2005 TJL Tiedown rail instalation

[BPage]

Hey folks, I had a strange idea to install truck bed tie down rails in the back of my Unlimited. I think it would provide versatility for securing items in the back.
So I ordered Master Hauler 3ft tie down rails from harbor freight, bought some paint stripper, and JB weld from Lowes and was ready to get started.
However I ran into a problem when I removed the carpet from the side walls: the walls of the jeep below the drip edge are not smooth. It looks like Jeep welded a second piece of metal slightly raised near the front door but behind the roll bar.


1. Can anyone tell me what this piece of metal is for? And if it isnt important the best way to get it out?

2. Never used JB Weld before, does anybody know of any problems or reasons I shouldn't use it?

3. has anyone done this before (installed bed rails)

Any help would be greatly appreciated :coffeedrink:

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

I haven't done what you're proposing, but I have concerns about JB Weld in that application. It seems insufficient.

 

[BPage]

I haven't done what you're proposing, but I have concerns about JB Weld in that application. It seems insufficient.

Really...I was reading the back of the JB Weld package and it says it is rated up to 4000psi. The tie down rails are only rated at 500lbs. So even if I put 500lbs dangling from one tie down it seems like the JB should hold?
They also list testimonials on the back of people fixing tractors and truck engines with this stuff and it not failing under load?

Have you used it before and it failed?

 

[JeepN95YJ]

Have you used it before and it failed?

I've never used it successfully in any application.

 

[StumpXJ]

I dont think JB weld would hold up for that type of application. Atleast not in my experiences with the product. Can you just bolt it on?

~James

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

My JB weld success rate is about 50%. Still great stuff, which is weird for something that only works 50% of the time.

All failures have been in applications where the load rating exceeded 100lbs.

It's cheap enough to try it anyway, but just be careful of what you "hang" from it and what that thing might land on. My concern for failure in your application relates to the surface of each item being "glued" together and the manner in which they will be required to carry a load. I'm not an engineer, but in my mind it just doesn't work.

As always...report back :sombrero:

 

[alosix]

I dont think JB weld would hold up for that type of application. Atleast not in my experiences with the product. Can you just bolt it on?

~James

X2 here. I'd much rather have something like that bolted down. Especially if you plan on tying heavy stuff down with it. In a TJ, just about anything in the back becomes a projectile if you run into something or have to stop hard.

The prep for the JB will kill more of the paint work than a few holes would to secure it properly.


If you can't get to the back side of the metal in some areas (are you trying to mount down to the floor or on the sides) I'd hit a place like fastenal and find some sort of blind fastener.

Jason

 

[BPage]

I dont think JB weld would hold up for that type of application. Atleast not in my experiences with the product. Can you just bolt it on?

~James

Cant bolt it down, I am trying to mount to side wall of jeep above wheel wells. Similar to what you would see on a truck.

Side walls are so thin anything other than JB Weld would go through and show on the outside of the jeep?

 

[StumpXJ]

I think bolting it to the sheet metal, (albeit thin), is still a much better option than JB weld. I guess a picture of where you are putting this would help, since I honestly am not familiar. My opinion (take it for what its worth), but a tie down is only as strong as what its attached to. In my experiences with JB weld, using it on a non-porous surface (like metal to metal) is just not going to cut it. It needs something to 'grab' onto. JBweld gets very hard, but it doesnt meld into whatever you apply it to (like in real welding, it actually joins the two materials together).

If you put JB weld into the threads of a large nut, and then threaded it onto something, you would probably never get it apart, but if you took two flat surfaces of metal (aluminum, steel, doesnt matter), and apply a coating of JB weld to the two, it would very easily break apart with minimal force.

Best example I could come up with after 5 beers.

~James

 

[StumpXJ]

I assume this what you are talking about installing? I have something similar in my jeep and just bolted it down.

You could even use a bunch of short sheet metal screws, that way you wouldnt need to get to the backside of them. Would be much better than JB weld IMHO.

~James

 

[BPage]

I assume this what you are talking about installing? I have something similar in my jeep and just bolted it down.

You could even use a bunch of short sheet metal screws, that way you wouldnt need to get to the backside of them. Would be much better than JB weld IMHO.

~James

James, that is exactly the product I bought. Only problem is we are talking about the inside side walls above the wheel wells and not the floor. If it was the floor I would have bolted it down and not thought twice about it.

I will take a picture of the location in the morning and post it tomorrow.

 

[BPage]

I think bolting it to the sheet metal, (albeit thin), is still a much better option than JB weld. I guess a picture of where you are putting this would help, since I honestly am not familiar. My opinion (take it for what its worth), but a tie down is only as strong as what its attached to. In my experiences with JB weld, using it on a non-porous surface (like metal to metal) is just not going to cut it. It needs something to 'grab' onto. JBweld gets very hard, but it doesnt meld into whatever you apply it to (like in real welding, it actually joins the two materials together).

If you put JB weld into the threads of a large nut, and then threaded it onto something, you would probably never get it apart, but if you took two flat surfaces of metal (aluminum, steel, doesnt matter), and apply a coating of JB weld to the two, it would very easily break apart with minimal force.

Best example I could come up with after 5 beers.

~James

GREAT EXAMPLE!!!
I understand completely... What do you think about using a cutting wheel and scarring the back of the rail and using a dremal to do the same to the wall of the jeep? that way there's a ruff surface for the JB weld to bond to?

 

[Gear]

Is the Jeep top on or off. How about attaching a piece of angle iron to the top rail using the stock hard top holes. Then attach the rail to the angle iron.

http://www.yalesteel.net/servlet/the-117/STEEL-ANGLE-IRON-L/Detail
Here is a quick google search of the angle iron I am talking about.

 

[inked33]

i wouldnt even waste my time trying the jb weld like others have said. if theres no way to bolt or even screw it down then have it welded on there.

 

[BPage]

i wouldnt even waste my time trying the jb weld like others have said. if theres no way to bolt or even screw it down then have it welded on there.

I can't weld it... it would bubble through the paint on the outside?