New Crossmember By Front Leaf Shackles?

[johnnywagon]

So my frame is twisted at the driverside front leaf spring shackle. Has anyone fabbed up a homemade crossmember in this location? It looks tough to get in front of the shackles, under the transmission and past the headers...If I do this, I might have to go with shorty headers. Any input??

[Chris27]

I think I can picture what you mean. Would it be possible to brace the frame to the t-case crossmember and to the engine crossmember. instead of going all the way across? It would be hard to go all the way across without sacrificing ground clearance.

[Burt4x4]

Are you talking about the rear mounting point of your front springs? The shakle area?
I made a custom one for the front, were the front of the springs mount to the frame, like up by the steering box...then the next x-member is the engine..then behind that is the tranny/transfer case double x-member..never seen one were the engine & tranny meet, if that is the spot yer talkin about?

[johnnywagon]

Originally Posted by Burt4x4

Are you talking about the rear mounting point of your front springs? The shakle area?
I made a custom one for the front, were the front of the springs mount to the frame, like up by the steering box...then the next x-member is the engine..then behind that is the tranny/transfer case double x-member..never seen one were the engine & tranny meet, if that is the spot yer talkin about?

EXACTLY I already made custom front/front leaf spring brackets. I'm talking where the rear of the front leafs mount to the frame with shackles. I have had serious probs here. Broke the leaf spring mounting bucket out of the frame once. Now the long shackle hanging down has caused the botton of the frame to twist in AND the leaf spring is twisted, not to mention I trashed both HD shackles.

[earl87gta]

Man you must wheel that thing hard maybe you should be thinking of cuting down a 1ton frame to use for your blaer like Im thinking about doing to the burb. there and 8in tall frame in stead of 6. should be harder for you to twist up.
Have you thought about a full cage tied in to the frame to help keep things from twisting up.

[Burt4x4]

What about just adding beef to the hanger:


http://www.diy4x.com/suspension.htm

Or box the frame instead of trying to create a x-member...then again maybe you could make a oilpan skid plate and x-member for that area ...just thinking out loud here....

[johnnywagon]

All great ideas. And yes I've considered most of them. I kinda like fixing one thing at a time, improving the rig as I go. The beefier spring hanger still bolts inside the weaker c-frame and thats what I need to fix. I dont know if you can tell but here's a pic of the twisted frame, where the x-member would go and also pix of my new beefier home-made shackles.

As far as how hard I wheel...I dont jump it or anything, I just twist-it like a jeep. Lots of cross-hilling and such...hell, you've seen the pix.

[earl87gta]

What if you just box the frame in that area that should help it from twisting and it would suport the other side of the hangers on the frame and would keep it from having levarage on the frame were it is bending now.

[earl87gta]

Here is what I was thinking the green is the reenforcement area. with a guset on each side but from the lower outside to the uper inside of fram I justdidnt draaw it like that so you could see what I was thinking easier then box it in and reenforce with plat steel on the other green areas.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Thats a tuff spot to put a crossmember. I would box and gusset too.

[johnnywagon]

Thanks guys. All good ideas. Boxing is surely is the best solution, however, to do it right would mean taking the body off and I dont have time for that. ITS 4X4 SEASON!! For now she's back together with the new shackles, bent frame and all. I still think I might try to make a x-member, I'll let ya know.

[Burt4x4]

WHAT no pics?? Comon pic whore lets see um

[johnnywagon]

Originally Posted by Burt4x4

WHAT no pics?? Comon pic whore lets see um

Ask and yee shall recieve.....Picture whore. out!!

[Burt4x4]

hahahah Looks great my friend
Over N out

[earl87gta]

dont blame you there i think you could get a way with only boxing in a foot on each side you may have to remove that header and lift the bodu some on the front mount but I think you could do it in a weekend you could box in more later for now just box in around the shackle.