Chassis has cracked around steering box and front panhard mount again (1 Viewer)

[sunrk]

Bought my 80 10 yrs ago. it has a cracked chassis at the steering box and front panhard mount area then. Was repaired by a family friend who's a competent welder and mechanic.

In recent months I've noticed a much more set of symptoms with steering control, over-steering, wandering (especially under hard braking), etc. that I have not been able to diagnose. until last week.

I took my 80 to Rampt Customs where, with the help of the guys there, we figured out the front panhard mount on the chassis is moving, which means the almost 10 year old original repair to the cracked chassis has broken again (and perhaps the repair done 10 yrs ago might be all that's preventing it breaking off more!). When the original repair was done it wasn't plated but did have extra metal fitted. Rampt does a kit of plates to weld on and strengthen the whole area and they're local (to me).

It's a really common problem with 80's, and apparently an even more common problem with 79's (the upgrade from the old 75 series). I don't know if it's only a RHD problem though as I don't know if the LHD market chassis have the panhard arrangement done the opposite way (because the steering box is on the left not the right). Maybe it's just as much a problem for LHD markets?

Getting this fixed is a big priority for safety so after a week of driving the 80 to/from work it's not off the road pending booking in for the repair. The Rampt kit is not expensive, but the big cost is labour and there's no way to tell exactly what's required until things are pulled apart.

 

[bugsnbikes]

Id weld it up and consider a supercharger and some 38’s....that should be cracking every 5 years vs 10 if you started driving it like you meant it.....

 

[sunrk]

Diesel engine so no supercharger. Running 33's (285/75r16) as that's the biggest size allowed without engineering approval here. I'm budgeting up to A$2k to get the repair done including shop time and any unforseen extra work that might be needed.

 

[jpoole]

I don't know if it's only a RHD problem though

Definitely a problem here with the LHD cruisers as well. More common with larger tires and hard wheeling but happens on mostly road rigs with stock tires too.

 

[SNLC]

Also more a problem on early 80’s as later got reinforcements inside the frame around the box mounts.

Cheers

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Goodluck with the repair, it sounds like it will be done correctly and professionally. If you weren't on the other side of the planet I would say buy the plates and swing by one weekend with a case of beer so we could get it welded up for you.

I am amazed this hasn't happened to either of my rigs, 91 and 97. Even after totalling the 91 with a serious front end collision that bent the frame, the frame still didn't crack in either locations.

 

[Railwelder93]

Yes. I had to weld up cracks on my LHD 93. If it cracks again I’ll plate it.

 

[White Stripe]

I had a tough time sourcing the pre made plates. Only ones were in Australia and I couldn't get shipping figured out. So I made my own.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Also more a problem on early 80’s as later got reinforcements inside the frame around the box mounts.

Cheers

Had the same cracking around the steering box on my 2002 hzj105

 

[jbee]

@inkpot and @richardlillard1 welded my 97 lx450 in that spot prophylactically.

 

[Feistl]

Wow, $2k is a bit extreme... I’ve welded up a couple of my 80s so far as preventative maintenance, and it’s not that big a job.

the plate to weld in is like $80 IIRC... and should be easily done in a day. I’d be surprised if it was more than like $700 total

 

[LINUS]

The old ‘97 LX450 I beat on cracked the frame spreader pipe to the LS framerail - I heard some new sound for a week or so & steering felt a little loose, was surprised when I found that.

But that 80 lived a hard life & was well used by the prior 2 owners before I even got it.

I weld, so I hotsie-ed the crap out of the area & a can of brake cleaner pre & post grinding open the crack to use the company stick welder on - I made sure it got a stout root pass.

I chose to build up & used a single triangulate ‘T’ plate over fishplates - I didn’t want to essentially “mask” the area.

I don’t mind plating, but doing it right either takes serious planning & execution, or let a frame guy who does those quite often handle it.

Like how you don’t just build a cage & weld the pipe end to a sheetmetal floor - Devil in the details.

 

[sunrk]

Placed called Rampt Customs makes the plate kits here and they an also fit them if they have space in their shop. lucky for me the shop next to theirs is run by a guy who used to work for them and who does a lot of classic car resto stuff and he's offered to fit me in. I guess RHD plate kits would need to be mirror-imaged for LHD 80's.

$2k is A$ not US$ and is a worst-case ballpark - remember shop labour isn't cheap and here in oz usually runs at $100+ per hr in most automotive workshops.

 

[inkpot]

@inkpot and @richardlillard1 welded my 97 lx450 in that spot prophylactically.

We have had to do this repair on a number of 80s, many of the 95, 96, and 97, like mine.

 

[Dave 2000]

Finding a chassis welder here in Spain was proving difficult when a client needed the steer and panhard mount needed doing on his 1990 80 from Germany, sure there is the welders of the 'rejas' or window bars people but it really is not up to snuff for a stressed area on a vehicle, so the get go now is tractor repair welders, those guys really know there stuff!

Regards

Dave