Finally got around to dealing with the multitude of dents some Bubba jacked into the front cross-member at some point in time. (ok, I've done it too))

This is by no means the worst out there but it's the result of numerous jacking adventures by the looks of things.

Thought I'd create a post for reference if anyone comes along later.
You can't seem to buy the tool from anyone anymore.

This is the way it started. many different dents, worst area down about 1/2" and twisted.






The radius of the crossmember in the center section is just under 10"
The braces sitting under where the upper and lower pieces join is pretty much right on 6" apart.




Radius on the part that fits inside the frame is a little over 10" so that it hits on the outer edges first when pulled through the center hole.




Hole in the plate is 1-1/8" dia with a 5/8 fine nut welded behind.
The hole in the frame has a lip that goes up inside so the plate hole must clear that lip and hold the nut above it so the force is on the plate not the lip.



A section of 5/8 threaded rod and some heavy washers, the saddle part centered on the frame and using a 1/2 drive breaker bar pulled the dent down kind of close, then loosened everything off and re-centered and then brought it down slightly past where it should be (springs back a little, not too bad)




The cross-member bends fairly easy, (which if way it's like this in the first place) so not a lot of effort on the bar.
drop everything off and started adding shims (pieces of aluminum strip laying around the shop) in different places to push out the various different dents.




This is a about an hour and maybe 15 different "pulls" Stopped for supper and didn't make it back out to the garage.




I primed the area to help see where the marks are left and in the picture that's a pretty harsh light shining across at a shallow angle so it's easier to see what still needs a little work.
It's now less that 1/16 off in any given area except for two creases.

The closest side smooth and I'm fairly happy with it, I'll play with the far side maybe tomorrow, I should be able to tidy up that read edge a little more
There are a couple of short/sharp creases that I doubt will come out since you can't pull in a very small area.

If all else fails, there's always a good slathering of "industrial strength hide-a-sin"

 

Nice work, and nice write up!!

yes, I'm one of those "mindless jerks" that dented the crosmember on a C-3, many, many years ago. But in my defense, as well as the defense of others, who would think that a serious structural member of a car frame would be so easily deformed??

 

GM puts a beautiful place to lift both front wheels and then makes it out of tissue paper.
(cough, cough, one of those dents might be my own, cough, cough)

 

Wait till you have to explain to someone who asks " why don't you just jack it up from the front?"

 

Thank God the front of my '81 is so low I can't get a jack under there, or I would have been one of those "mindless jerks" when I first bought my car also.

 

That looks like a pretty easy fix with the set up you have there Mr Mooser. Did you have to take the front end apart to slide that plate inside? My 69 is all back together. I didn't know how to fix my screwed up crossmember back then so I just left it that way when I repainted the frame. Been regretting it ever since.

 

This is cool!!! I can use this on my wife as another excuse for installing a hydraulic lift in the garage.

 

I've ignored it forever, the front end is getting some well deserved attention this winter.

The tool is just a copy I made (with some help from my brother and his hyd-press, my stuff is a little light for this type of thing) of a tool you used to be able to buy from some of the vendors.
I looked through all the pictures and did some Chinese engineering to get this one. Works surprisingly well so far.

One spring must be out so you can slide the curved plate into the frame section. Drivers side seems to have slightly more room than the passengers.

Mooser

 

Nice job. Nothing wrong with a Chinese blueprint either.

 

Nice job, Mooser. This is one of those jobs waiting for me, someday.

Good to know that the tool has made itself scarce because I always figured to get one, when the cash-flow problem got some relief. You did a bang-up job (pun intended) to get that dent pulled back into shape. Lookin' good.

Guess the hunt is on to capture one of the tools (unless an owner is willing to share theirs... cough, cough, hint, hint). JK.

 

Finally got around to finishing this off.

I thought I was done but went back and made a few more pulls and got everything closer and by loading the two creases and taping the underside with a body hammer, smoothed them pretty much completely out.

I did put down a couple of coats of hi-build primer but in reality I'm not sure if it made much of a difference (I really hate sanding)

Poor picture (too much reflections now, can't get far enough away for a better shot at this point) but here's the end result.




Close enough for this butcher.

Mooser

 

Looks really good. I need to do the same. I have had my car so long that I don't if I dented it or the PO. mike...

 

I sincerely believe those dents belong there. To find a 31-50 year old car without them would be extremely rare. I've never seen one.

 

When I first got my 70 I thought it could be jacked under that cross member but fortunately I checked the handbook first:-) There are no dents in my cross member and I was thinking of putting a "no jack here" warning plate on the front of it.

 

End results turned out nice. BK3

 

I was thinking about making up a 6x6 saddle with the proper arc cut into it so I could jack there anyway, just so much easier to put the car up on stands.

With my luck it would collapse the entire cross-member or something
Mooser

 

Mine was already dented when I got it . I have always used the frame on the sides till I got the sidepipes. Then I started using the crossmember, but I always put a 2x4 that spans from the front to the rear.

 

Very well done, both on the tool and the repair.

Guess you're the new source for this tool!!
Carter

 

I'm done with it, another fellow is trying it now, not much use sitting on my shelf so....
Mooser

 

I've always used a short piece of 4X4 on the jack so as not to bend the crossmember any more than it is.