crossmember dent removing tool.....will it?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,293
Likes: 6
From: North of the Bay California
crossmember dent removing tool.....will it?
Got my dent removal tool early last week. Just tried to use it tonight. I cannot line up the press plate to the hole in my crossmember, see pics. I grabbed a long screwdriver and tried to clear out any debri, grease, etc........not much came out.
The welded nut on the press plate is offset so it will line up with the hole, but the plate is too wide for my crossmember. Also, there is a relief on the top of the crossmember. I think this is preventing the movement of the plate so that I can't line it up with the hole. aAhhhhhh.
Heres what I think my options are:
1. open up the hole so I can thread the bolt into the press plate
2. trim the press plate
3. get a welder and learn a new skill
4. leave it
Any suggestions? ( I have my flame suite btw)
The welded nut on the press plate is offset so it will line up with the hole, but the plate is too wide for my crossmember. Also, there is a relief on the top of the crossmember. I think this is preventing the movement of the plate so that I can't line it up with the hole. aAhhhhhh.
Heres what I think my options are:
1. open up the hole so I can thread the bolt into the press plate
2. trim the press plate
3. get a welder and learn a new skill
4. leave it
Any suggestions? ( I have my flame suite btw)
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
hmmm? This is interesting Thomas. I just received my tool as well and I'm waiting for my car to return from the paint shop before I go through this procedure. I was going to post the results here so others could get an idea of how much work is involved.
Your problem has me wondering. What year is the frame you're working on? Have you contacted Terry about this yet?
I just measured my press plate. The center of the bolt hole is three inches from the wide side and an inch and seven eighths from the short side. Does this match up with yours? It's possible that one is off a bit.
I'm going to follow your thread until this is resolved.
Best,
Greg
Your problem has me wondering. What year is the frame you're working on? Have you contacted Terry about this yet?
I just measured my press plate. The center of the bolt hole is three inches from the wide side and an inch and seven eighths from the short side. Does this match up with yours? It's possible that one is off a bit.
I'm going to follow your thread until this is resolved.
Best,
Greg
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,293
Likes: 6
From: North of the Bay California
Greg, thanks for taking that measurement. No I haven't talked to Terry yet. I got this tool from zip products. The distance from the center of the hole on the press plate to the end of the wide section is just under 3 1/8". The total width of the plate is 5".
It's a 72 frame.
Damn. Looks like the bolt hole is in the wrong spot.
It's a 72 frame. Damn. Looks like the bolt hole is in the wrong spot.
Last edited by blueray72; Jan 25, 2007 at 10:18 AM.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Burnaby BC
I had the same issue with my 71. I trimmed 1/4" from the front edge of the plate with a power hacksaw. This was enough to line up with the hole. A couple of pressings and a few adjustments with a BFH and the dents were significantly reduced. Good luck!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,293
Likes: 6
From: North of the Bay California
Greg, is going to do right up on this tool.
msn, thanks. I'll get to cuttin.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Hi, this is Terry. I feel terrible about what you have run up against. I did not design the tool so that the user would have to cut the leading edge away for it to fit. I checked my master tool with the most recent production run. There must be some variation in the width of some crossmembers. Contact me by email so we can discuss this further. tfringo@aol.com. Thanks, Terry
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,293
Likes: 6
From: North of the Bay California
Hi, this is Terry. I feel terrible about what you have run up against. I did not design the tool so that the user would have to cut the leading edge away for it to fit. I checked my master tool with the most recent production run. There must be some variation in the width of some crossmembers. Contact me by email so we can discuss this further. tfringo@aol.com. Thanks, Terry
Terry, I will send you email. Like a stated in another thread, if I would have got your email earlier, I would have got the tool directly from you. Clearly my fault.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Show us some detail of how this thing is used.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Question...is the back of the crossmember so caved in that it is preventing you from sliding the crossmember further back? I ask this because the roof of the crossmember dips down and starts to narrow the channel at that point. Please keep me informed. Thanks, Terry
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,293
Likes: 6
From: North of the Bay California
Terry, I am able to get the plate inside the crossmember and get it flat up against the bottom. The plate ( on my crossmember) does not have any room for front to back movement allowing for alignment with the center access hole. I'm going to remove 1/4" from the wide section of the plate. This should allow for enough play to line it up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,196
Likes: 47
From: Scarborough Maine Fredericksburg VA
Sunspot, not trying to hijack the thread and I can/will start another if that is appropriate - any chance of getting a picture of the front of your frame from the side? I also am doing a body off on my 72 and 1 of the 4 bolts on the frame horns do not line up with my new frame. I am trying to get a picture of another 72 to see if it is the same.
Thanks
Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Crossmember tool
[QUOTE=Sunspot;1558692739]Terry, I am able to get the plate inside the crossmember and get it flat up against the bottom. The plate ( on my crossmember) does not have any room for front to back movement allowing for alignment with the center access hole. I'm going to remove 1/4" from the wide section of the plate. This should allow for enough play to line it up.[/QUOT
I would cut off just enough to clear the flange over the bolt hole. Consider only removing an 1/8 inch and bevel the lip. Get your hand in there a ways with a screw driver and feel the back wall. See if there is a lip. Typically, the front and back wall sort of flare out as they approach the bottom of the crossmember. You need to catch as much of that back section of the crossmember as possible. After you cut the tool, soften the edge a bit to avoid making a crease in the steel. If you can, put a straight edge on the crossmember from front to back and take a picture from the side. It is a nasty one! I thought it wasn't that bad untill I started to stare at that back section and noticed it was folded over the rim of the top half of the crossmember. Is that a big block car?? Are you planing to use a torch or not?? Just wondering.
Terry
I would cut off just enough to clear the flange over the bolt hole. Consider only removing an 1/8 inch and bevel the lip. Get your hand in there a ways with a screw driver and feel the back wall. See if there is a lip. Typically, the front and back wall sort of flare out as they approach the bottom of the crossmember. You need to catch as much of that back section of the crossmember as possible. After you cut the tool, soften the edge a bit to avoid making a crease in the steel. If you can, put a straight edge on the crossmember from front to back and take a picture from the side. It is a nasty one! I thought it wasn't that bad untill I started to stare at that back section and noticed it was folded over the rim of the top half of the crossmember. Is that a big block car?? Are you planing to use a torch or not?? Just wondering.
Terry
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,293
Likes: 6
From: North of the Bay California
spf72, I'll send you pics in an email. I'm not sure what shot you are looking for but I have a few that hopefully will help.
Terry, it's a small block auto car.
This is what I think is preventing the plate from lining up to the access hole.
check out my stool
Terry, it's a small block auto car.
This is what I think is preventing the plate from lining up to the access hole.
check out my stool
Last edited by blueray72; Jan 26, 2007 at 10:58 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Crossmember tool
Stool is nice. I could use one. I would call that a clasic crossmember dent. They don't dent much worse than that. It will pull it out fine. Once you get the tool installed, crank it down slowly. The nice thing about your dent is that I don't notice a bunch of little dents inside the big one. If you use a torch, make the tool do the work, don't over heat it and work in the back of the dent where it is the deepest. Important not to heat it too much or you could potentially warp the steel. Not likely but anything is possible. Leave the tool in place untill it is cool. I think you will have great results. Terry
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
The pictures were perfect. If you need to straighten that lip along the crossmember, you can grab it with a large crescent wrench. Just tighten it down on the lip where ever it is bent and bend it straight. I avoid hammering things when possible because it stretches metal. Please keep me posted. Terry