On 2 Jan 98 at 20:56, Ulix Goettsch wrote:
> The frame rails that the sway bar is mounted to are of solid construction
> on the sides and the top, but the bottom is closed off with some thin
> sheetmetal. The swaybar was an afterthought and this sheetmetal was not
> reinforced but the tapped pieces of thick steel that the brackets bolt to
> were just welded onto the thin sheetmetal.
> As predicted by Michael Chaffee a long time ago, this metal has now torn
> on my car where it connects to the frame rail.
>
> Has anyone successfully repaired this defect?
Sure. It is a problem, cuz the bar mounts to the bottom of the square
sheetmetal frame tube, which is a common place for rust. Proper repair
requires welding.
Any real repair involves cutting out the bad metal, usually along the bottom
part way back. Also cut out the front, and anything inside for access. A new
section of square tube steel can then be fitted inside the old, running it back
as far as necessary. Can't remember the size, something like 1 1/2 or 1 3/4
inch tubing- so that it just fits inside the old rail. It will need to be spot
welded in a couple places along the frame (drill a hole), as well as along
where it meets the cut away rail in front. New holes will be needed for the
bumper/tow mounts. depending on what had to be removed, you may be able to
re-use the old mounting bolts, or need to weld in new ones. Once everything
else is in place, new ends can be added at the front.
________________________________________________________________________
Roger Garnett (Roger-Garnett@cornell.edu) http://www.team.net/wayward/
"The Wayward Sports Car Centre"
"All donations of stray, orphaned, odd, neglected, etc.
sports cars and bits in need of a good home accepted."
"The drop off bin is right there- behind the barn..."
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