Trail Damage

[Riad]

OK guys, here it goes. Twisted the middle bracket for the DS slider. 2 Ubolts are totally done. I guess I can get replacement Ubolts or some thing similar. But what's the best way to fix the middle slider bracket. Any way I could straighten it out or I have to cut and weld it? It is twisted towards the left like this " \ ". The proper position is this " | ". Problem is the top hole of the bracket doesn't have anough clearance for the U-bolt to go through. I guess I could may be grind the top hole to make it longer but not sure if that's a good idea.

Watcha ya'll think?

 

[NorCalDoug]

what the hell did you hit?

 

[Riad]

A rock

 

[Riad]

You need to go to this thread, find the video and watch it. Then you will unerstand what did I hit . Unfortunately don't have any pictures yet.

 

[PabloVTA]

anyway you could get a screen grab so I dont have to plug up my work's internet connection downloading your 184 MG file?

I'd get a cherry blossom, torch it and then twist it back into shape.
Wreck it good a couple more times, and then cut it out and reweld later.

 

[Tapage]

Nice .. nice video .. thanks for sharing ..

I like the par with your buddy stuck with it control arm .. heavy right foot .

 

[cruiserdan]

Maybe Christo could supply you with a new outrigger that you could weld in?

I think you are the first to hit a slider hard enough to really hurt it.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Riad, it's hard to see from the pic, but perhaps the arm can be cut off and rewelded into position. I have lots of cutting tools. We could get Seb to reweld it?

 

[Riad]

Yeah, I would like to get the leg (if available) and some spare ubolts and simply cut, weld and bolt it back on. It was an awkward position/situation. The peak of the rock was blunt and slightly smaller in diameter than the middle leg's inside wall diameter. So it was a perfect fit for the rock. Within the leg wall, resides the ubolt and the nut+washers. So when the peak of the rock got in there, it simply shattered the ubolt, caused the middle leg to come loose. According to the guys, there were sparks. Then when I tried to backup, the leg was twisted. I found the broken piece of the ubolt with the nut hiding under the rock. The sliders are plenty strong without any doubt, this is my 3rd time in that trail. The truck was sitting on the rock as if it was jacked up by it. So after ubolt came loose, the combination of impact, the weight and the force has caused this.

Any ho, I'm gonna call Christo and get these stuff ordered.

 

[Riad]

Riad, it's hard to see from the pic, but perhaps the arm can be cut off and rewelded into position. I have lots of cutting tools. We could get Seb to reweld it?

I thought of doing that. I even thought of heating it and bend it back up (like Pablo mentioned above). But not sure. That would be great though. If you can, let's hook up later in the week ( or weekend if you are free). I can't get a hold of Seb. Give me a call or I can call you.

Thanks Dan..

 

[Blue77FJ40]

You can get the ubolts made at the truck spring shop in Hyattsville. I go there for spares. Just take them the old ones, and they'll make new. Can't think of the name at the moment...

Let me know if you need help cutting the arm off.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

My bad, it's Bladensburg, not Hyattsville. Here's the info:

R & S Auto & Truck Springworks: 5001 Windom Rd, Bladensburg, 20710 -
301/864-5805

 

[Riad]

Thanks a lot Dan, I'm gonna give'em a call and see if I can swing by this weekend. Meanwhile, budd of mine just picked up the slider here from work to fix it. I have decided to simply straighten it for now. So that's what he's gonna do.

Thanks everyone

 

[Riad]

OK, so after some serious heating and pounding, we've got the leg straight. Much appreciation and thanks to Christo for sending those u-bolts. Also went down to R & S springs and had them make me 4 more u-bolts in same size. So thanks Dan. Man those legs are immensely strong! Took us 3 hours of heating and pounding. Later on I also found some small dent in the frame where the u-bolt corner touches the frame. Anyway here's the finished picture. Thanks every one.

 

[Rich]

Next time along with the heat, use a piece of fat pipe, tube, or 4x4 spacer with a hydraulic jack instead of the hammer.

Regarding the tweaked frame, I never did like how the u bolts concentrate the impact stress on the frame. I think a thick flat plate to spread out the load would be better.

 

[landtank]

The discussion of which is better, weld on or bolt on, just came to mind.

 

[concretejungle]

Rick, kinda' not a fair comparisson since he didn't have a bolt in, so the overall strength was compromised.

 

[Riad]

I have talked to number of folks about welding it on, every one suggested no to do that. I guess it is because of any potential issue. Well, now I've got all 3 bolts back on nice and tight. Hopefully I don't get hung up again.

 

[frankies off road]

Proto slider mount #2

 

[Riad]

I have thought of putting plates like that on the other side of the frame instead of u-bolts. It might not be a bad idea to replace all the u-bolts with some thing like those. Let me know if sell the plates by themselves, I might be interested.

Thanks