Reinforcing the 4Runners frame????????

[xonetruthcrewx]

I havent heard or seen anything on doing this. Yeah, i have heard some talk, but thats it. I am thinking of doing this but i just dont know. Due to the bump stop brackets on the frame things arent quite as easy as a Tacoma. There is a another little area on the passenger side that mildly screws thing up too. The spot where the trac bar connects. I made a template working around these things but i just dont know if it will be worth it. What do you guys think?

Drivers Side
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/xonetruthcrewx/Random%20Shit/IMG_0003.jpg

Passenger Side
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/xonetruthcrewx/Random%20Shit/IMG_0005.jpg

Template
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/xonetruthcrewx/Random%20Shit/IMG_0008.jpg

[Good Times]

reinforcing the frame will be big when users have an aftermarket bumper as the weight can be overbearing on the frame. I would look to expand the length so it's over the entire arch as the weakest point appears to be at the tip of the arch.

Have you looked at the inner side of the frame? Just wondering

[xonetruthcrewx]

Thats the thing. I will be building my rear bumper with swingout here real soon, and planned on reinforcing the frame at the same time. The inside of the frame you say? Thats a no go due to the top mounts for the shocks. Its even worse on the inside than the outside. Especially on the passenger side sue to the trac bar mount. The template i made is right up to the tubing that goes from one side of the frame to the other. Things are really working against me here. With having to work around the bumpstop mount and the tubing, im just not sure if it would be worth it.

[neliconcept]

Thats the thing. I will be building my rear bumper with swingout here real soon, and planned on reinforcing the frame at the same time. The inside of the frame you say? Thats a no go due to the top mounts for the shocks. Its even worse on the inside than the outside. Especially on the passenger side sue to the trac bar mount. The template i made is right up to the tubing that goes from one side of the frame to the other. Things are really working against me here. With having to work around the bumpstop mount and the tubing, im just not sure if it would be worth it.


dont exactly have to go any further foward, but go back as far as you can towards the rear of the truck, i plan to do the same when my rear bumper is picked up (whenever that will be)

[xonetruthcrewx]

^^^^^
Your wrong there. The very rear dosent really need to be beefed up anymore. The part of the frame that does need to be beefed up is at the bend. Thats right between the bump stop mount and the tubing through the frame. With having to work around the bump stop mount, everything to the rear of that really isnt doing much. In all honesty, unless the bump stops are removed and relocated possibly under the frame, i think it would be a waste of time trying to reinforce things. It needs to be as close to the Tacoma reinforcing plates as possible.

[Good Times]

I would try to reinforce the frame as far forward as possible to help distribute the load across a larger surface area. Looking at the limitation on the bump stop should not be the end of the world. Just cut the mount and then add the plate and then just reinstall the bump stop.

remember that the load will be at the end of the frame and will attempt to pivot around the weakest point which appears to be at the arch. so by reinforcing the entire length including the arch you'll be in good shape. Not I'm not structural engineer so don't quote me as the gospel but I'm just looking at it from a practical point of view.

[neliconcept]

from the bumpstop to the rear, thats where its going to be the weakest, so yeah you really need to go all the way through the arch. im not saying go all the way to the damn hitch or something. not what i meant

[BruceTS]

when I get around to doing mine I'll extend them above the frame rail to hide the gap from the body lift, this will add quite a bit more strength as well. They don't need to go any further foward than the round cross tube. Take a cutoff wheel to slot the bumpstop brackets and grind the welds down flush, then simply slide the brace in between and weld.

[Seanz0rz]

might have to look at doing this when i do my rear bumper this spring/summer. thanks for the idea and discussion. i dont think i can add too much.

[xonetruthcrewx]

from the bumpstop to the rear, thats where its going to be the weakest, so yeah you really need to go all the way through the arch. im not saying go all the way to the damn hitch or something. not what i meant


Ok, that makes more sense. You were ass backwards. Rear would be towards the rear bumper and front would be towards the engine.



when I get around to doing mine I'll extend them above the frame rail to hide the gap from the body lift, this will add quite a bit more strength as well. They don't need to go any further foward than the round cross tube. Take a cutoff wheel to slot the bumpstop brackets and grind the welds down flush, then simply slide the brace in between and weld.


There it is. That way the bump stop can stay in the same place and there will definitely be enough support. Right On Bruce.

[freejake3]

Couldn't help post this when I read about the Taco reference.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m253/affinis/RBB/Sheep005.jpg

Seriously though, Bruce has the right idea and I'd roll with that. I went with
.25 plate, stitch welded. The ride quality was immediately apparent, with the
suspension taking most of the load when before it felt like the whole rear end was
working. My daily load consists of a camper shell, hi-lift, toolbox, 75lb bumper,
and 30lb gastank skid. I thinking swing-out next. Speaking of that - Bruce - do you
have a link to a thread regarding your hitch/spare-tire mounting system. I'm interested
to see the build-up. Sorry to hi-jack.

[BruceTS]

do you have a link to a thread regarding your hitch/spare-tire mounting system. I'm interested
to see the build-up.

No link since I never did a write-up about it. I built it from scrap I had and it was to test how well my rig would handle the weight that far back. I was pleasantly surprised it handled as well as it did, especially the high speed stuff. Putting the weight further back helped to keep the front from nosing down. The carrier was a one off deal, pretty similar to CBI's design. I tweaked it big time at the start of the Rubicon last year, so it needs to be rebuilt. I'm gonna play around with a hitch mounted swing out design next.

[freejake3]

Sweet. Thanks for the reply.

[Lee]

plating the frame cant hurt, but you can just add a couple of 2x2 or 1x1 cross bars too :)