Cracked Frame Repair Advice

[teamextreme]

Any advice on the best way to repair this frame crack? It's on the front cross member under the bib. The hole that was drilled out for the power steering conversion apparently didn't help things. The bottom is cracked completely through, the top is just starting to crack which is how I noticed it. Should I,
a) weld cracks, cover with welded fish eye plate top & bottom?
b) weld cracks, weld plate completely across frame rail to frame rail, top and bottom?
c) cut out the old crossmember fab up a new one and weld in place?
d) any other brilliant ideas?
76 FJ40, saginaw conversion, V8, if it matters. (and no smart ass comments about that nasty booger weld that has no penetration!)

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

I'm sure more knowlegeable folks will post up (Poser, Pinhead, Mace, and so on) but I'd vote for option number one.

Good luck!

Alan

 

[pb4ugo]

That's why I don't like the sag box out front. I ended up patching it for yrs, my sag steering was put in by a butcher(PO) My issues were much worse. I ended up replaceing the crossmember w/one from another frame and went w/ scout steering.. That area seams to have a lot of flex between the frame rails and the crossmember. I believe welding the crossmember to the frame helped w/the cracking.

 

[ohrly?]

I welded 3/16 plate on both sides of my frame (rear right, front spring mount) and 3/16 flatbar on the top

 

[kulangot]

Clean area so you have bright shiny metal 6" to each side of crack.

Dig into crack with a cut off wheel on a dremel tool or die grinder - make into a very slight v shape. Mainly to clean the dirt and rust out of the crack. Use a very thin disc.

Stack a series of spot welds into the crack - will be hard as you will be welding out of position and into a crack.

With Flap Disc, slowly grind down weld smooth to avoid over heating area.

Cut a football shape patch out of 3/16's mild steel. Patch should be as wide as the crack and twice as long. Clean really well on both sides.

Pre-heat area slightly if you have a 115V welder.

Weld in, do not pulse or spot.

Sleeve the hole with a short piece of tube - I think Cruiser outfitters sells these.

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

Wow! Great post! Sounds like you've dealt with this issue before!

Thanks for sharing with us!

Regards,

Alan

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Clean area so you have bright shiny metal 6" to each side of crack.

Dig into crack with a cut off wheel on a dremel tool or die grinder - make into a very slight v shape. Mainly to clean the dirt and rust out of the crack. Use a very thin disc.

Stack a series of spot welds into the crack - will be hard as you will be welding out of position and into a crack.

With Flap Disc, slowly grind down weld smooth to avoid over heating area.

Cut a football shape patch out of 3/16's mild steel. Patch should be as wide as the crack and twice as long. Clean really well on both sides.

Pre-heat area slightly if you have a 115V welder.

Weld in, do not pulse or spot.

Sleeve the hole with a short piece of tube - I think Cruiser outfitters sells these.

 

[Mace]

Clean area so you have bright shiny metal 6" to each side of crack.

Dig into crack with a cut off wheel on a dremel tool or die grinder - make into a very slight v shape. Mainly to clean the dirt and rust out of the crack. Use a very thin disc.

Stack a series of spot welds into the crack - will be hard as you will be welding out of position and into a crack.

With Flap Disc, slowly grind down weld smooth to avoid over heating area.

Cut a football shape patch out of 3/16's mild steel. Patch should be as wide as the crack and twice as long. Clean really well on both sides.

Pre-heat area slightly if you have a 115V welder.

Weld in, do not pulse or spot.

Sleeve the hole with a short piece of tube - I think Cruiser outfitters sells these.

good advice..

 

[teamextreme]

Looks like option a. That's what I was leaning towards anyway. I think I'm going to patch with a piece of flat steel bent into a C to go around the whole crossmember and cut out for the PS box and the ends and sides circular cut. Colangut, I like the sleeve suggestion, hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[peesalot]

search under Cruzila, he did a write up on the exact same crack repair a couple years ago.

 

[cruzila]

Plating the outside of the framerails is IMO the best way to stiffen that area. All the patch ideas here are good and I have been doing exactly that. What I do know is you wheel alot!! Congratulations!!

It will be a combination effort. plate the outside, fix the cracks etc. I ended up welding a tube bumper on the front hoping to join the two sides to add to the stiffness.

my thread

I posted pics somewhere else too but I don't know where. On PBB in another thread I am sure.

I have been chasing cracks for 10 years or better. The Land Cruiser is a tough old bird....................

Scott

 

[Degnol]

(and no smart ass comments about that nasty booger weld that has no penetration!)

What about that nasty booger weld with no penetration?
Colangut nailed it, with the sleeve being the most important part.


Ed

 

[kulangot]

What about that nasty booger weld with no penetration?

Ed

Some large but not too thick scabs on the front of the frame will probably be good, but remember if they are too thick they will not flex and all of the force from flexing will be transferred to wherever they end so you should taper the ends like a football. I'd say no thicker than 3/16's or maybe 1/4" max. Too much heat from the weld is probably also not good. Probably best to put on with 2" long stiches in sequence to avoid over heating and warping. If you get it too hot, it will crack later just past the heat affected zone. You see this on bike and MC frames all of the time. If the design is flawed and it cracks, you put a brace on and it just cracks just past the brace.

Humor:

My welding instructor told the class:

"Some of you will learn to weld, the rest will probably get good at grinding and fawking off during class"

and

"If you can't learn to be a good weldor, you'll probably become a good grinder in the process of trying to learn welding"

and

"did you squeeze the parakeet while you aimed at the metal or did it just s*** here?"

He was a riot.

Back to the PO booger weld:

So, just grind that weld off and re-do it.

Out of position is pretty hard, make you have the welding machine really well dialed in before you even think about getting started. Practice out position as well - then weld. I'll give you great tip for overhead work: wear ear plugs. Nothing like a nice hot piece of slag in your ear. Don't ask me how I know this!

-JS