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Rear frame end advice needed

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Rear frame end advice needed
8

82Laredo

Jeeper
Posts
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Location
Wake Forest, NC
Vehicle(s)
1982 CJ7 Laredo - 4.2L, T5, factory 3.30's
1993 Z28 M6 - bolt-ons, cam, s-trim w/alky = 488rwhp
My project of replacing shackle bushings/shocks took a typical CJ turn when removing the right rear shackle perch. The nut broke loose inside the frame, so I removed the rear crossmember to access it and found more rust than anticipated, plus a couple small holes.

Would you order the replacement end frames for one side, both sides, or just make a patch to weld in where there's holes?

View attachment 19815

View attachment 19817

^ Right side with holes

View attachment 19818

^left side

I'm concerned with the pitting on the sides of the inside as well. Thoughts and advise appreciated!
 
Do those frame sections go over the original frame or is it a cut a splice in project? My frame is fine, but I've always wondered about these.
 
You cut the bottom half off and weld it to the top/upper half of sides
 
I'd be ck'n the rest of the frame first-------.
LG
 
Where I come from that's a decent looking frame. If it were me I'd repair the nut, cut out the bad area, and burn in some new steel, or patch it. Coat the frame inside, and out with rust encapsolator (eastwood) or something similar and be done with it, no need to spent that kind of money IMO.


This is rust, (52 Willys pickup), I cut out the bad, and burnt in some knew steel.


framerot.webp


SBFRAME-1.webp


000_0297.webp


SBFRAME2-1.webp


000_0294-1.webp
 
Last edited:
^you have some skill, doesn't look like your first time! You wouldn't be concerned with how thinned out the side walls are?


Lumpy Grits said:
I'd be ck'n the rest of the frame first-------.
LG
Click to expand...


The rest of the frame looks good as does the body, so I was shocked to find it this bad.
 
82Laredo said:
My project of replacing shackle bushings/shocks took a typical CJ turn when removing the right rear shackle perch. The nut broke loose inside the frame, so I removed the rear crossmember to access it and found more rust than anticipated, plus a couple small holes.

Would you order the replacement end frames for one side, both sides, or just make a patch to weld in where there's holes?

View attachment 19815

View attachment 19817

^ Right side with holes

View attachment 19818

^left side

I'm concerned with the pitting on the sides of the inside as well. Thoughts and advise appreciated!
Click to expand...
That's not good
 
82Laredo said:
^you have some skill, doesn't look like your first time! You wouldn't be concerned with how thinned out the side walls are?.
Click to expand...

As mentioned cut out the bad spots and weld in new steel. Match the factory frame specs, inside c-channel is 1/8, outside is 3/16".
 
Thanks for the advise. Since I'm a novice welder/fabricator I decided to go with the prefabbed kit for simplicity and the fact that it'll be hard for me to screw it up. I got them in for both sides on Monday and hope to start this weekend if the wife gives me some shop time lol. I'll update as I make progress.

Thanks again!
 
After seeing your pictures, I would advise you to take a serious look at your rear shackles. Here's a picture of mine, and I didn't have any of the frame rust you have. :eek:

WP_20150127_001_zps564f9070.webp
 
^mine were not that bad but I did replace. Here is the end result. I'm happy with it and learned a lot.

View attachment 19970
 
82Laredo said:
So this has been a slow going affair but I'm getting close. I shortened one of the the caps, and it took a lot of grinding on the frame to get them to "slip on" easily. I slapped some bondo on my newb welds that will be visible to make them look better. Ended up buying a new rear crossmember since the original was bent pretty bad and had some rust.

View attachment 19962

View attachment 19963

View attachment 19964

View attachment 19965

View attachment 19966
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this. Makes me feel better about my '82. It's in about the same condition.
 
See - THIS is what I should have done.... Nice job. When I was looking for frame repair pieces, all I saw at the time were the three sided (bottom and sides) sections that just slid up from the bottom and covered the rear frame sections. I didn't care for that much as it left a lot of the rot in place. Had I run across these I would been driving the snot outta mine...... But no, I had to replace the whole frame.

Newb or not, that looks like an outstanding job to me
 
^thank you sir. So I finished it up this week. The exhaust had rusted through at a couple places and broke completely off at the catalytic converter at the end of last year. I ordered a new system from 4 wheel parts, and come to find out it it won't work with a 20 gallon tank (not stated on website). It is made to come straight out the back between the shackle and tank, so I made two cuts, changed the angle, and welded to bring it out behind the tire. Just need to do one last visual inspection of everything I've touched. To my surprise the exhaust is sealed despite my booger welds lol

View attachment 20037

View attachment 20038

View attachment 20039

This completes what started as a simple front/rear shackle bushings and shocks job. Time to clean her up and put her in the house garage for the season! Next task is steering gear, electric fuel pump, and wheels/tires.
 
82Laredo said:
To my surprise the exhaust is sealed despite my booger welds lol
Click to expand...

Everybody has to start somewhere. Get some scrap pieces of metal and practice your welding. The more you do the better you'll become. Over all looks like a very nice job. :)
 
I have found that the welders work'n the muffler shops to be among the best there is!
They all had a 'first-day'.......
LG
 
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