Shock absorber mount and rear crossmember - sugestions please

[CMack]

I have a couple of cases of PO engineering and need some suggestions.

Here is the rear shock absorber mount. It looks like the threaded part has been cut off.


It's not as rusty as it looks in the photo. Question: can I drill a small hole and use a large washer and cotter pin to hold the shock on, or does it need replaced? If it needs replaced, does anybody have a source? I've checked Walck's, Kaiser-Willys and JC Whitney and can't find anything there.

Second PO modification: The rear crossmember:


The sides have been cut of so the previous owner could attach the world's ugliest bumper (check out my build thread for pics). As a result, there is nothing to support the sides of the body. Obviously, this need replaced. I'm thinking I could fashion one out of heavy gauge rectangle tubing. Big no-no or will it work?

Also, both these parts are riveted on. Can the replacements be bolted, or do I need to make another post to get some riveting instruction?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Peanut Butter]

Bolts are fine, tubing is fine. But no go on the cotter pins.....too much force at play. Lower mount is part of the bottom spring plate on most jeeps. Top would need to be gotton from a junk yard, given the right ones may not need to be AMC. Pop the riverts out for replacement. If all else fails, a GOOD welder could repair the exsisting mount. Rod

 

[CMack]

Thanks. That's kinda what I figured on the cotter pins. But good to know on the rear crossmember.

 

[tarry99]

You can buy those shock mounts and replace them.........they are a bear to get off.......first you need to cut the head off the rivet with a cutoff wheel or you slice through the complete existing mount and take them both off at once........then drill the center of the rivet out to about 1/4" or 5/16" and then drive it out with a punch.
Or you can see if you can just replace the threaded shaft only and re-weld it in place..............either way you have to do a little surgery.....

 

[mstar]

OK, not to be a knowitall but, the early jeep shocks were held on with a cotter pin and large washer.Just thought you would like to know.I would go ahead and remove the upper shock mount and replace it. If you can't find a replacement any fabricator worth a darn can make a new one with out a lot of trouble.I would also remove the rear x=member and install new correct piece.Thats what I would do ,others may have a different slant on it.Remember your working on a classic vehicle that will require more time and money than it should.At least that is how I feel about it.It's fifty years old and deserves some respect. mike

 

[CMack]

Thanks both. I've found some replacement shock absorber mounts on the EBay. But.....if I didn't replace, it's that much more towards a new crossmember. Or I could build the crossmember, but mstar is working on my conscience......

I thought I'd seen a pic somewhere of a cotter pin and washer holding a shock on. I've looked for a pin hole and haven't found one. Makes me think a PO got nutty with a hack saw.

 

[mstar]

Sorry about getting on the soap box.Woody's 4x4 in Vancouver, Wash. as a pile of old frames in there yard.May be able to get them to cut off parts u need.Just a idea.I was looking thru them a couple years ago and found a pristine V-6 era frame for $500.Still thinking about buying it. I notice yours has the add on coil overloads. Mine had coils welded to the axle housing
as it was used as a spray rig and had tank in back. Talk about abuse!
Looks to be a great project. mike s.

 

[JR74CJ5]

I built my rear crossmember / bumper from an old forklift extension...

Check it out...

Here's the thread: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/rear-towing-bumper-info-9082/
Here's where the building starts...

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/rear-towing-bumper-info-9082/index2.html#post76960

I like building stuff for my rig. I try to plan out what I'll need and build it my way so I'm not Limited by what's already there. I don't plan on being rid of it until I'm too old to drive it


~ Jr

 

[mstar]

Looks great JR. Nice fabricating skills mike s.

 

[CMack]

JR, that is a fine piece of handiwork. I think you have swayed me in that direction.

Now a question for you. If you look at my picture, would you take off what remains of the crossmember, or would you leave it there? I'm inclined to leave it in place and bolt to the frame just as you did.

 

[Hedgehog]

That thing might be ugly, but it sure looks strong. Was the tow attachment high enough to alter the bed? If it is as strong as it looks I'd find a way to use it.

 

[mstar]

CMack, while looking at the pics of your rig and JR's rig it occurred to me that he is working on a '74 that has a different frame configuration than a '60. from the pic of yours it looks like the part of the rear x-member between frame rails is still intac.I like JR's bumper but you would have to cut 2" off the frame on each side so the piece was in far enough for the 4 body mounts to bolt in.Or maybe I am looking at it wrong. At any rate it could be done.That V-xmember on the rear adds a lot of strength for a hitch but I have seen them removed in favor of rear mounted fuel tank.

Cheers, mike

 

[mstar]

here is a pic of the shock mount I mentioned in a earlier post.
Thankfully they went away from this still in the early '50's.

 

[JR74CJ5]

It was fully custom built to my needs... I had to cut a lot of my frame off, and the rear cross member was so torn up it had to go either way. All the body mounts were blown anyways, and the frame had started to rot back there.

I would just look at what you have, and see if you think it's salvageable and go from there. For me, i built mine for multiple purposes. I can remove suspension, gas tank, or bumper independently from each other now, where I couldn't easily before, it's stronger than what I had by a long shot, and it tows my boat without worry of the bumper coming loose or breaking.

As Mike was saying, we've got different beasts, but I showed just as a example that if you get an idea in your head and plan it out with a few buddies, or on here, you can make something pretty sweet.


~ Jr

 

[CMack]

Yes, you're both right. I think the easiest thing to do is to leave that portion of the crossmember in place, take JR's design and run angle iron on the inside top of the bumper to support the body and drill holes where the mounting bolts go. Any reason that wouldn't work?