The Ford Barn

DWMOONEY · 03-09-2016, 01:01 PM

Just took my frame to the weld shop. My front cross member was so bad metal was missing where the spring attaches to the cross member. Just wondering if anyone has tried an extra piece of metal between the spring and frame longer than the repaired area to spread the load out across the bottom of the cross member. I know it would raise the frame the thickness of the extra piece, would that cause a problem anywhere? Thanks for any advise.

Mikeinnj · 03-09-2016, 01:24 PM

Read this entry from someone with the same problem and varied solutions.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190479

H. L. Chauvin · 03-09-2016, 02:13 PM

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My cross member was badly cracked with very uneven steel surfaces on both sides of the cracks.

Quite a few rivets were either loose or missing ..... it looked like a rusty wreck.

I removed the cross member, made metal on both sides level with hammer and anvil, then used a Dremel tool to cut vees in cracks down to shiny metal and MIG welded all of the cracks, added metal where missing metal, and used a side grinder to make them smooth.

I knew this would work just fine solely because I remember the original owner, and his four (4) sons, (two living today), who drove this car wrecklessly for about (25) years on mud and dirt roads on their 1,000 acre farm, (about 3/4 mile from my house), crossing very rough raised track "field" railroad crossings ..... and multiple dirt road ruts 18" deep everywhere.

I never once was afraid to restore this cross membr as mentioned herein..

It is most difficult for many drivers to imagine today, but just look at some old silent movies, old Model T movies, and imagine driving on these kinds of roads for (25) years bouncing like a dribbling basket ball all day long with an engine beating up a front cross member ....... not one of today's public highways could ever resemble anything close to what "some" of our Model A's went through in the 1930's alone.

I would do a good job of welding, and I can guarantee that this welded cross member will never be your first or 525th of your next problems encountered in the future with your Model A ....... "if" welded properly.

03-09-2016, 01:01 PM	#1
DWMOONEY Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 22	Cross member repair question Just took my frame to the weld shop. My front cross member was so bad metal was missing where the spring attaches to the cross member. Just wondering if anyone has tried an extra piece of metal between the spring and frame longer than the repaired area to spread the load out across the bottom of the cross member. I know it would raise the frame the thickness of the extra piece, would that cause a problem anywhere? Thanks for any advise.

03-09-2016, 01:24 PM	#2
Mikeinnj Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 1,262	Re: Cross member repair question Read this entry from someone with the same problem and varied solutions. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=190479

03-09-2016, 02:13 PM	#3
H. L. Chauvin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,179	Re: Cross member repair question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) My cross member was badly cracked with very uneven steel surfaces on both sides of the cracks. Quite a few rivets were either loose or missing ..... it looked like a rusty wreck. I removed the cross member, made metal on both sides level with hammer and anvil, then used a Dremel tool to cut vees in cracks down to shiny metal and MIG welded all of the cracks, added metal where missing metal, and used a side grinder to make them smooth. I knew this would work just fine solely because I remember the original owner, and his four (4) sons, (two living today), who drove this car wrecklessly for about (25) years on mud and dirt roads on their 1,000 acre farm, (about 3/4 mile from my house), crossing very rough raised track "field" railroad crossings ..... and multiple dirt road ruts 18" deep everywhere. I never once was afraid to restore this cross membr as mentioned herein.. It is most difficult for many drivers to imagine today, but just look at some old silent movies, old Model T movies, and imagine driving on these kinds of roads for (25) years bouncing like a dribbling basket ball all day long with an engine beating up a front cross member ....... not one of today's public highways could ever resemble anything close to what "some" of our Model A's went through in the 1930's alone. I would do a good job of welding, and I can guarantee that this welded cross member will never be your first or 525th of your next problems encountered in the future with your Model A ....... "if" welded properly. Last edited by H. L. Chauvin; 03-09-2016 at 09:39 PM. Reason: typo