PSA: Check your frames, gents (24 Viewers)

[lelandEOD]

My truck was a pavement princess it's entire life until about three years ago. It's only done two trips on the Rubicon and I don't believe I'm especially rough on the steering system. I've also been fighting a bit of death wobble this past year and I'm now wondering if this is the culprit since everything else under the front end is new.

I first noticed this hairline crack while the truck was in the shop for exhaust fabrication.

We ground out the crack and put a root weld down while waiting for the DVS frame reinforcement kit to arrive.

Well, this morning we came in and found this:

 

[lelandEOD]

It's really stressing me out!

 

[thetoyotaman]

Keep us posted!

 

[OGBeno]

Pretty sure we’ve known about this now for about 20 years if not more if you include the pounding the Ozzie’s have been giving the 80 series since 1990.

 

[Marco Lau]

My last trip to Fordyce, this happened as well. it lasted 8 yrs playing in the rocks, 3 Rubicon Trip, 2 Moab trips, 2 Fordyce trip and many many others in between....

 

[landtank]

After dealing with this I had a friend of mine get the plates installed on his truck.

 

[Marvelicious]

My truck was a pavement princess it's entire life until about three years ago. It's only done two trips on the Rubicon and I don't believe I'm especially rough on the steering system. I've also been fighting a bit of death wobble this past year and I'm now wondering if this is the culprit since everything else under the front end is new.

I first noticed this hairline crack while the truck was in the shop for exhaust fabrication.

View attachment 4002438

We ground out the crack and put a root weld down while waiting for the DVS frame reinforcement kit to arrive.

Well, this morning we came in and found this:

View attachment 4002442

I'll bet there was some hairline cracking you weren't seeing.

Are you familiar with "non destructive testing"? One of the easiest methods for the average dude to do is dye-penetrant testing. You can buy the materials at any welding shop and there are YouTube videos on how it's done. There's a bit of a knack to knowing the difference between a crack and something that just trapped some dye in an odd spot, but I think it's worth it for a location like that that has seen 30 years of repeated stress.

 

[reklund5]

I'll bet there was some hairline cracking you weren't seeing.

Are you familiar with "non destructive testing"? One of the easiest methods for the average dude to do is dye-penetrant testing. You can buy the materials at any welding shop and there are YouTube videos on how it's done. There's a bit of a knack to knowing the difference between a crack and something that just trapped some dye in an odd spot, but I think it's worth it for a location like that that has seen 30 years of repeated stress.

Do you really ask the EOD guy if he's familiar with *NON* destructive testing?

 

[Marvelicious]

Do you really ask the EOD guy if he's familiar with *NON* destructive testing?

Well, occasionally, you want things to be in ONE piece when you're done with them.

 

[MooseMichaels]

I need to check mine. Steering has been wander-y for a while and I’ve been chasing ghosts trying to stop that.

 

[lelandEOD]

We're on it!

 

[LongDuck]

Not a booger weld in sight.

 

[Mag71k5]

Yall know how to make a guy paranoid lol. Just checked mine. Fine for now. @lelandEOD that kit looks BEEFY. Something ill have to invest in sooner, rather than later.

 

[reklund5]

Jeezus. I may well have held mine on with bubblegum- and mine looks good.

That is weld-porn for sure. bet it won't fall off anytime soon

 

[MooseMichaels]

Came here to say exactly what the others said - THAT is the way to do it. That ain't goin nowhere.

 

[lelandEOD]

Not a booger weld in sight.

Hey, when your TIG welding buddy says, "let's do butt stuff", the appropriate response should be "spandex or peanut butter?"