plating steering box frame rail/ inner
 

these HDOffroad frame plates are nice. but they're just not cutting it for me. I need more bracing. this write up will include inner frame rail plating, a track bar brace, and hopefully a custom steering box brace

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I'd like to not have any more of these frame rail cracks. so here's what I'm doing to prevent any and all future front frame rail issues.

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you start by drilling holes at either end of the crack

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gouge it out and fill with a weld

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then slap your first 1/8" plate on over the crack

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Very cool. I need to plate another plane of my frame in the front as well. Interested to see what you come up with for the steering and track bar braces. I think my winch will be in the way of my steering box brace with the new bumper I am building. I'll have to come up with something new.

theres never enough threads on inner frame plating. not enough people do it. so I'm hoping to spread some inspiration


sounds like you're doing a recessed winch? not sure which brace setup you were going with but I'm going to order this bearing and build my own (even though it seems kinda overpriced)
http://www.boostwerksengineering.com...ssis-_c_7.html

So even with using the HD Offroad frame stiffeners you still cracked it?

I'd love to see how this turns out

Yes, I am doing a recessed winch. I had a MORE steering box brace that just goes from the passenger side to the box but I don't think it'll work.

I was looking at that bearing again last night. I know I can get that bearing cheaper at work, I just can't get that machined but thing. It's also not a pillow block bearing lol. I was going to look at my bumper designs today and figure out how to make that bearing work.

yeah. the D60 was heavy enough to do that. even with hydro assist. I ran my D30 with no plates at all and never had this problem. a track bar brace was plenty for that setup

Watching

I have ruggid ridge steering box brace and I recessed my winch inside and I ended up cuting the mounting bracket and rewelding it to a diiferent spot but I actually think it would have worked not cutting it.lol

on to the main course

steering box area. all steel used today is 10ga

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passenger side inner. gotta cut that pinch off and stitch it back together

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this is that thin piece behind your front bumper. gonna go ahead and plate that too

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they've still got that new drill bit scent. these make my drilling experience much better

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yo, watching this also.

I'm interested into how you cracked the frame..

stupid heavy axles.. bad hydro assist. I separated the frame at the track bar mount. which wasn't mounted very sturdy. the I braced that, so the weak point just moved forward toward the steering box. wiggle wiggle wiggle death wobble crack

Looks good! I would suggest considering annealing your welds if you have an acetylene torch since there is obviously some flexing going on that could crack them. Not a particularly big deal since you're not (at least I'm assuming) using a high carbon steel, but it couldn't hurt.

ha. never heard of anyone doing that to their frame. it's definitely not high carbon steel just mild. I plan on cutting out most if not all of the frame some day and replacing it with 2x4 if this fails. I do have a torch but that's way too much effort for my pabst blue ribbon taste