M38A1 Rear Frame Crossmember

[Redleg]

How do I go about replacing the rear frame crossmember?

Someone tried to pull something heavy with the driver side lifting shackle and pulled the frame crossmember to which it is attached out about 2 1/2 inches. This has caused it to crease and fracture at the rivets. I would like to get it straighten but am not sure of the outcome. If I replace it, the pintle hook attachment plate will have to be cut away and all of the rivets to the frame cut. How would I go about resetting all of those? I see a replacement cross member at Midwest but all of the rest of this stuff seems overwhelming and there are no holes in the replacement where the pintle hook would go. (page 10 on their site)

Has anyone gone through this replacement? If so could you give me a sort of blow by blow, by the numbers on how to best go about it?

Many thanks

[mcguyver]

I've only done it with the tub removed and you'r right you have to grind the face of the rivit flush then I used an air chisel with a point bit to punch the balance of the rivit out. I got my cross member (very inexpensive)from Daryl Bensinger www.sphynx.com/mitymite/.
I found that it was simpler to weld up the holes on the new part , then semi straighten the old part and clamp them back to back and mark and drill the holes. It dosn't seem to matter where you get them, replacements are always just a little off on one hole or another. Bolt everything together first. Then remove one bolt at a time install a rivit then do the next one. There should be about 1/32 or less clearance between the rivet and the hole. If the holes are more than 1/32 larger weld the holes shut (BOTH HOLES) and drill it again. The drill bit should match the rivit diameter. The legnth should be 1.5 times bigger than the dia. to have enough metal to form the head in the round shape that was there before (or as close to round as Willys/kaiser employee was confortable with). Heat the side your going to hammer on the rivet with a torch, cherry red Just the the rivit a braizing tip worked for me. Use the air chisel with a bucking bar and a rivit set (piece that goes into your chisel sized for the rivit head). Step back and admire your work. If this sounds like to much, a local Big rig repair center can install them for you once you've done the drill and bolt up part or you might ask a local blacksmith. Ours does a lot of antique auto frame repairs.

Lee Maguire

McGuyver

[petesilfven]

Go over to the G503 forum and search for frame rivets. Someone is making replacements that screw together.