Need help/advice quickly!

[manderson2228]

Looking at buying my first CJ7 .. Everything on it was looking great until i saw a half moon crack in the frame around where the front shock attaches to the frame. My guess is front tire hit something jolted it back and it cracked. Is this a big deal? Would a weld fix it and we are good to go or should this be considered a deal breaker.

Any guesses on estimated repair cost to get a welder in there to fix it would be appreciated!

 

[iCEMAN]

Myself I would double check the rest of the frame. Sounds to me like there is some weakness there.

Without pics, not sure how extensive the crack is, but for myself, I would at the least plate the spot to make sure of the repair. Since it is where the shock mounts, seems to me it would have a lot of stress in that area, making it prone to another failure.

 

[Old Dog]

Have to agree with iceman, check the rest of the frame REALLY good around the rest of the spring mounts front and back.
If thats the only one you can find it shouldn't be hard to fix.
Pics would be nice if possable.

 

[kicknjeep]

X3 on what has been said..

 

[IOPort51]

frames are not supposed to crack, they are supposed to bend. How many miles??

 

[LongHorn]

Metal work-hardening AKA metal fatigue, is not pretty or curable short of a replacement frame.

 

[IOPort51]

Roger that Horn;
It would take one hell of a lot of vibration/pounding to work harden a frame but once it is , it is. you could come un put together at the very most awkward moment.

Pictures would be nice but I would approach this one with extreme caution and be careful when you crawl under it!

 

[BajaEdition]

how much time and effort do you want to put into this Jeep
A lot of us here will pull a jeep down to the frame and do repairs,

After all it is an off road vehicle so it can have frame damage

I will tell you this, any early CJ owner can tell you that the c channel frames we are damned with all need help. One of our big projects is to pull bodies and box the frame. or at least take the frame and reinforce and repair it.

You just have to decide what is up and your desire to keep it up.

Read around this forum and you will see a few threads about frame repair, it is not uncommon.

It is a good way to get him down on the price.

 

[Old Dog]

Cracks in cj frames are pretty common, at least with people I know. Most just weld them up with plates and go on with life.

 

[kicknjeep]

alot of good advise here, Is the crack a broken weld? if not is it due to stress on the frame (time/age)? OR is it a result of an abused Jeep (hard jump/ landing...) in that case is frame bent?.. Pics would deff help to determine cause and if worth "YOUR" time to fool with it or keep looking.

 

[manderson2228]

Guys thanks for all the advice.. Sorry I haven't posted back, i've been traveling actually in London right now.. I spoke with the guy and he had a friend that does welding on race cars and had all the equipment to do so. He took it to him and had it welded and I bought it.. So I am a member of the jeep club! Thanks for all the advice!

 

[kicknjeep]

He is going to inspect the rest of the frame and fix anything else that may need it right?.