Jim dropped off his 25 for a rear sill and crossmember replacement. Destruction began today. Im using a CCOT early fj40 rear sill kit and modifying it for fj25 use.
Rear sill and crossmember replacement
- Thread starter foxfab
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when could I bring mine over
I meant to take "before" pictures before shipping it off to Mike's. The sill was the only place that was rusting. The rear crossmember was pretty twisted from an old accident, and had all kind of crap welded to it. John #1 sent me a nice replacement from a 40.
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- #4
crappy Android phone didnt post the rest of the pics. Lets try again... Destruction is pretty much complete other than a few rivets that I need to pop out.
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- #5
Pics of progress
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- #6
More pics
That's about the point that I'd be taking the rest of the body off.
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- #8
Ha ha. No need, its really clean otherwise.
pardion
SILVER Star
Hey Mike, did you cut the frame rivets off with that air chisel? If so I gotta get me one. John #3
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
I would be interested in this also. When dealing with rivets I had my best luck using good drill bits with a low RPM 1/2" drill. A large drill bit until the head is gone. Then a smaller one to drill out the center. Use a punch to knock it out. That not possible with the tub in the way. If you knock the head off with a air chisel how do you get the center out?
Mike please document and differences between the early FJ40 crossmember and the FJ25 crossmember. I do know on the FJ40 the rear spring perch is welded to the rear crossmember. THe FJ25 spring perch is smaller and forward enough that it doesn't need to be touched when replacing the rear crossmember.
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- #12
New rear crossmember back on. In typical fj25 fashion one of the rivet holes for the lower frame mounts
didnt line up with the fj40 crossmember so i just re drilled it. Jim got buttonhead allen bolts that i am using in place of rivets. That along with re welding the lower brackets will work well and will barely be noticeable except to this forums trained eye.
didnt line up with the fj40 crossmember so i just re drilled it. Jim got buttonhead allen bolts that i am using in place of rivets. That along with re welding the lower brackets will work well and will barely be noticeable except to this forums trained eye.
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- #13
For rivet removal, i cut both sides of the rivet off using either an air die grinder or my larger electric grinder with a cut off wheel. Then i used the air chisel with a pointed tip to knock em out. I had to use a long screw driver to punch out the upper rivet on the diagonal crossmembers. I punched out the bottom one and then went through that hole to pop the top one out. I also used the air chisel to separate the rear sill from the rear bed floor. Took minutes and worked great. But there wasnt much holding them together anyway.
I have to get my oxy acet tanks filled so I can heat up the frame rails and knock em back into place from the previous accident. They are a little kinked right where the diagonals attach to the frame on both sides.
I have to get my oxy acet tanks filled so I can heat up the frame rails and knock em back into place from the previous accident. They are a little kinked right where the diagonals attach to the frame on both sides.
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Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Not sure how I could get to the top rivets with the tub on. That would be a big help in removing the head from the top rivets with the sill gone. The ones on the angle further up did you lift the tub off the frame to get at the top? Getting to rivet heads inside the crossmember had to be a pain even with the sill cut off. Springs, spring perch and plate springs perches are welded to are all going to make it harder. It was much earier getting the FJ40 crossmember apart. I just used a sawzal and cut the frame infront of the angle. Then cut the four bolts for the body mounts. Pop the shackles off and it was easy to get to all the rivets.
pardion
SILVER Star
I guess I'll still use the Victor wrench and a punch. As Elmer Fudd would say, "be very very carefull"
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Not sure how all that heat would effect the paint on the tub. It also wasn't mention about rear body mounts. Or back east has rust taken care of that. With everything exposed using two sizes of good metal drill bits and a punch works really well. Any marks left on the frame are covered by the button head bolts. Hardest part was grinding the back of the spring perches without damaging the bottom of the crossmember. This isn't a issue on the FJ25 since the smaller spring perches are further foward and not welded to the crossmember.
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- #17
The rear crossmember was welded to the lower plates
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Your saying the three holes in the plates for the rivets had no rivets but instead the plates were welded to the rear crossmember? By my count there should have been fourteen rivets that needed to be removed. I believe I removed eighteen but I also remove the spring perch plate from the frame making it easier to get the side rail out.
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- #19
There were three rivets on each plate per side as well as a weld bead run across the frame rail on each side. My 25 had the same weld so im pretty sure it is a factory weld.
From memory i think there were 14 rivets total to remove. Three on lower plate, two on upper part of crossmember, and the two for the diagonals per side
From memory i think there were 14 rivets total to remove. Three on lower plate, two on upper part of crossmember, and the two for the diagonals per side
All the holes lined up without taking the kink out first? This is too easy. 
J is going to drop off my torch and shiny half tanks at your place sometime.
I am surprised it went together because I think the crossmember was pushed in much further in and pulled out previously, considering the front of the diagonals were busted off the frame at the rivets.
John, I think maybe these rivets are the ones that may be confusing. The head is mostly underneath the spring perch underneath. If Mike doesn't toss the old crossmember I'll take pics of it on top of my 40 frame.........yes, the other project is still a bare frame.
J is going to drop off my torch and shiny half tanks at your place sometime. I am surprised it went together because I think the crossmember was pushed in much further in and pulled out previously, considering the front of the diagonals were busted off the frame at the rivets.
John, I think maybe these rivets are the ones that may be confusing. The head is mostly underneath the spring perch underneath. If Mike doesn't toss the old crossmember I'll take pics of it on top of my 40 frame.........yes, the other project is still a bare frame.
