Steel tub vs Fiberglass?

Steel tub vs Fiberglass?

tdkask

Jeeper
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Location
Virginia Beach, VA
Vehicle(s)
1979 CJ-5
I am considering long term repairs on my "new" 79 CJ5 and am wondering if there are significant disadvantages to a fiberglass tub? Also, are there tubs that would allow me to add a tailgate to my CJ5 , and can I easily remove the side marker lights? I was thinking how it would look nice with recessed lights in side markers and taillights.

What are your recommendations for fiberglass vs steel tubs, and who is recommended for makers of good fiberglass tubs?

Thanks.
 
we have several members who run glass tubs and love them. The benefits are great if you live in a high rust area, and they are a lot lighter than a steel tub also. I am sure any question about the tubs will be answered quickly.
 
Well some people like fiberglass and some like steel it's really a personal thing, we have people here with both. I live in the rust belt so I went with fiberglass.
You have to be careful with fiberglass though as there are some pretty chincey bodies out there. My best advice is to do your research and pick the one you think is the best for you. I have an AJ's offroad body that has taken some pretty good hits and it has survived just fine, but AJ's is no longer in bussines. I would stay away from kentrol and the new 4wd bodies as I've heard bad things about them. Shellvalley is one name I have heard some good things about but have no personal experance with. A good body is not going to be $cheap.
You should be able to do recessed lites in either glass or steel.
I think most steel bodies have tailgates, but most good glass ones don't.
 
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One otherthing about fiberglass is that they come with no holes in the body. You have to cut and drill holes for everything, lots of work. You see alot of jeeps for sale that say they have an unmounted glass body because the owner got in over his head.
 
I have a shellvalley tub. I put it on in 1993 and it still looks brand new. The only compliant is at about the ten year mark I had to repair the front body mount area. I would by fiberglass in a second if I were to build another jeep. Fiberglass can be a pain for wiring because you need to make very good grounding points otherwise you will have lots of electrical gremlins. I used my metal dash and driver seat bracket for my main grounding points. I have huge straps that go from those points to the frame. Another issues is my fiberglass floor is thicker so that ended up making the seats taller inside the vehicle as well as the roll bar. I cut my seat brackets down and rewelded them to make the seats back to stock height. I left the roll bar because it still clears the soft top. I know shellvalley had an option for a tail gate opening but they didnt sell a tailgate back then. I dont know about now though.
 
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I know this thread is a little old, but I figured I'd asked here first...

I think the answer is yes, but can you mount steel hoods, grills, fenders, and all that to fiberglass without any problems?
 
Yes you can, as long as the glass tub is reinforced in the area where everything mounts.
 

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