Front crossmember pan/a-frame brackets
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Front crossmember pan/a-frame brackets
Having accepted the fact I'm going to have to replace the crossmember pan and lower a-frame brackets, I have a question for anyone who has done this. The a-frame brackets look for all the world like they've been bent out of some not too thick sheet metal and drilled. Could a person with access to some C channel stock just cut the C channel, drill holes for the bolts and and cut a couple of slots for welding to the pan? I haven't seen one of these brackets loose to get a good look at them. Is there something special about them? Wouldn't you have a much stronger piece holding the rear bolt of the a-arm? Or am I being dense and missing something obvious here?
Thanks! John
Thanks! John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
It's all pretty obvious - yeah. The brackets are fairly thick,
but they are only pocket welded down the center.
To make them really work, you weld a bead down each side
and add gussets at the rear. Often the pan/bracket can rust
near the two front bolts and weaken the crossmember.
If too weak, some have been known to tear away from the crossmember.
Rather than repairing the dinged bottom of my crossmember,
I added a reinforced plate for jacking.
but they are only pocket welded down the center.
To make them really work, you weld a bead down each side
and add gussets at the rear. Often the pan/bracket can rust
near the two front bolts and weaken the crossmember.
If too weak, some have been known to tear away from the crossmember.
Rather than repairing the dinged bottom of my crossmember,
I added a reinforced plate for jacking.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Woah, looks nice! Now, that's braced! Unless I'm overlooking something, I think I'm going to forgo the $90 apiece brackets, and use a nice chunk of C channel on mine. I'll have to do all my work overhead, but I'd have to do that anyway. And I DON'T want to have to do this again.
Thanks. John
Thanks. John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
OK - just beware that I'm showing the bottom only.
There are some pressed pieces that comprise the top-rear
portion of the bracket. Perhaps these can be salvaged.
Here's a series of pics showing the gusset install on the side of these pieces:
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_01.jpg
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_02.jpg
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_03.jpg
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_04.jpg
PS - You think you have the area all cleaned up until you take a flash picture ... damn rust.
There are some pressed pieces that comprise the top-rear
portion of the bracket. Perhaps these can be salvaged.
Here's a series of pics showing the gusset install on the side of these pieces:
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_01.jpg
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_02.jpg
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_03.jpg
http://nhvette.homeunix.com/ftp/in/v..._gusset_04.jpg
PS - You think you have the area all cleaned up until you take a flash picture ... damn rust.
Last edited by NHvette; Mar 20, 2006 at 07:38 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Oooo, yes, I know just the brackets you're talking about. This one is on the right side on mine. It's managed to rip an actual hole in my crossmember as it pulled loose. I'll have to weld a patch over the hole, and either try to reuse this one or fab a couple up out of C channel.
John
