Unforeseen Frame damage, what should I do??? (3 Viewers)

[hisandhers80s]

I decided to remove the giant ARB bumper and winch from the front of the 80 so I had easier access to the engine while working on it. After removing the bumper, I found these giant cracks or broken welds, or whatever is actually going on here. I am just wondering what Mud thinks is the best way to deal with this? I cleaned the rust off the frame as best I could, and sprayed it with primer to keep more rust at bay while trying to figure this out.

 

[jpoole]

Passenger side pretty clearly looks like someone cut that "crack". Driver side is a little less clear but looks like another cut attempt but possibly with the cutting torch, or whatever was used, oriented horizontally.

There are ways to fill/weld those up but you have to consider the impact of putting that heat/tension into the frame and the actual necessity of doing this work given the bumper you have mounted and likely loads on the frame in this location. I'm sure you'll get valuable input on your options soon.

 

[TRDdrew]

Someone got happy with a cutting torch. They can be welded up, shouldnt be that big of a job.

 

[hisandhers80s]

Glad to see that everyone is not telling me I am completely screwed! Looking forward to figuring out what my options are!

 

[Irish Reiver]

Lots of posts on here about how difficult some ARBs can be to fit. Lots of persuasion required in many cases. I guess someone found a torch before patience and decided to have at it.
It doesn't look too difficult to weld up but will take some skill to ensure the frame horn doesn't buckle slightly which, if it did, would put you back at step 1 with the ARB not fitting.

 

[bhsdriller]

I'd just put the bumper back on and continue working

 

[jkeithw]

Lots of posts on here about how difficult some ARBs can be to fit. Lots of persuasion required in many cases. I guess someone found a torch before patience and decided to have at it.

that's exactly what happened. (should've used a porta-power to stretch the bumper instead)

 

[hisandhers80s]

I do not think I am putting the ARB bumper back on. I have two 80's and am going to put this one on my wife's 80 that we use more for camping.

 

[Railwelder93]

I’d probably weld it up, but only because I have the gear to do that easily. I don’t lose sleep over welding on frames. I also wouldn’t lose sleep over pushing the bumper right back on over top of that, but I have had a lot of the Land Cruiser OCD wear off in the last few years. There was a time where I would have spazzed if I saw that too lol

 

[NeverFinis]

Looks good enough from my house.

I would weld it and run it.

 

[hisandhers80s]

Looks good enough from my house.

I would weld it and run it.

I just bought a multi-process welder, but am teaching myself to weld. I may see how quickly I come along, but may also have a body shop weld it up for me so I don't goof it up.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

If it were mine I would just install whatever bumper I wanted and leave it alone unless it was preventing the installation of the bumper.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

Frames on light trucks are not hardened. I'd weld it up and move on.

 

[Railwelder93]

Do whatever makes you feel good, but I certainly wouldn’t bother paying anyone to weld it. It will probably go unnoticed forever unless you try to winch down an office building with your hitch chained to a locomotive.

 

[Marvelicious]

Yep, I'm with everyone else.

• That's not a crack or rust, that's low quality cutting torch work, Looks like they may have been trying to shorten the front frame horns to tuck that bumper back a bit?
• It's mild steel. Practice your welds and weld it up.

 

[ppc]

Currently the strength of that frame horn has been compromised. With the bumper off welding that will be a simple task and will restore much of the strength.

For those of you just want to ignore it, is just being cheap and lazy I have to ask why even install a bumper in the first place. The reason is for protecting the rest of the vehicle and passengers. Take a hit on that corner, there will be less damage and lower repair costs with it repaired.

 

[Rednexus]

That's a pretty big gap to fill with weld. If it were mine I'd either 1) cut off the damaged piece entirely and fabricate a new frame horn to weld on (assuming it's not a US standard square tubing size, I'd probably bend it in two halves out of flat stock a press brake, then clamp the halves together and weld into a single frame horn piece) or 2) clean up the cuts with a cutoff wheel so they are even and insert a piece of angle into the frame behind each cut to bridge the gap, and then weld it to the frame with one bead on each cut/angle interface. Option 2) would probably be the easiest, and would not be a hard job for a first-time welder. If you are new at welding I'd suggest using flux core wire for it so you don't have to mess with gas settings quite yet (note that flux core runs reverse polarity from a standard MIG welder).

 

[Mandrake]

2) clean up the cuts with a cutoff wheel so they are even and insert a piece of angle into the frame behind each cut to bridge the gap, and then weld it to the frame with one bead on each cut/angle interface.

I'll second this approach. It's the least invasive, adds metal where it's needed, and will also prevent blowing through the frame if you get a bit spicy with the amps. If the bumper's ever used as a recovery point, you want that part of the frame to be as beefy as possible.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Currently the strength of that frame horn has been compromised. With the bumper off welding that will be a simple task and will restore much of the strength.

For those of you just want to ignore it is just being cheap and lazy I have to ask why even install a bump in the first place. The reason is for protecting the rest of the vehicle and passengers. Take a hit on that corner, there will be less damage and lower repair costs.

It sure seems to me like any forces the frame would receive in a wreck with an aftermarket bumper would be directed into the frame in such a way that the damage posted wouldn't change the outcome.

 

[ppc]

It sure seems to me like any forces the frame would receive in a wreck with an aftermarket bumper would be directed into the frame in such a way that the damage posted wouldn't change the outcome.

Even in a strictly front end square hit the frame is compromised. Hit from the side or at an angle and that frame horn will have no strength and fold in against the fender.