40 Series Chassis Weakness (1 Viewer)

[Tony_Farson]

Gents! I am getting ready to send the chassis for media blasting and hope to deliver it to a fabricator once that is complete. I recall someone mentioning that there are some weak spots in the frame that they had to have repaired and beefed up to stand up to offroad abuse. Does anyone have a list of these areas? I'd like to have whomever does the fabrication to shore these areas up ahead of time when I have them box the rear portion of the frame, modify front crossmember for Saginaw box and weld in the sag hole gusset and mounting brackets. Thanks in advance fellas!

 

[rusty_tlc]

The only advise I have is to make sure that whoever does the Saginaw box plate adds tubes for the bolt holes. This allows you to tighten the mounting bolts without crushing the plate/frame.

 

[Tony_Farson]

The only advise I have is to make sure that whoever does the Saginaw box plate adds tubes for the bolt holes. This allows you to tighten the mounting bolts without crushing the plate/frame.

That is an excellent idea! Thanks man. I am going to have them add some gussets in each corner of all the crossmembers. I'm going to get the frame boxing kit from RuffStuff, and I have a Saginaw hole gusset that'll be welded to reinforce the crossmember where the steering box needs to go. I think that should be more than enough, but I believe @WILLD420 said that Dr. Smash has some sort of subframe connector that he installs between the motor mounts to help reduce frame flex. I need to follow up with Eric at Smash about that one.

 

[rusty_tlc]

The best method I've seen to get the steering through the front cross member was a chunk of large diameter steel pipe with full welds on bothe ends and down the sides where it poked through the bottom. I don't remember exactly how I did mine, it was a modification from a previous (total hack job) manual Saginaw conversion.
Cruiser outfitters sells something like that but it's just a length of pipe. Picture below before trimming flush with cross member.

 

[Tony_Farson]

The best method I've seen to get the steering through the front cross member was a chunk of large diameter steel pipe with full welds on bothe ends and down the sides where it poked through the bottom. I don't remember exactly how I did mine, it was a modification from a previous (total hack job) manual Saginaw conversion.
Cruiser outfitters sells something like that but it's just a length of pipe. Picture below before trimming flush with cross member.

Nice. Thank you Dan. I'll share this with whomever ends up doing the work.

 

[RAYJON]

look at the kits and reinforcing plates from rough stuff,,

FJ40 Frame Boxing Kit

Saginaw Steering Box Mount for 40 Series

look at the reinforcing plate luke puts on the outside of the fame with the steering box... easy to copy with some flat stock..

boxing the front frame rails ahead of the crossmember and having a good boxed front bumper welded in helps alot with the stress from using a saginaw box conversion..

 

[Tony_Farson]

look at the kits and reinforcing plates from rough stuff,,

FJ40 Frame Boxing Kit

Saginaw Steering Box Mount for 40 Series

look at the reinforcing plate luke puts on the outside of the fame with the steering box... easy to copy with some flat stock..

boxing the front frame rails ahead of the crossmember and having a good boxed front bumper welded in helps alot with the stress from using a saginaw box conversion..

Thanks! I have both... Well the PS mount/gusset on the shelf and the boxing kit on the list.