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Hello, getting ready to send off frame and birdcage for alkaline dip then it will come home for any metal repairs before going to e-coat. Anyway wanted to get some input on what if anything people would do about the body mount holes that are thinned at the edge? on the bird cage ones I was going to add a plate on the top just to add a little support, but should I do the same thing on the underside of the #4 mounts? I don't know that any of them are rusted away far enough to require cutting out and replacing, but they certainly aren't as solid as new... guess I'm looking for ideas between completely replace and do nothing.
Also wondering what people would do with the top shock mount hole, clearly at some point the shock bushing had worn out and the shock wore a grove in the hole (see the pictures) would you fill that with weld and try to be-polish or is that some sort of hardened steel that should not be welded on? FWIW my current plan is to semi-coil over shocks and springs if it makes any difference.
yeah that's what I'm debating... If they were rusted out more it would be a no-brainer but they're just thinning a bit at the edge of the hole and I'm borderline just leaving them, not sure they are bad enough to get into messing around with the height having to find someone to weld new ones (not sure I trust my welding enough for a structural component)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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ok, the get really large grade 8 washers with the appropriate inside diameter, center them and tack weld them. It will spread the weight to thicker metal outboard of the hole and you can use less spacers.....
some will call It “Bubbal but the bracket remains straight and you have reinforced the structural integrity of the original part....
I had this same issue/dilemma when I had my body off the frame as well and took a similar approach to Rescue_Rogers above, except instead of using a large washer, I cut a plate of 1/8 steel, roughed up one side of the plate, and the underside of the body mount and then JB welded the plate to the body. Then removed the same thickness of body mount spacer from that mount. Strong as new and you will never see any of it.
I am a welder so I would just weld some plates on. The frames are all mild steel , so welding is not an issue. Same with the body mount pockets. Ya got a buddy with a mig welder ?
If you've got the frame out of the car, I would be replacing those brackets. They are available and they are not going to get better over the next 40 years. I don't really trust my welding either, so what I do is tack weld the parts together and take the whole thing to someone who knows what he is doing to have him run a bead.
The Metal on the Body side is Riveted in Place with Aluminum Rivets from the Factory. Replacements are available You will need a buddy to be on the other side to Rivet them on. No need for any fancy Rivet Gun a couple of Hammers will do fine. Fiberglass doesn't like Heat very much and welding these might cause grief. As a Welder myself repairing the Frame side would be easy depending on each mount I might do it a different way of which there are many. ways.
I would look at the cost and amount of work to replace the existing mounts. Probably what I would do is cut a square piece of 1/8" (or whatever thickness it is), steel larger than the corrroded hole. Then set the metal piece above the hole, trace out the hole (from below) and trace out where the square piece will go. Then cut the hole out to fit the square piece and weld up.
Then cut the hole with a plasma cutter and tool to a perfect circle. If you don't have a plasma cutter, you could use a hole saw, or a simple hand coping saw in a vise (before you weld it up). If you go that route, then you don't need to worry about getting a new body mount lined up perfectly.
I would weld/ washer or replace..you have come this far..
great choice on ecoat..outstanding choice in fact, better than factory and has ok penetration...
please document your ecoat job..i ran a lot of electrocoat tanks but never ones that would take outside rework..got to keep them coating..that’s a lot of frames to paint to be viable
Last edited by interpon; Jun 10, 2020 at 10:17 PM.
Thanks All for the advice!! I have come along way with this thing!! I have a Lincoln home mig and have welded several things together but just don't trust myself to weld good enough to know this is not going to break in a couple years. I was thinking to go the 1/8" plate route and drilling the holes out. I'll have only about a week to do metal repairs between dip and e-coat so sounds like I should get parts and a welder lined up in case they come back from dip looking even worse, once its e-coated I really want to avoid any more welding if I can.
What's your thoughts on that shock tower wear? That ring almost looks like its a different metal so don't know if it can be even just filled with weld or not, suppose a qualified welder could tell me that as well....
My 110 Lincoln flux core will weld rairoad spikes and penetrate 1/2 inch..
i agree is mild steel and you know a good weld or not..
have you seen the factory minimum welds? Im still cutting myself on the loose migwire and cold welds
Last edited by interpon; Jun 11, 2020 at 06:42 PM.
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
If you add metal like a plate or washer the rubber mount will be separated an additional amount by that same thickness. Does that matter? I don't know but since the body is off why not replace those mounts as you can buy them from the vendors. I see Zip carries all four. I don't know if Wilcox does as I see they have some C3 mounts.
Grinding and welding is somewhat fun I think and since you have access now with the body off the timing is as good as it gets.
Well its back from rust dip and I'm really impressed with how much metal it didn't remove. I do think I'm going to replace the two in the back, for sure the worst one on the right. Need to see if they make plate options for the one lower birdcage hole or both, might be just easier to replace than try to bubba something together...
awesome...cant wait to see the e-coat on!
those mig welds always crack me up.. the bottom of my a arms look like porcupine.. still breaking off wire..
power on MAX blow through etc..i don't condone it but understand it..penetration etc.... slop
Frame repair?
