removed frame head bottom panel

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 5:11 pm

I have FINALLY found some time to get back in the garage, and I've started working on my chassis. I found some nasty rust holes on the bottom pan of my frame head and today I got up the gumption to remove the old rusty panel. Drilled out a ton of spot welds, chisled and ground down a few miles of old welds, and the panel finally fell to the floor.

Why was it so rusty? There was a big nasty RATS NEST right there in the tunnel, and the rust was just exactly where the nest was. Rat piss must be really corrosive.

Anyway, there is some pinhole rust in the remaining frame head, and the Napolean hat looks like it wants replacement too.

Has anyone here used an aftermarket ball-joint replacement frame head, and if so, what do you think of the quality?

I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Post by **doc** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 5:30 pm

Yes. Pics please. So important for others to SEE this all to commonly needed repair. Keep going!!

doc

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:18 am

First step.. find a donor BJ frame head.. the quality of the aftermarket doesn't compare..

They are normally solid.

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:08 pm

I already ordered a new aftermarket one. Here in New England, all the used parts are rusty and sad. I'm tired of patching the patch panels used to patch up my bug, so I'm using the new parts, low quality be damned.

This particular bug is a test bed for aftermarket rust repair panels and my ability to rebuild a lost cause. I have heard a lot of people voice their opinions about this and that, and I've decided to forge ahead and find out for myself. Supposing the worst happens and the parts really are junk, I can always just rip 'em out and find good original donor pieces (from the nice dry West).

By the way, I keep forgetting to take my camera to the garage, but I promise to get some pics soon.

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:20 pm

Finally got the camera to the garage. Here's the bottom of the frame head with the plate removed.

There is a lot of rust inside the frame head and the Napolean hat, so those are next to go. I will take pictures as a take all the measurements before, during and after this critical and sensitive surgery.

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:01 pm

Got my new framehead today. Seems like a stout peice. Now I have to take the measurements and rip the old one out.

Pics to follow.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:09 am

Interesting that your frame head went.

Must have been sitting nose down a hill?

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:30 am

the pan sat with tires on the back and no beam on the front for some time, I think. All the rust was concentrated up in the front, i suppose where the rainwater ended up.

jterr · Post by **jterr** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:01 pm

Glad I saw this post. I am trying to get the frame head bottom plate off and am completly lost. I have gone thru 15 grinding wheels and haven't made a dent.
It was said there are spot welds here is that so?
Help if you can give me an answer. I ordered the new plate as all the rest seemed OK.
We shall see.
Thanks
JT

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:43 pm

99% of the car is spot welded together.

First thing to do is to clean off all the gunk, grease and dirt..

Get it down to clean metal.. if you can't see spot welds.. do a quick dusting coat with some rattle can black.. then give a quick brush over with some sand paper.

You should see some spots.. they're about 1/8" each.

Does this help?

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:44 pm

Forgot..

Easier to see your spots on the bottom plate..

jterr · Post by **jterr** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:53 pm

OK will give it a try in AM
Thanks
JT

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:05 pm

If your car is body off.. tip it up on itts side.. you can use a 2x4 to pop it up.

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:59 am

An air chisel is very useful, in combination with drilling out the spot welds. All the metal in the framehead area is significantly heavier guage than the rest of the car, and that makes it much tougher to dissassemble. try to do all the bending and drilling on the piece you'll be discarding.

Once you get an edge started, you'll begin to see where the more hidden spotwelds are. The more you get loose, the easier the next ones are to break.

dbcflash · Post by **dbcflash** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:18 pm

Removed the old frame head...Man what a job! Lots of welds, lots of grinding but it finally came off.

I took three measurements per side to make sure the new framehead would be properly aligned. I installed the beam on the old framehead. Starting from a common point on the rear of the pan (I used a long screw in the inspection coverplate hole) I recorded the distance to the shock tower holes, the upper torsion bar opening and the lower torsion bar opening. With these six distances, along with a good bubble level, I have everything I need to install the new framehead exactly where the old one was. (I hope)

Mnairhead was right about the aftermarket frameheads. What a crappy fit! I've been using C-clamps, cargo straps, screws and tack-welds to try and get things where they're supposed to be, but it's fighting me every inch of the way. I bolted the beam onto the framehead and now I'm trying to get all those measurements back. I spent about an hour tonight and gave up. I'll get back on it tomorrow.

Oh. and the camara batteries were dead...sorry

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