2026 model year frame bracket change

[svtrit]

That is a Midwestern Frame Rust Accelerator that gets you to buy a new Jeep sooner due to the frame rotting out in that spot and your Jeep folding in half.

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[JL 2D]

That is a Midwestern Frame Rust Accelerator that gets you to buy a new Jeep sooner due to the frame rotting out in that spot and your Jeep folding in half.

Yeah but when it does rot and the Jeep folds in half, the occupants extremities are protected.

 

[gato]

That is a Midwestern Frame Rust Accelerator that gets you to buy a new Jeep sooner due to the frame rotting out in that spot and your Jeep folding in half.

14 giant bolds and two massive stamped/welded brackets hanging right behind the spray from the front tires are certainly prime destination for rust. The bolts probably will survive nuclear war, though - did I mention they are huge?

 

[Red Willy]

Noticed this on our new '26 two door (XR pkg). Also noticed how much tighter the steering is. No play in the steering wheel making it MUCH more stable on the interstate. Maybe as a side effect, it helps to stiffen the frame area where the steering box is mounted?

 

[RubyRuin]

Noticed this on our new '26 two door (XR pkg). Also noticed how much tighter the steering is. No play in the steering wheel making it MUCH more stable on the interstate. Maybe as a side effect, it helps to stiffen the frame area where the steering box is mounted?

The changes you notice probably has to do more with a revised steering box over the 2021-2023 models if you were using your 2023 as the baseline.

 

[jeepingib]

Noticed this on our new '26 two door (XR pkg). Also noticed how much tighter the steering is. No play in the steering wheel making it MUCH more stable on the interstate. Maybe as a side effect, it helps to stiffen the frame area where the steering box is mounted?

That's not where your steering box is mounted. And I don't think that the frame flexes enough for anyone to feel that in the wheel. This is correlation, but not causation.

 

[Red Willy]

The changes you notice probably has to do more with a revised steering box over the 2021-2023 models if you were using your 2023 as the baseline.

Didn't know they changed the box, thx!

 

[gato]

I moved from a 2021 to 2026 configured and modded pretty much the same. The 2026 steering is very slightly better, from what I remember even when the 2021 was new. I attribute most of the changes to the thicker front axle tube, iron knuckles, thicker and tighter sway bar bolts, and it seems the balljoints are better (or at least seat better on the iron knuckles - there is no clicking when turning, which was never really gonne on the 2021 with sluminum knuckles.

I can't tell what is the biggest contributor, probably a bit of everything, but it is marginally better than the 2021.

I know it is not the crash brackets, because I removed mine and there was no change to the steering.

 

[Atomic5]

Word of caution when removing the brackets. Take your time when removing the bolts. I had one of the nuts break loose inside the frame due to a shi**y spot weld.

 

[GinaC]

I've been wondering about the steering change, and thanks to the folks in this thread who explained it for me. I went from a 2006 to a 2024 to a 2026 and I do notice that the new one is a bit stiffer. I haven't taken her on the highway yet, so I can't comment on that.

And when I first heard about these new brackets, I was wondering if they would interfere with mud flap installation. No worries there, either.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Gonna be an issue with big tires.

 

[gato]

Word of caution when removing the brackets. Take your time when removing the bolts. I had one of the nuts break loose inside the frame due to a shi**y spot weld.

Mine zipped right off - they don't seem to be torqued very high for the size of the bolts. The bolts seem to be dimensioned for sheer load strength rather than the needed fastening strength.

But I agree with you that the captured welded nuts in the Jeep frame are very weakly welded. I did snap one with a 3/8" hand wrench when installing a skid plate on my 2021 - keep an assortment of flag nuts handy.

While on this subject, be very careful when installing the frame side of the shocks. If you spin those captured nuts you will have a bad day...err bad week.

 

[Atomic5]

For kicks I weighed one of the brackets. 19.2 lbs

 

[gato]

For kicks I weighed one of the brackets. 19.2 lbs

Did you weigh it with the bolts added in?

 

[Atomic5]

Did you weigh it with the bolts added in?

No, but the black bolts weigh about 6 oz. and silver about 3 oz. according to my wife's cooking scale. So a little over 4 lbs for all the bolts.

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