Cracked Model A front crossmember, what to do?

I will check my storage. I think I have an OEM one. Not sure of its exact condition, but I don't keep crap. I don't have much space (and it's packed).

 

Oh man, I would greatly appreciate that.
If you have one in good shape you'd be willing to part with, I have cash at the ready.

This build is for my wife's grandma. This car she has had since the 50's, they drove all their family around, the car gave out and got parked mid 70's. I'm rebuilding it for her to her wishes and specs, (basically full stock, fenders etc.) I'm trying to get the car together as safely and quickly as possible so she can enjoy it as she did in her earlier years.

Here's the original thread I started about the car if you care to see how this all started.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=562621

 

The TRADITIONAL way is to just use an arc welder and scab a 1/4" thick plate or a lawnmower blade accross the top. I have an old frame im my back yard with this fix and that's the TRADITIONAL way!

 

^^^ There is your answer.
No choice but to replace it.




(unless you're not fond of grandma-in-law, than leave it as is)

 

Murphys' Law dictates that you will spend all the time and labor to fix it, finish the car, and a week later it will crack someplace else.

 

No brainer, replace it. They are cheap and easy to get.

 

It is in my storage unit. I can see it. I will dig it out, with any luck on Sunday. I have to swap the flywheel on the OT/DD first, before I can get back over there. I will yank it from the frame section it is on and blast it, to make sure that it is not just like the one you have. Pretty sure that it is fine.

 

If you aren't going to fix that, I will be happy to purchase it from you. Don't hack it up getting it out, drill the rivets out, and tell me where the send you the money. email me at [email protected]

Thanks,

 

What to do?....I would wonder how fatigued the rest of the frame is.

 

Ironically enough the rest of the frame looks brand new! I do have access to eddy current, dye penetrant, and x-ray equipment so I can check other crack prone areas of the frame. I would guess another major stress point to be where the rear crossmember is riveted to the rails, correct? It would be quite a task to hit the entire frame.

 

I'm sorry I didn't quote this sooner, oh man did I get a good laugh from this!! Yes, we are all quite fond of grandma!


Perhaps I'm overthinking this, I'm an aircraft mechanic so I have a tendency to go crazy inspecting and re-inspecting and over engineering everything I lay my hands on. Almost to the borderline OCD level. I could dye penetrate, and eddy current the stress points, but that may be taking things to the extreme. Would a good visual inspection suffice in this case, or should I dig deeper?

 

Many of those x-members fracture there. Repair it by notching and welding. DONE. Then move onto the next thing on the to-do list.

 

If it were my butt in the seat, I'd replace the crossmember, who knows how brittle the rest of it is

 

When a wheel hits a bump head-on, the front spring tries to move upward and roll backward at the same time. The long crack at the rear of the crossmember looks like a result of the rolling motion - no small feat considering the wishbone was there to help limit backward movement of the spring. The other parallel cracks look like the kind of stress-concentration cracks that often start at a hole. Not sure about the crack perpendicular to the rear crack; maybe just another stress-concentration crack.

Normally, I'd drill, V, and weld from both sides (as recommended above). But here I'd worry about tiny cracks started at the edges of the three holes. So I'd cut out the entire affected area, plus a few inches more going toward the frame rails. V and weld a patch to full penetration. Drill new holes.

 

V it out and weld it up and then plate the top, itll be fine.

 

I agree crank up the heat and mig weld it back together , itll be fine . No reason to overthink it.

 

As I had mentioned earlier in the thread, where does one find a new replacement Model A crossmember with the rear section that serves as the front engine mount for $70, or any price for that matter?

There are only 2 options here, weld it or find a better original to replace it.

Dave

 

I wouldn't be in such a hurry to jump the gun and remove that old cross member. That's a lot of work. Those cracks aren't that bad and most likely from loose U bolts. My approach would be to drill the ends to stop the migration of the crack and then v cut the crack and have it welded up with a good 220 current welder, not a mickey mouse 110 wire feed, on both sides. Dress out the welds and you shouldn't have a problem.

Remember those cracks got there from pounding on rough old dirt roads or field use. Even with some questionable roads we are made to drive on today they are a lot better than the road surfaces of the 30's so a repair is not going to take half the abuse it would have years ago.

If you are not an experienced welder do all the prep work and take it to a guy that is. Its amazing what the 6 pack payment plan will get done. If you are still worried about the ubolt area cracking you can install a 3/16" x 1 3/4" X 8" reinforcement plate between the spring and the flat of the cross member to provide a wider support and use the stock Ubolt crank block on the top of the frame.

 

My original front crossmember was broken and had been welded many, many years earlier.

I replaced it, drilling out the old rivets, riveting in the new (good used original) crossmember. It was not that difficult, though I did need help with a few rivets that I just could not buck myself while holding the riveting tool and juggling the torch. The old one had more cracks not seen in this photo. and the replacement had some smaller cracks that were more easily welded which were located at the end corners and firstly hidden by the torched side rail scraps remaining on the crossmember.

I have another A the previous owner replaced the crossmember and simply bolted it in using the rivet holes. That is an easy solution, but not as safe in my mind.

 

I have to agree with Titus. This is not a rocket ship, its a car. If your really concerned, cut out the cracked center, v the edges, weld in a patch, then plate it past the first patch.

The old time racers didn't replace a crossmember because of a few cracks, and they put a lot more stress on the crossmembers then Grandma is ever going to do with a banger. Gene

 

He replaced it, or is in the process. I sent him one.

 

Thanks Gimpy, from those of us on the replace it side of the fence , old skooler's keeping us safe one project at a time.

 

They ain't that damn hard to find, Ford built what four million of the damn things? Seems like someone is repoping them too. $70's a tad low but $100 should land one pretty easy.

 

Man, I don't know how else to type the same thing I've typed any better so people will understand it. The OP is using his banger engine and needs the rear part of the crossmember that serves as engine mount. Now don't tell me that there are new ones out there for $70 or $100 or whatever price, tell me where to get one of these reproduction model a crosmembers that have the part that acts as the front engine mount. I've never seen one and if they exist I want to know where to get one.

Furthermore, I'm well aware how many model a's were built. There are a large number of original ones that are broken, cracked, rusted beyond use, etc.
The crossmember on my 29 roadster was bent. I had a wanted ad on here and Fordbarn for weeks and couldn't come up with one. I ended up straightening it.
I've owned probably 25 model a front crosmembers, some under cars, some in frames, some loose, and I'd bet over half of them had some kind of damage that, according to a bunch of people on here, would render them unusable and not repairable.



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I know that, but other people may do a search looking for information. I just really want to know where to get one of these Model A reproduction crossmembers that will allow use of a stock front engine mount.


Thanks, Dave

 

Ask here, and one of us will dig up a good original one, and send it to you.

 

^^^ Yes, I have one.

 

Fellas, I was just commenting more on all of the people in this thread who told the OP to just buy a reproduction. There is no reproduction that will work with a stock engine mount.
When I was looking for one for my roadster, I had several people contact me with 30-31 crossmembers, but I wanted a 29.
Thanks for the offers, but I don't need one at this time.


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