Rear Frame Shock Support Cracked Loose (1 Viewer)

[zakthor]

1. Driving along loving my cruiser, an 84 bj60. Stock tires, 2.5" OME lift.
2. Going through a parking lot with those little steep speed bumps, maybe 3" high. Light load, just 2 spare tires and some tools in the back. After running over the third little speedbump at 15mph I hear this growling sound coming from the back.
3. My first guess, the exhaust has broken.
4. Car is handling a little strange. Feels like the passenger side rear shock is softer than the driver's side.
5. Stop and check - there is a tube that runs across the width of the car between the frame rails between the rear wheels - the rear shocks bolt to it. That tube has cracked loose from the frame.
6. The passenger side has broken clear away, there is a gap of an inch or so.
7. The driver side is now cracking itself free.
8. My frame rails seem very solid, no rust at all.
9. The tube that cracked loose looks like it was added later and there is rust on the driver side. PO did mention that the frame was new to the vehicle, the frame came from that sunny land o California. Maybe a different model that used a different suspension support? My truck is a 1984 bj60, can anyone ID the frame, the frame crosspiece?
10. Seems like another sturdy piece could be constructed and bolted into place.
11. Alternative, I can get another similar tube welded back onto the frame. Clearly the previous attempt didn't work. The passenger side which is seriously broken shows no rust but the metal looks really crappy with lots of voids. I'm guessing it was welded. Then again it could just be old and fatigued. Or it could be that this joint needs heat treatment or something after being welded. I dunno.
12. Question for you sages, what is the right way to repair this?
13. And what is the way you would do it?
14. While I'm at it, I bet I could improve something about the shock placement to allow for shocks with longer travel?

• Have attempted to attach pics.

Oh, one more question: what can I do in short term to make is safe to drive. Figure I can wire up the tube to the frame so it doesn't come loose. Also protect that line that goes just above the broken piece.

 

[inkpot]

Pretty sure that is an original part. Just happen to rust out. Pretty common on 60s. Your frame appears to be heavily painted/coated, so it may be hard to do a good inspection for rust in other areas. Not a big deal to weld in a new one. Can be fabbed up, just don't forget to keep the upper shock studs in the same place.

 

[mongoose2231]

I just bought a frame with truck attached to combat problem. See my build thread to see my cross member. There is an easy fix discussed here on this forum. I was gona take that approach but the rest of my frame is bad so I elected to swap it

 

[dbleon]

You may want to also poke around on the frame to see if there is any further rot; specifcally around the spring hangers, etc.

Thats a bummer, good luck!