- This topic has 16 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated June 30, 2008 at 8:41 pm by
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I went to a car show yesterday and noticed some loose header bolts while I was there. This morning, while trying to replace the bolts, I dropped one and it didn’t make it all the way to the garage floor. I jacked the car up to look for the bolt and found a nasty crack in the crossmember. (Photos will be posted by Eric G. because I am too low tech to post photos. Just when you think you know every way the car can find to break, a new way rears it’s ugly head. At least it will be easier to find that stupid bolt when the crossmember is out of the car.
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i’ve just installed mine again after straightening and reinforcing it. no cracks but collapsed in by over an inch.
i think rock hard shocks don’t help. i have my new koni’s set at one turn from soft, a 7/8" sway bar and stock springs. together with 40 profile tires that makes it stiff enough for me.
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quote odl21:i’ve just installed mine again after straightening and reinforcing it. no cracks but collapsed in by over an inch.
i think rock hard shocks don’t help. i have my new koni’s set at one turn from soft, a 7/8″ sway bar and stock springs. together with 40 profile tires that makes it stiff enough for me.
How do you know which bit had deformed, and where to bend it? Did you have a jig of some sort?
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no, i measured it and compared with CAT shop notes. it was just the shock towers collapsing inwards. then i gave the crossmember to Dave Herning in Essex together with the correct dimensions. He jacked it out for me with a hydraulic ram keeping the towers perpendicular to the frame rails and with a rack mounted on it the prevent distortion there. i marked several places for him to weld new seams, put new plates on the side edges and a tube section below the upper fulcrum pins as recommended to me by Tom Hall.
the difference in the car is phenomenal!
here is a picture just before i put it back on the car with the new midget rack installed:
http://owainlloyd.no-ip.com:8080/photos … G3914.html -
On the 62 I used a crossmember from a series 4.I also added Mustang spindles.rotors,calipers and the rack and pinion.all went well till I tried to
align it .Castor went well with a few shims here and there.Problem was the camber.It seems the shock towers were leaning in a bit and I only needed one more shim to be right on.at this time I released the upper A arm and ground the squarish bottom corner round.Very tight but it works and it goes down the highway pretty straight with hands off.I took this method as I will be building up a new front end as I have in the Lister.The parts are ordered but more likely a winter project.Love a heated attached garage.Also with 3 cars to play with I won’t put too many miles on either. -
Yesterday, I tore down my spare crossmember. Sure is easier to get the springs out with the crossmember in the car using a floor jack. I borrowed a spring compressor from Advance but it was just too big. Went back and bought one used for struts and ended up rigging something similar to the one in the shop manual by going down the middle.
I now have the parts for the rebuild and just need to get the two wrung off bolts out for one of the lower fulcrum pins. Those suckers had been soaking in solvent for over a week and still snapped like a crisp potato chip. Once I get the mouse nest cleaned out, I can get on with rust removal, welding, etc.
I have a spare set of springs that have been around so long I don’t know what they came out of. They haven’t been on a car in many years and have almost no rust. They look identical to the ones that came out and have a splash of green paint that looks like it was factory applied as an identifier for the production line. Any guesses to the significance?
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Is it realistic to think weaknesses in the fulcrum pins would be revealed by having them magnafluxed? The crossmember welding is set up for tomorrow and the last parts (Unless I buy fulcrum pins) should be here within a week.
A bit of advice for anyone who has never done this and wants to give it a try: Get a second pair of hands to help you. Doing this job solo was a pain when I was young and is a royal pain now.
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If they’re going to crack it pretty much has to start at the surface, so magnafluxing should reveal any existent cracks. However, if there is any question at all about the condition of your fulcrum pins I’d get some new ones from a reputable source such as Doug Jennings (for stock size pins) or Dale Akuszewski for the oversize pins. Consider them a wear item… after so many flex cycles they’re going to go.
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My spare fulcrum pins haven’t been on a car in 30 years so I think I will just go with them after a thorough inspection. The car will have stock springs and sway bar and will not be auto-crossed. Interesting note: I consulted the CAT shop notes and went shopping for ’78 Volare rubber snubbers. Advance Auto Parts had the uppers ($5 each) but I had to order the lowers from SS. The local Chrysler dealer laughed at me.
While looking thru my parts stash, I found two complete sets of new fulcrum pin bushings and even found rear spring bushings that I didn’t realize I had. Guess I will finally address the rear springs after I finish bleeding cash on the front suspension.
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It is pretty well back together now and I am almost finished bleeding money. I just have to put it back in the car and have the front end aligned. For any of you thinking about taking on this project, the math looked like this.
Ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings and seals, sway bar bushings, and rubber snubbers $385
Fulcrum pin bushings $120 (I already had these but that is the rounded SS price)
The first crappy shop that turned the rotors, installed the upper bushings and failed to install the lower bushings $140. This was a bit high because I had them remove the pins from the spare A-Arms and install them in the A-Arms off of the car.
The second shop that installed the lower bushings $140
Welding $60
Nuts, bolts and washers $125 (mostly Grade 8)
Wheel studs $50
Total $1,020
Hopefully, the alignment cost will be the end. -
Ross Hulse In Ca. brought a car over from Hawiaii. It had a crack also in the same area. One of those rust free cars too. He had one mad, cost an arm and a leg plus all is blood.
😥
I would strongly suggest any one with a Tiger to take a second look in those areas.ross_hulse@sbcglobal.net
You may check with him on that one.
Good luck
Chuck
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