Nerf bars

Trying to find out if a 74 cj5 and a 76 cj5 nerf bars are the same size. Everywhere I've looked doesn't carry nerf bars before 76. any answers to this would be helpful

 

Nope, they're different. In 74 and earlier the frame rails are parallel. In 75 and later the frame rails taper towards the front.

 

They will be the same length, but if they attach to the body underneath, that will be different. I'm not sure how different, since that depends on the design of the nerf bar. Different though.

Lots of stuff changed for the 1976 model year, including the floors and frame. The exterior sheet metal is pretty much the same though.

 

found a pair of smittybilt nerf bars from Olympic 4x4 for 55-75 cj series. well the problem is now that they do not appear to be for 55-75 given the discription given earlier about the frame rails being parallel. The nerf bars that were built for 55-75 are longer in the front than in the rear, which holds for the 76 and later style frame tapering in the front. now i have to figure out what to do to use them.

 

what yr did the frame change from parallel to the front tapering inward?

 

1976, just like Timgr said.

 

so if the frame rails are the same for a 74 and a 75 why don't the nerf bars from 55-75 fit on a 74. the look like the nerf bars for a 76 the way that they are made but smittybilt says they are for a 55-75.( the front is 3 inches longer than the rear)

 

Well, hold them up to the frame and see if they're straight with the rocker panel or not.

 

they aren't parallel with the rocker panels. but i did contact smittybilt and they said that even though they marked the box with 55-75 the nerf bars were produced for 76 and later CJ's. TY false advertising. now i just have to make an extention piece so that i can mount it.