mvusse Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Have been hearing some creaking in the front for a bit now, thinking it was suspension parts. Then yesterday on the way home (after forklift flex to check some remaining clearance issues) the steering felt loose, and there was wobble. Side to side wobble, but not severe enough to be called DW. I would probably think it was DW if I had not experienced actual DW before. Obvious culprit would be the track bar. But all seems to be tight. I then do a thorough examination of the entire steering and front suspension systems, as well as the frame. THE #@%&$#* FRAME RIPPED RIGHT OVER TOP OF A STEERING BOX BOLT! :headpop: :fs1: :ack: :grrrr: :fs2: My tow hook bracket and sway bar bracket both straddle the rip, helping hold it together and (hopefully) preventing it from ripping further. Truck will be parked until this is fixed. Current plan is to cut two pieces of 1/4 steel, and sandwich the frame between them from the very front, back up to the tract bar bracket. Problem is, Saturday I have a cook out to go to, Sunday is my oldest daughter's graduation, I need to get the Strasburg Corn Fest web pages updated and I'm supposed to take my POS off road next weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhill Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 that sux. I'm pretty sure ive seen braces that go from the steering gear to the otherside of hte frame to keep this from happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Make sure you stop-drill the crack and probably seam-weld it before doing the plating. In case you weren't planning to already. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Corn fest? Well $#!&, you can't miss that, better get working on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89eliminator Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 its probably cause of that aussie you put in. too much stress on the front end. its probably wise to give that to me instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 I'll trade you straight up. my front axle for your rear one. :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I'll trade you straight up. my front axle for your rear one. :brows: But then how will you be able to steer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 It's fairly common for cracking to develop from those 3 bolt holes, on either side, or for the bolts to actually pull through the frame. I'd weld plates over each side... 1/8" would be minimum. 3/16" would be a nice thickness. Stop drill the crack (I'd drill about 1/8"), weld it up, grind it smooth. Put a bunch of 3/8" holes in the plates to rosette it all over the place. End the plates in fishtails and weld the snot out of 'em. Should be good. I guess the C-ROK (sp?) steering box brace would be a good starting place if you want to take the easy way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 It's fairly common for cracking to develop from those 3 bolt holes, on either side, or for the bolts to actually pull through the frame. I'd weld plates over each side... 1/8" would be minimum. 3/16" would be a nice thickness. Stop drill the crack (I'd drill about 1/8"), weld it up, grind it smooth. Put a bunch of 3/8" holes in the plates to rosette it all over the place. End the plates in fishtails and weld the snot out of 'em. Should be good. I guess the C-ROK (sp?) steering box brace would be a good starting place if you want to take the easy way out. X2!!! THEN, fix the freakin' gate now that the cows are out... BUY/MAKE A STEERING BRACE!!! :shake: :wavey: :shake: :eek: :D CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Here is what you do to fix it. 1. Drive out of the rust belt. 2. Buy a rust free Comanche. 3. Drive home. 4. Swap anything of value from "Rusty" onto your new Jeep 5. Sell whats left of the 2 There you go. Rust is a cancer, no matter how many band-aids you put on it, its still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 That is the plan for when this one completely falls apart underneath me. For now this truck is still useful to me, showing me all the weak spots one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Same here. My 88 is rusty as all get out, but it's no big deal to patch each hole/weakness with non-rust-able materials (or armor) as I find them. And I'll never ever bring a clean MJ to Michigan again (although, admittedly I wasn't the one that brought my 86 here, I just didn't take enough precautions to keep it clean). That's just a death sentence for the poor truck. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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