Body Help me understand rear of body/tailgate/crossmember layers

[NotTJ]

Below my tailgate is rusted out. Holes and such. I need that panel to weld in. I also need the panel behind it...is that the rear crossmember and the sheetmetal is the rear valance? I dont want to order the wrong parts thanks guys

 

[CJ]

I bet Classic has what you need with pics. They are who I recommend. -->> https://www.classicent.com/jeep/76-86-cj7/All

 

[NotTJ]

Thank you! I called him up and he explained what I needed and what its all called. The rear crossmember goes behind the body panel that holds the tailgate but the tailgate only attaches to the captive nuts that are on the body. I'm gonna hack it all off and weld in new steel.

 

[CJ]

I'm glad it worked for you. Classic makes great replacement parts that are well worth the price.

 

[NotTJ]

I noticed random panel is $95 plus ship and classic is $215 plus ship. I can guarantee the $95 one will require a ton more work to fit. Been there done that with cheap sheet metal.

 

[Mrpeter63]

I did this to mine and yes Classic stuff fit perfect and was really an easy fix once you remove the old panels. Not sure i understand what you said in a previous post but, crossmember goes on the rear of the frame and holds the body mounts. The piece that holds the tailgate mounts on top of it with the body mounts. With the tailgate piece, since it is basically a box of sheet metal and rusts from the inside out. I would suggest painting the inside with a cavity paint. I used Eastwood internal frame coating, comes with a tube that fits inside holes and sprays in a 360 degree area.

 

[CJ]

I did this to mine and yes Classic stuff fit perfect and was really an easy fix once you remove the old panels. Not sure i understand what you said in a previous post but, crossmember goes on the rear of the frame and holds the body mounts. The piece that holds the tailgate mounts on top of it with the body mounts. With the tailgate piece, since it is basically a box of sheet metal and rusts from the inside out. I would suggest painting the inside with a cavity paint. I used Eastwood internal frame coating, comes with a tube that fits inside holes and sprays in a 360 degree area.

Great info!

 

[NotTJ]

I did this to mine and yes Classic stuff fit perfect and was really an easy fix once you remove the old panels. Not sure i understand what you said in a previous post but, crossmember goes on the rear of the frame and holds the body mounts. The piece that holds the tailgate mounts on top of it with the body mounts. With the tailgate piece, since it is basically a box of sheet metal and rusts from the inside out. I would suggest painting the inside with a cavity paint. I used Eastwood internal frame coating, comes with a tube that fits inside holes and sprays in a 360 degree area.

Sorry my confusion as to the build up of metal made my original question/post incoherent. My Jeep is parked 20 miles from home so sometimes when I am ordering parts and can't remember what I saw earlier I am confused. Basically I wasn't clear on what layers were back there when I was ordering.

So interesting tidbit: the classic part is Mopar approved and looks to be an exact repop of OEM but the far east knockoff is obviously not Mopar approved and only 1 layer. While the necessity of the box of sheetmetal is clear...if you didn't care and were happy with a single layer back there you could use the asian panel instead. I don't think a flat panel instead of a box is a good idea - you would probably be fine until you sit on the tailgate...

 

[Mrpeter63]

No worries, i understand your jeep is not close by. As far as the Knock off-panel goes. I'm assuming they want you to take the panel that the tailgate bolts to off of the box. Which you can do it that way and is fine as long as the rest of the box isn't rusted or damaged in some way. That panel is just one of the pieces that makes up the box. If you look at the picture, you have to break loose all the spot welds across the bottom, a few on each side, and however many there are on the top. Which ya can't see. Also that panel has a lip on the top of it, where the tailgate goes, that sandwiches the rear floor board between the box and the outer panel. So in a nut shell, that whole assembly/box is what supports the whole rear of the Jeep. Also where the rear body mounts bolt to.

Hope this helps ya!
Ps; That far east knockoff is going to be made of a thinner gauge sheet metal. Classic uses factory specs and is the proper gauge.

 

[NotTJ]

So I've got the new panel in but now I need new body mount rubber. Might as well get a full kit and I'll slowly swap them all in over time but right now I just need the back 2 mounts. Can anyone recommend a kit that they've had good luck with regarding fit and finish? Thanks

 

[Belizean]

I heard good things about this guy on another forum and his kit. Jim. Text him at 248-722-9427.