front chassis crossmember (1 Viewer)

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May 5, 2010
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g'day all. im working on a 1964 fj45 which is mostly rust free except for the front chassis crossmember underneath the radiator. so i've got a question. has anyone had experience replacing this crossmember? i was thinking perhaps if i removed the bumper and undid engine mounts along one side i could spread the chassis rails enough to replace the crossmember? anyone done this?
 
I decided not to do it, but finding a replacement frame is a lot easier than for a 45. ;) I also thought I had a buyer for the unused front crossmember, until I logged on and saw where you are. :lol:

It "looked" like you could remove the rivets and knock it out the front. Of course that would be much easier working on a bare frame. My next concern after freeing the old one was getting the replacement back in between the inner and outer frame rails. That's when I discovered one of the inner rails was rusty also, and I abandoned the idea.

Mike (foxfab) or Jason (fogblanket) did something similar on the 45LV. Mike had the Saginaw power steering conversion that replaced the front crossmember, not sure if he installed it, or Jason did after he got the 45.
 
Not so sure if finding a a FJ40 frame is easier than FJ45 in OZ. A 64 could be short wheel base or long wheel base? A long wheel base I guess would be easier than a FJ40. The bell crank changed here in the US until early in 1969 not sure what when on with the RHD. I wouldn't think changing that part of the frame could be that hard. Grind/drill/punch the old rivits out. Use a porta-power to get it spead apart a little. I would place the frame on blocks just behind the springs. This will keep the frame from sagging and getting out of alinement during the process. Of course the bib and radiator would have to be removed.
 
thanks for your replies.

there are 45 wrecks laying on farmers dumps everywhere in my part of aus. the 45 chassis peculiar to about 1961 to 1964 is not very common at all but by my measurements the same front crossmember carried on for several years afterwards and i have a later one as possible replacement. i am not attempting a nut and bolt restoration here just a thorough mechanical tidy up to make things sumwhat oiltight and roadworthy while retaining the faded scratched character body. this crossmember is the only chassis damage and i was wondering if anyone had attempted such a procedure with cab on and motor in?

while on chassis i have been recently studying photos of cammos fj28 and his crossmember seems different to other 25s i have seen.

on another topic do you boys have a replacement source for the original fibrous strips used as a connecting bank where the headlights parkers and flickers meet the wiring harness? i not having much luck finding same in aus and rather retain them than go the obvious and sensible generic plastic replacement path.
 
while on chassis i have been recently studying photos of cammos fj28 and his crossmember seems different to other 25s i have seen.

on another topic do you boys have a replacement source for the original fibrous strips used as a connecting bank where the headlights parkers and flickers meet the wiring harness? i not having much luck finding same in aus and rather retain them than go the obvious and sensible generic plastic replacement path.


The different front crossmember was a pre mid 1960 thing. I have a few 1960 FJ25s. The earlier ones have a different front crossmember. The later one have one thatis basically the same as the FJ4X.

I think your talking about the terminal strips that are bolted to the inner fenders and the point where the head light and turn signals connect to the main harness. I don't have a source I just collected my own junk yard over the years for parts.
 
Jason did the xmember swap on his 45LV. It was a Bob Firestein manufactured part. I'm not sure if he's still making them though.

Terminal blocks are still available at the dealership.
 

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