Welp, I see the pictures didn’t work right in the last post. I am far too lazy to fix that a month after they were posted.
Found some more rot on the inner rails thanks to the needle-scaler. Ultimately decided to just box in the frame entirely in this area, way more than what was needed. The second patch extends well-beyond where good metal is.
https://i.imgur.com/gFcNfdGl.jpg
Also found some very poor welding on past-me’s part with the two patches I put on a few years ago.
https://i.imgur.com/EKTx3OQl.jpg
Might not be perfect, but I am certain they’re better my previous attempt!
https://i.imgur.com/COgffpFl.jpg
Well, okay, maybe not on that seam.
https://i.imgur.com/tx4xPhrl.jpg
Had another go at it, this time downhill instead of up.
https://i.imgur.com/aVlFC3Hl.jpg
Alas, not the last of the rot that needed to be dealt with. This was found when dad and I decided to pull the brackets the crossmember slots into and found some very unhappy looking steel right where the spring hangers bolt up.
https://i.imgur.com/Hgoyg2sl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MAS2H8wl.jpg
The four rivets that had to come out to get at those spots were so tough it was deemed that removing the 16 from the two braces to pull them out was going to be near-sysphian in scope given their propensity for munching drillbits. Instead, the most critical area was cut out on both sides.
https://i.imgur.com/hbXMi6tl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HPc8XCel.jpg
And patched. Luckily the hangers themselves have only superficial damage. That chipping you see is the extent of it. An additional plate is going to be welded in instead of re-using the brackets to stiffen where the hanger mounts.
https://i.imgur.com/d1YF5r2l.jpg
That’s all for now, should be ready for paint soon, need to reinforce two more spots (the places ruined by the aftermarket bumper being welded on) and that’s it.
E: I see once again my images have not loaded, well, at least there’s the links!
