View Single Post
  #29  
Old 10-09-2014, 11:57 PM
Gojeep's Avatar
Gojeep Gojeep is offline
MetalShaper of the Month March 2015, March 2020,, June 2022,Aug 2023
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Eastern Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,987
Default


Need a cross member to go between the frame rails where the coil mounts are to stop them twisting. Decided to make one out of two originals rather than just a piece of tubing. Rather than run them stock like shown, will flip them upside down so they can support the floor of the bed as well.


Have cut them down to length and will shorten the ends up to match the rail height. Can just see what I will cut out.


Bent to the new shape keeping the curve smooth to flow better with the rest of the cross member.


Need to remove this indentation as wont match up once both cross members are welded together back to back.


I cut up the middle of the indentation and then out to the sides in a T shape. Then hammered the flange flat ready to weld it. The semi-circular hole was just filled with weld by placing copper behind it to stop the weld falling through.


Cut fill patches from the ends which were cut off the same cross members.


The cross member already had some bend in it and got worse after welding the patches in


Placed it in the press and went from one end to the other using only about 1 ton of pressure and it brought it out nice and straight.


Just trimming the width of the cross members the same amount to get the overall width I was after. Using a back-gauge so that even if the cross members are not perfectly straight, it can be made so as the two halves are tacked together.


I made this back-gauge about 30 years ago from some scrap lying around. The bit that makes the mark is just a piece of broken drill bit held in place with a set screw.


All tacked together with the joint bevelled and a small gap left for full penetration


Also hammered the flange up slightly so it would pull square once welded.


Think this looks better than just a piece of square tubing. Also prefer to use as much as possible from the old chassis's so nothing goes to waste. Also makes registration easier here.

The rise in the middle will give extra diff clearance at full compression too.
__________________
Marcus
aka. Gojeep
Victoria, Australia
http://willyshotrod.com

Invention is a combination of brains and materials.
The more brains you use, the less materials you need.

Last edited by Gojeep; 08-01-2017 at 03:03 AM.
Reply With Quote