I did on the driver side. I'm very skeptical about a whole quarter inch difference from one side to the other. Does anyone have any experience with this much play or know exactly what that would do to my suspension geometry?
 
You're still going to be just fine. The 1/4" difference in vertical location is only going to change the horizontal location by 1/16" which is well within your target. The change in the control arm angle is less than 1° (assuming you're on OE length short arms).

Kinda weird though how you were at 1/8" off vertically but now you're at 1/4" off? You can always do some more grinding if it really bothers you, but I say just go with it. Burn that sucker in!
 
I did not really measure mine vertically. Either I got lucky or it doesn't really matter. Outta curiosity is it 1/4 lower or higher? I remember just leaving about the same amount of space from the top of the od frame.
 
SvtLdr said:
You're still going to be just fine. The 1/4" difference in vertical location is only going to change the horizontal location by 1/16" which is well within your target. The change in the control arm angle is less than 1° (assuming you're on OE length short arms).

Kinda weird though how you were at 1/8" off vertically but now you're at 1/4" off? You can always do some more grinding if it really bothers you, but I say just go with it. Burn that sucker in!
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I am on aftermarket lower arms for a 4" lift I'm not sure how much longer they are than OE. I don't get it either...the lower arm bracket is 1/8" higher relative to the top of the patch, but 1/4" higher relative to the top of the frame if that makes sense.
 
I don't think the top of the patch (or any part of the patch) is relevant to the repair. The folks who make the patch pieces don't really know how much of your frame is going to be cut away. What matters most is the location of the control arm bolt hole in the horizontal dimension. It's good to be mindful of the vertical dimension, but not as critical. I'd say keep on grinding until you're satisfied with the vertical location. I actually had to add metal to some of my patch kits because they weren't long enough (horizontally) to cover all of the rotten frame I had to remove. What matters in the end is the location of the bolt hole.
 
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I just got off the phone with an installer at Pocono again. He said that the patch does not need to be tight up against the frame in the front and rear where there is nothing cut away. The only thing that matters structurally is the welds on the sides of the frame. He typically doesn't even measure the vertical location when he installs them for customers. He only measures when there is too much frame cut away to have the patch bottom out within a reasonable distance. We came to a decision that dropping my patch down 1/8" and splitting the difference would be my best option. I am going to tap it down, burn it in and never worry about it again.
 
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robo512 said:
I am on aftermarket lower arms for a 4" lift I'm not sure how much longer they are than OE. I don't get it either...the lower arm bracket is 1/8" higher relative to the top of the patch, but 1/4" higher relative to the top of the frame if that makes sense.
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It makes sense that it's like that if you're sure about what and how you are measuring but in reality it's not making any sense if you are measuring it all correctly. As if that makes any sense 😝.

I don't think the 1/8" difference in height would make much difference with stock control arms (I could be a little off there) and adjustable arms would just put everything where it needs to be anyway.

What is weird is the extra 1/8 inch difference you're talking about. I'm not sure why you're measuring to the top of the patch. Isn't the top of the patch just the trimmed edge where it's going to be welded? I would expect it to be the same but I don't think it's important. I also don't think that most of the bracket matters at all. I think that if anything was checked it would be from the center of the hole in the arm bracket to the bottom of the patch and it should be fairly close to what was there from the factory. Checking from the top of the frame to the bottom of the patch probably would then verify that the hole is in the right place on the whole frame. I don't think I'm too far off on that, we shall see.
 
JEEPCJTJ said:
It makes sense that it's like that if you're sure about what and how you are measuring but in reality it's not making any sense if you are measuring it all correctly. As if that makes any sense 😝.

I don't think the 1/8" difference in height would make much difference with stock control arms (I could be a little off there) and adjustable arms would just put everything where it needs to be anyway.

What is weird is the extra 1/8 inch difference you're talking about. I'm not sure why you're measuring to the top of the patch. Isn't the top of the patch just the trimmed edge where it's going to be welded? I would expect it to be the same but I don't think it's important. I also don't think that most of the bracket matters at all. I think that if anything was checked it would be from the center of the hole in the arm bracket to the bottom of the patch and it should be fairly close to what was there from the factory. Checking from the top of the frame to the bottom of the patch probably would then verify that the hole is in the right place on the whole frame. I don't think I'm too far off on that, we shall see.
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Nope, you're exactly right. As long as I am measuring the same exact way for all of my measurements they should be the same relevant to each other. They asked me to measure from the bottom of the patch to the center of the hole and there was a 5/16" difference from one patch to the other. The top of patch to center of hole measurement is irrelevant especially since I had weld on one side blocking me from getting a precise number. They said that they were going to check out their jig and make sure that something isn't off.
 
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Mgr111 said:
Anyone know of a place like this one in middle ga
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Give them a call and see if they have an installer near you. I used those for my Jeep and could not find an installer near me. Talked my mechanic into letting me use his lift so I could cut the bottom of the frame off. He had a nice welder and welded the new parts on.
Good luck.
 
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