how about a thread on frame flex?

MTA former President "Over" Grovers flex

did not take much to flex it before the revolvers in the front

It really used to flex before I welded all the cracks in the frame

When I rebuild my motor, I am going to stitch weld the frame and box the rear section.

That is amazing.

Tie the cage into the frame. That will stop the flex..

Funny it really flexs right in front of the foremost tub mount? I was thinking tube fenders tied to the frame through a bullbar kinda like Glo but more fender.

on my old frame/body, after flexing, it would STAY twisted about 8" corner to corner...would have to flex the opposite side to open the doors...

course, you could see the entire passenger rear tire thru the rust holes too....

Every person I know who has welded the frame has ended up breaking it. the cruiser frame was built and designed to flex. that is the reason they usually don't break like CJ5's.
If i wanted to stop the flex of the stock frame I would not weld it up. I would build a completely new frame.

After 1980 the frame was boxed considerably more and the frame doesnt flex nearly as much!

Here is a shot of Dusy 2 weeks ago, the new shocks and axles worked great

Originally posted by jbcruiser
Every person I know who has welded the frame has ended up breaking it. the cruiser frame was built and designed to flex. that is the reason they usually don't break like CJ5's.
If i wanted to stop the flex of the stock frame I would not weld it up. I would build a completely new frame.


I was under the assumption that alot of frame flex would fatigue the metal and cause stress cracks, I always heard that stitch wleding and tying the cage into the frame would really help.

Any suggestions on extending the life of my frame?

Originally posted by Slowerthanu



I was under the assumption that alot of frame flex would fatigue the metal and cause stress cracks, I always heard that stitch wleding and tying the cage into the frame would really help.

Any suggestions on extending the life of my frame?

Yep, the frame is not made out of spring steel. So it will fatigue.

I belive in making the suspension flex and the frame solid. Welding the frame and tying the cage into the frame will do both.


My frame is welded and boxed. i let the suspension work. seems just fine.

Frame flex is one of those things that always intrigued me. I remeber a along time ago when slot car racing was the rage, a friend of mine who also raced cars built a slot car frame out of bailing wire. That car stuck to the track like glue, Maybe a frame for a rockcrawler that could absorb the stress's and conform to the terrain along with the supension might have an advantage on an extreme terrrain course. If the frame was articulated in the center to rotate wouldn't this be an advantage? Of course if your trying to keep the sheet metal of your body from deforming, well that's another issue.

Originally posted by Jason M


Yep, the frame is not made out of spring steel. So it will fatigue.

I belive in making the suspension flex and the frame solid. Welding the frame and tying the cage into the frame will do both.


My frame is welded and boxed. i let the suspension work. seems just fine.
the only real issue with this is lots of street driving, on the trail though its much safer!

What about some under the oilpan tube running diagiaonaly across connecting the frame from side to side, then running a skidplate that also ties it together and also is your traction link shackle mount. I am thinking the hood shifting has got to be limited with the oilpan tube. I could never run hood pins. The would be nothing left of the hood by the end of the weekend. Also the front hood bumper like Bunghole's and or tubefenders has to tie things together even more.

I have a lot less frame flex now that RustyB built my fenders and then tied my cage to the frame.

I really like it better this way since I tend to be a little rough on my Cruiser.

Before, when it flexed, I had the frame crack in a couple of places.

I lost about 75% of my frame flex when I built my tube fenders. More went away with the tubular skidplate I had. frame tie ins on the cage all but eliminated it.

I'm all for letting the suspension do the work not the frame. I don't think that just welding the frame is a good idea though. Doing that causes the frame to be stiffer, but it has no extra support. Tieing in the cage, building some extra cross members and thing such as that are a much better way to go.

Originally posted by EricFJ40
I lost about 75% of my frame flex when I built my tube fenders. More went away with the tubular skidplate I had. frame tie ins on the cage all but eliminated it.

I'm all for letting the suspension do the work not the frame. I don't think that just welding the frame is a good idea though. Doing that causes the frame to be stiffer, but it has no extra support. Tieing in the cage, building some extra cross members and thing such as that are a much better way to go.


That is my plan, Box the rear section of the frame, stitch weld it, build a stronger rear crossmember along with a tubular skidplate belly pan when I do my toybox and tie my new cage into the frame when I build it.


dan

These frames are designed to flex. Welding them will only create stress risers.

They may have been designed to flex some but heavier axles and much bigger tires cause a lot more flex then was ever designed for. Flexing the frame is stressing it and fatigues the steel. I'd rather not have the flex. Welding cages and tube fenders reduces the total stress in the frame even with stress risers because more there are more load bearing members sharing the stress.

Originally posted by Cruiser Ken
They may have been designed to flex some but heavier axles and much bigger tires cause a lot more flex then was ever designed for. Flexing the frame is stressing it and fatigues the steel. I'd rather not have the flex. Welding cages and tube fenders reduces the total stress in the frame even with stress risers because more there are more load bearing members sharing the stress.

That's what I was trying to say:D