Steering Box Frame Cracks

[Whit]

I am in the process of repairing some frame cracks in the steering box area on my 1979 C-10 half ton pick up. I would like to get you guys thoughts on how you would approach this repair, specifically that rear lower hole. I plan to end drill and groove out the cracks deep enough to get full penetration to the backside of the frame channel and then stitch & plug weld on one of the preshaped fish plate reinforcement plates. I'll be using a Millermatic 211 with .030 ER70S-6 wire and C25 gas. The hole on the rear lower position is the most challenging and the one I would like to get your thoughts on. The missing piece was not found when I removed the steering box. The small crescent shaped piece is loose. I made a plate to install on the back side of the frame to locate the rear lower hole to the rear upper hole to support things when I repair the crack that runs all the way around the large piece, and I made another plate to locate the 4 hole bolt pattern from the outside of the frame in case I need to redrill any of the holes after repair. I'm thinking I'd repair the long crack that goes around the top, then tack the crescent shaped piece in place. At that point I'm thinking use a hole saw with a pilot that will locate on the hole and remove the material with the crescent shaped piece as well leaving a 7/8 to 1 inch hole. Then install a lathe cut ID, OD and back flange piece into that hole from the back side, groove out around the parting line and weld in trying to achieve full penetration to the back side. At that point my plan was to just build up material weld bead onto weld bead to fill the vacancy where the missing piece was. How would you do this job?

[ryanjones2150]

Sounds like you've thought through your repair pretty well. Go for it.

[H80N]

I am in the process of repairing some frame cracks in the steering box area on my 1979 C-10 half ton pick up. I would like to get you guys thoughts on how you would approach this repair, specifically that rear lower hole. I plan to end drill and groove out the cracks deep enough to get full penetration to the backside of the frame channel and then stitch & plug weld on one of the preshaped fish plate reinforcement plates. I'll be using a Millermatic 211 with .030 ER70S-6 wire and C25 gas. The hole on the rear lower position is the most challenging and the one I would like to get your thoughts on. The missing piece was not found when I removed the steering box. The small crescent shaped piece is loose. I made a plate to install on the back side of the frame to locate the rear lower hole to the rear upper hole to support things when I repair the crack that runs all the way around the large piece, and I made another plate to locate the 4 hole bolt pattern from the outside of the frame in case I need to redrill any of the holes after repair. I'm thinking I'd repair the long crack that goes around the top, then tack the crescent shaped piece in place. At that point I'm thinking use a hole saw with a pilot that will locate on the hole and remove the material with the crescent shaped piece as well leaving a 7/8 to 1 inch hole. Then install a lathe cut ID, OD and back flange piece into that hole from the back side, groove out around the parting line and weld in trying to achieve full penetration to the back side. At that point my plan was to just build up material weld bead onto weld bead to fill the vacancy where the missing piece was. How would you do this job?

That happens a lot on trucks that have been pushing a plow.....

Welding in a set of preformed reinforcing doubler plates will help make the repair permanent

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sm...0/applications

http://www.summitracing.com/search/P...LET/Model/K10/

[old jupiter]

Early '70s Dodge Darts in various versions often had similar cracks, to be repaired with doublers and stress-relocaters as you're doing.

[MMW]

Very common repair. I've done a bunch of these. Welded it up & then welded on a doubler plate. Used to make them myself before you could buy them.

To answer your question on how would I do it? I would order the reinforcing kit, weld up the frame & grind it flush, then weld on the kit & call it a day. Don't sweat it, just do it. As I said earlier this is very common on Chevy/GMC trucks.

[H80N]

very common repair. I've done a bunch of these. Welded it up & then welded on a doubler plate. Used to make them myself before you could buy them.

To answer your question on how would i do it? I would order the reinforcing kit, weld up the frame & grind it flush, then weld on the kit & call it a day. Don't sweat it, just do it. As i said earlier this is very common on chevy/gmc trucks.

+1.....