Fergie

After my latest wheeling trip, I decided that I needed some more armor underneath the ol' Turbo. Searching on here, I found a damn good product from Sonoran Steel that would be the first item I installed.

This is their IFS brace for 86-95 Mini-trucks and 4Runners. You can find it here:
http://www.sonoransteel.com/Early_IFS_Brace.html

I called up Steve, and ordered my brace, and had it by the next week. It is a very high quality product, as you will see, and costs are kept down as he only machines 4 holes, and you provide the hardware.

Here is the hardware:
4 3/8x4" Grade 8 bolts
4 lock washers
4 flat washers
4 nuts


You can see here where I drug the rear IFS mount enough to bend it back. I took a BFH to this area to flatten it out.


To begin with, I test fit the brace into place. Mine was a tight fit because of the metal massaging I had to do. I used a jack and some c-clamps to hold it in place. After it was in place, I center punched the bottom holes, and began drilling. I used a 1/8" bit, then 1/4", then 3/8" to finish it out. To keep the holes aligned properly, I attached a torpedo level to my drill with some hose clamps. Make sure you use a long enough bit to make it through both side of the brace.


Once the first two holes were drilled, I loosely bolted the brace into place, and repeated the above steps for the other two holes.


Once all the holes were drilled, it was time for prep and paint. I went over the entire brace with some 220 grit sandpaper, then wiped it down with Brake Kleen. Once it dried, I hung it up, and applied a coat of primer.



When the primer was dry, I hit it with a couple coats of flat black. I chose simple rattle can paint because it is easy and cheap to touch up, as this thin WILL see some abuse.

When the paint was dry, I reinstalled the brace, and installed all of the hardware.


take the time to make sure it is fit in place properly, and that your holes a drilled level, and that they align, or else you will have a bitch of a time getting the bolts in.

Next up will be a skid plate from some 3/16 plate I have lying around.

If anyone is looking to beef up their IFS, this a great starting point, and a very good product.

Fergie

Stomis

Ah on my list of things to buy. Sonoran is really a fabshop I look up to between there problems and how involved they seem to be in our community. Seem like a great bunch of guys/girls and cant wait to order my brace and stock "approach angle" valence. It looks great but I was wondering if theres any reason not to weld it in...

slosurfer

It could possibly make it harder to get the front diff out. Although, I guess you could still remove the front crossmember to get it out. Also, if it is bolted in, you can resell it if you ever go SAS.

Fergie, nice writeup and pics. Post pics when you do the skidplate, that is something I have been pondering to do myself. That crossmember will take a beating, mine sure has.

881stGenRunner

nice looks real good. I liek the idea of having this and may consider getting one. nice install tho.

deathrunner

If you beat your truck, a rear crossmember in necessary. Clean install. Well executed product. The big advantage to the sonoran steel crossmember is that the bottom is flat. You could skidplate all the way back to it.

Fergie

And I plan too.

I have some 25"x25" sheets of 3/16", and recently aquired a plasma cutter, so I will be making myself some skids to replace the factory one, and to cover from the front to rear crossmember, hell, I might cut a few extra so folks here can use them.

My BudBuilt x-member should be arriving this week, so that will be nice as well.

sschaefer3

I have one on my work truck.



There are 7 more left and I will take a production break on these. 3 are off to the powder coater and will be coated Ancient Black, a very durable Black finish and the last 4 will get built when I have some spare time.

The PC ones will be $20.00 more.

Fergie

Steve,

Your work truck is somewhat the inspiration for my work truck as well. Although I'll be doing things a bit different, I'm building my truck to showcase what a mildly built IFS rig can do to show-up all the Jeep guys that I run with.

So far, my stock truck followed them all through FJ without an issue, although I had to jack it out in one spot, the XJs were the only ones that needed strapped.

Thanks for the product.