What is this?

[nofferman]

Noticed this piece attached to the frame of my rubicon 4xe at the passenger side wheel well. I do not have this on my JK and cannot figure out what this is. It’s a pretty big piece of metal. thanks.

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[jeepingib]

Crash bar for some safety regulation. There are other posts here if you search it. Most people remove it when installing tires large enough to interfere.

 

[GCMWillys]

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/what-the-hell-is-this-bracket.111368/

 

[C.Sco]

Anti-rollover bracket.

The idea is that if you get into an offset passenger side corner collision, the tire will smash into that bracket and stop, rather than going all the way under the body, theoretically helping prevent a rollover. Wrangler massively failed the offset passenger-side front end collision crash test, rolling the vehicle in spectacular fashion (there's video of it on youtube somewhere), and after that this bracket was Jeep's solution to prevent rollover in that very specific circumstance during that one specific crash test.

Oddly, the Wrangler has the exact same rollover problem in the driver-side offset collision test, but they didn't put this bracket on the driver side at all, just the passenger side. Not sure why.

If you have non-OEM tires, lift, or wheel offsets, then the geometry is different and the bracket is now probably doing more harm than good.

Removing it is kind of a pain, because some of the bolts are installed before the body is lowered onto the frame at the factory, so it's impossible to get them back out without cutting the bolts. Back the bolts out as far as you can until they hit the body, then use a sawzall or other metal-cutting saw to cut the bolt in half, and then finish backing it out the rest of the way with vice-grips.

You'll still have a small second bracket welded to the frame, but I found that part doesn't really pose a clearance issue offroad so I just left it, you could angle grind it off if you really wanted to.

 

[nofferman]

Thanks all! What a pain the butt! How stupid is this. Now I know. I am putting larger tires on soon so I will probably look to remove it.

 

[YGBSM392]

 

[Bandit59]

Noticed this piece attached to the frame of my rubicon 4xe at the passenger side wheel well. I do not have this on my JK and cannot figure out what this is. It’s a pretty big piece of metal. thanks.

It protects you in a wreck. Keeps the Rf wheel from trying to come inside in a crash

 

[ForgottenTaco]

That one piece holds the entire jeep together.

 

[THAW]

That one piece holds the entire jeep together.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Crash bar for some safety regulation. There are other posts here if you search it. Most people remove it when installing tires large enough to interfere.

What tires are large enough to interfere? 50's? The 39s don't even come close at full stuff.

 

[ForgottenTaco]

Exactly like that

 

[Tin_Man]

It keeps that right front tire out of your passenger’s lap if you hit something hard enough with the right front of the jeep. They had to add it shortly after the new body style was released due to bad crash ratings I think.

 

[jeepingib]

What tires are large enough to interfere? 50's? The 39s don't even come close at full stuff.

I guess I'm mistaken then. I don't have it on my 18. I thought I recalled some folks removing it to avoid interference.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

It keeps that right front tire out of your passenger’s lap if you hit something hard enough with the right front of the jeep. They had to add it shortly after the new body style was released due to bad crash ratings I think.

Correct. It’s from the FAD. The FAD on the passenger side of the axle creates a weak link in the axle housing and in a front end collision the axle can break in half at the FAD causing the front passenger wheel to fly back under the Jeep, flipping it on its side.

 

[Terrymo]

I guess I'm mistaken then. I don't have it on my 18. I thought I recalled some folks removing it to avoid interference.

Reportedly the bracket interfered with some early aftermarket products like the earlier versions of the RSE step sliders. I removed the bracket before installing my RSE step sliders but don’t know if they actually would have interfered with each other.

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