[SantiF]

Well...I asked for opinions before about stiffening the chassis becouse of the cab cracks.

Here they are: :cry



The other side is kinda the same, may be smaller. In the bodyshop where the truck is we´ve been looking for reinforcing possibilities...If there are any ideas around please let me know.

The cab/body mounts were never replaced, that´s another issue, so hopefully changing them and reinforcing the "cracking area" might help to solve this

 

[JBfab]

Plate the stressed area with some 16g sheet metal. A built in cage would do it but many dont go that far.

 

[BRONCONUT]

If you plan to weld it, first you need to drill out the ends of the crack to stop it then weld it. If you dont it will get bigger. I am not sure if stiffening things will help or not, what condition are your mounts/bushings in?

 

[SantiF]

Thak you all!

I´m looking at Steve´s images. The idea of copying an original GT rollcage was somthing I had in mind.


Bronconut, here are the bushings...completely useless :whiteflag



Wich ones are the best to get?

 

[miesk5]

yo,
I use Polyurethane Bushings for body and aslo steering (radius arms) and elsewhere.
Available from many soureces incl our Sponsor here, Jeff's Bronco Graveyard @ http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/c-605-body-hardware-bronco.html

Daystar - Bronco/Ford truck bushings, shackles, lifts, etc.
http://www.daystarweb.com/

Energy Suspension®
http://www.energysuspension.com

Ingalls - Bronco/Ford truck-Van suspension & wheel alignment items incl. radius arm bushings, ball joints, camber, etc.
http://www.ingallseng.com/

Prothane - Bronco/Ford truck urethane body mounts & suspension bushings
http://www.prothane.com/

LMC Info & pic in an 84; the LMC core support did not fit; he modified "...by drilling a hole in the top of the frame on each side, and just running a small body mount bushing between the core support and frame..." Thanks JSM!
Source: by justshootme84 (Randy Z, Casual Mudder) at http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69635


soon in your profile, include your year, engine, trans, Xfer case & locking hub type (auto or manual) and any major mods such as body or suspension lift, etc. or in any question post. You'll get more accurate replies

 

[SantiF]

yo,
I use Polyurethane Bushings for body and aslo steering (radius arms) and elsewhere.
Available from many soureces incl our Sponsor here, Jeff's Bronco Graveyard @ http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/c-605-body-hardware-bronco.html

Daystar - Bronco/Ford truck bushings, shackles, lifts, etc.
http://www.daystarweb.com/

Energy Suspension®
http://www.energysuspension.com

Ingalls - Bronco/Ford truck-Van suspension & wheel alignment items incl. radius arm bushings, ball joints, camber, etc.
http://www.ingallseng.com/

Prothane - Bronco/Ford truck urethane body mounts & suspension bushings
http://www.prothane.com/

LMC Info & pic in an 84; the LMC core support did not fit; he modified "...by drilling a hole in the top of the frame on each side, and just running a small body mount bushing between the core support and frame..." Thanks JSM!
Source: by justshootme84 (Randy Z, Casual Mudder) at http://fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69635


soon in your profile, include your year, engine, trans, Xfer case & locking hub type (auto or manual) and any major mods such as body or suspension lift, etc. or in any question post. You'll get more accurate replies

Thank you miesk5, I´ll add some info as soon as my truck evolves from "parts pile" to "Truck proyect" :toothless

 

[Shadofax]

While the poly is good, it's stiff. And if the frame and body are getting rust holes, it's all getting weak, and you might be better sticking with a softer rubber bushing.

GT rollbar could help, but I think you must attack that inner crack with a sheet of 16ga or so plate AFTER you have dug out any rust that is up there, and you likely have water coming in there from rust on the outside. So a lot to fix first, then the welded in plate, everything primered, painted, and then perhaps the GT bar and replace bushing, and try and fix any weak body or frame areas.

 

[SantiF]

While the poly is good, it's stiff. And if the frame and body are getting rust holes, it's all getting weak, and you might be better sticking with a softer rubber bushing.

GT rollbar could help, but I think you must attack that inner crack with a sheet of 16ga or so plate AFTER you have dug out any rust that is up there, and you likely have water coming in there from rust on the outside. So a lot to fix first, then the welded in plate, everything primered, painted, and then perhaps the GT bar and replace bushing, and try and fix any weak body or frame areas.

Thaks Shadofax!

Will do that with the bushings. The whole body is being repeared with 16g sheetmetal, also we will reinforce weak parts and chassis areas like engine crossmember, wich already shows some damage.

I´ll also give some thinking about what you said about the GT bar and talk about it at the bodyshop, I honestly didn´t realize I could be stiffening weakened parts.

Thanks agian! :thumbup

 

[BRONCONUT]

Looks like in your pic that there was acrack that had been welded before or is that just a rust line? Like said I would reair your cracks and weak areas first then replace bushings. Adding a roll bar or a cage would probably help you out too.

 

[SantiF]

Looks like in your pic that there was acrack that had been welded before or is that just a rust line? Like said I would reair your cracks and weak areas first then replace bushings. Adding a roll bar or a cage would probably help you out too.

Yeap, there´s a previous crack that was welded. If floors mountings are in good shape I might copy the GT bar. Changing bushings is a must for the truck, but my doubt was wich ones, Shadofax has a good point with the idea of using softer ones.

 

[Shadofax]

Thaks Shadofax!

Will do that with the bushings. The whole body is being repeared with 16g sheetmetal, also we will reinforce weak parts and chassis areas like engine crossmember, wich already shows some damage.

I´ll also give some thinking about what you said about the GT bar and talk about it at the bodyshop, I honestly didn´t realize I could be stiffening weakened parts.

Thanks agian! :thumbup

From years of people talking on here, I am of the opinion that the main/first problem is rust and weakness occurring in the body and frame that allow this. Rust also gets at their pillars and gets worse and worse as it finds an entry point. Then any of these folks that take their hard top off and go wheeling find that the pillar really starts cracking and coming apart.

That's why I suggest making sure you have a sound body and frame first, plust any repairs to not only repair, but seal that pillar. Check/replace body mounts and then maybe the GT rollbar.

I've had my softtop on for a long time now and have no issue with the pillar cracking. I also have no frame or body rust (and no cage or GT bar either).

 

[SantiF]

From years of people talking on here, I am of the opinion that the main/first problem is rust and weakness occurring in the body and frame that allow this. Rust also gets at their pillars and gets worse and worse as it finds an entry point. Then any of these folks that take their hard top off and go wheeling find that the pillar really starts cracking and coming apart.

That's why I suggest making sure you have a sound body and frame first, plust any repairs to not only repair, but seal that pillar. Check/replace body mounts and then maybe the GT rollbar.

I've had my softtop on for a long time now and have no issue with the pillar cracking. I also have no frame or body rust (and no cage or GT bar either).

Thanks. That´s the idea. Repairing and planning how to help future problems from happening. The other thing I´ll do is taking out the upper body trims and put them back on sticking them, covering every unnecesary hole.

The truck was always used with the top on and that´s the way I plan to use it. When I bought it it had a cheap pick up rollbar inside...so rust really made a mess. By the end of the month it should be ready...

We´ll see!!

 

[SantiF]

Well, me again. So as not to open a new thread I´ll ask something here about the body mounts. Are the rear body mounts (closer to tailgate) the same as the ones under the rear seat?

If they are I might be able to use Ford pick up cab mounts...would that work? Also I think the ones are made here are softer, they are made of rubber, not stiff as the poliurethane ones :toothless

 

[BRONCONUT]

There are mounts back at the tail gate. I had to go back and look to be sure even though I had to reconstruct the rear mount. The rubber mounts your talking about are definately softer than the poly's.

 

[SantiF]

There are mounts back at the tail gate. I had to go back and look to be sure even though I had to reconstruct the rear mount. The rubber mounts your talking about are definately softer than the poly's.

Yeap, what I meant is if the ones under the rear seat have the same dimentions (height and radious) as the ones at the rear of the truck