Removed the engine. Removed the front clip. Degreasing the frame and noticed the stock rear cross member (where the bell housing mounts) has cracked completely away from itself at the 2 upper most rivets, (one on the left and one on the right) on the forward facing edge of the piece. The rivets are still very secure, and there's easily enough of the cross member still held in place by the rivets to be welded back on. They appear to be the only compromised area of the piece. Do I just weld them back together? Also, there's a crack between the 2 holes that the radiator core support bolts to the frame. Just weld that up too?
All advise welcomed!
1949 3600
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
Very slightly groove the crack, not deep and don't create a wider crack. Drill 1/8- 3/16 dia holes at the ends of the cracks and then weld it all up. Maintain bell housing hole spacing if you think that is a problem. Possibly by bolting it back on by itself. Pull crack back together before welding if it is separated. If it can not be pulled back fairly tight, a different fix may be necessary. Hard to tell the size and extent of cracks/breaks without pics. Prepare area to shinny metal for mig. Not necessary for stick.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
Pulled a 261, sm420. Wasn't aware more than one bell housing would work. It fit on the cross member without modification, as the mounting holes in the cross member are still round, and there are only 2. It has a little peep door on the top... Plan on rebuilding the 261 & using the same bell housing with a T-5 if it matters....
1949 3600
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
I get it. That's why I posted here, and didn't just weld it.
I'm currently working, but will get pics ASAP!
1949 3600
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
Understood. The nuclear option is to drill out all the rivets and weld it off the truck with plates or gussets. Another is to bolt on a good, solid, donor cross member. I would probably never do that. But never say never because you never know.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
That's the thing...the rest of it looks great! All the rivets are clean and straight, the frame rails have no obvious damage. Just the upper most, forward facing one on the right, and it's mirror on the left!
1949 3600
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
Looks like the design on that cross member is rivets into the web of the frame channel and rivets into a hang down wing bracket. Wing bracket is riveted to the lower flange of the frame channel.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
Check for indication of impact to the front or rear of the crossmember. I can't wrap my head around how that much damage to that stout of a crossmember without a significant impact having occurred at some point.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
I suspect vibration, time, and expected frame flex did the job. I’ve seen several AD transmission crossmembers cracked near one rivet or another with no obvious abuse.
No damage other than the cracks. This is just one side, the other side is identical.
Last edited by Tadd442; 02/07/20194:18 AM.
1949 3600
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
Can see horizontal crack, can't see if there is a vertical crack because the lighting is shadowed. Probably is a vertical crack. What I see is no problem for welding. Good fillet bead, no grinding. If a person had no welder available, you could possibly put one or two socket head cap screws thru member and frame. Under the crack, 1/4-20.
As Grigg said, welding on the frame is to be avoided. Stay on the cross member. You don't need a mega weld. Forget what I said about drilling a hole at crack ends/grooving/pulling. Good you gave us a pic, it did sound way worse.
As said, it lasted a long time thru endless vibration and twist. If there is more to it than those cracks at one rivet/cross member ear, each side of truck, point it out. Those ain't nothin.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
All great info.... thanks fellas! Before I weld, I'll make sure the distance between the top of the frame rails is the same as the distance between the bottom of the frame rails.
Sorry for such dark pics....
1949 3600
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things. Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn. 2 Wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do. Of all the Henges, Stone is my favorite. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Here's a word I just made up.....Plagiarism.
From the look of the way the section of flange just under the crack/break is pulled away from the inside of the frame rail I'd be willing to bet it never fit properly when it was originally put together. Then after a few years of twisting and working a crack appeared due to the added tension of the poor fit. Just my $.02 for what its worth. I suspect if its welded back together just the way it sits there will be no more odd stress on the joint and there's a good chance it won't crack again.
38 Chevy 1/2 ton being resto-moded 65 AC Cobra replica USAF vet
? Gotta get More coffee now.