I was under my 54 Customline today and noticed this rust starting on the BOTTOM of the front crossmember. I'm thrashing on the car to make sure it's safe for the showdown... I can't get any deflection on it but don't really have the time to weld it up... So I ask the collective wisdom of the hamb, you fellas think its safe to drive? Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I would at least temporarily reinforce the lower area by welding a fairly thick piece of steel beneath the lower A-arm mount. If you were to hit a good sized chuckhole, it could drop the front of the lower arm out onto the ground, and could cause an accident. ---John
Pitting doesn't bother me as much as that crack does. Hit it with a rotary wire brush and see what opens up.
Yeah it's about to get pulled onto my friends 4 post. I'm going to see what it looks like. Worst case ill weld it up. We're driving to the showdown from North Jersey and that's all highway... Plus I want to take it on the track if I'm let in the infield.... Lets see what happens... Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
Its a common problem on 54 fords & mercs.I guy in oklahoma makes new ones that are supposed to be just like oem.I had a 54 merc that i sold thats how i know.I would replace it! there sold on e-pay.
I would not chance driving it at all,contact Goodell Fabrication for a replacement (918)636-7071 or here is a link to making your own: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=15875&pictureid=174642
Fix it right. Even a hard stop could tear it loose. Ask me how I know. That was in the early 60's and it didn't look anything like yours. If it does the least problem will be that you'll be able to make a 90 degree turn by simply letting go of the wheel. Worst case??????
54-56 Ford passenger cars have a bad history of rotten front crossmembers and collapsed front suspensions as a result. One of the two, perhaps both, are available from Carpenter in NC.
Well... So far since my last post I've made a rather crude but strong patch for the drivers side, which is the worst. I've ground down to shiny and thick metal all around and am welding it in, at the moment the welds are ugly as sin but strong, I did drill a hole to check penetration and it seems good. I'm using 16 gauge for the patch.... My reasoning is, and if I'm nuts tell me, that if I weld thick metal in there it'll be strong and not rip apart on the road. Then I can plan to have it fixed properly over the winter. Or am I a dumbfuck?
I made one from 2" (IIRC) seamless DOM tubing, mandrel bent on a Huth tube bender from a pattern I drew off the old one. The hole saw bored for the thru pieces that supported the lower control arms. Then it had to be located, clamped, welded, not forgetting the 10" long boxing plates that had to be slid onto the tube before installing...then everything got sewn up. When 'set-up' to do this op, it goes quickly. Otherwise, it's 2 days...Groan... But the tubing was a cutoff rem, $5. Besides, the tube cross member was visible and looked like a million bucks under there! (next best thing to an axle!)
Mike, Sounds like a great project but one that's probably past my capabilities. I manage to make strong enough welds but god they look like crap. I'm getting better but I'd rather not weld in a whole crossmember. Here's what I have accomplished so far... I hit the crap out of it with a pick and a hammer and can't get it to budge. Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I use a old arc welders pick hammer. By using that or what you are using, you should be able to tell where all the hidden soft spots are. Good that you painted it. Take a look after a week of driving, and if there was a crack, you will see it in the paint. It will show a rust streak.
Almost done with the passengers side... I gotta say, no self respecting shop would charge money for this but damn it feels good to fix my car Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
There where a lot of old fords junked because that crossmember rusted out. I remember seeing them rusted out on cars less than ten years old. In arkansas we have a lot of gravel & dirt roads the dirt has natural salts, then add the fact that the roads are full of mudpuddles & potholes it was common to see a A frame failure. the Ramblers would also rust out and have a front suspension failure. That ford crossmember is made so that dust ,dirt, salt & moisture is trapped inside. they rust from the inside out. that means theres considerable rust thats not visible from the outside. My opinion is to replace the whole crossmember.
16 gauge is not heavy frame reinforcement. I'd use 10 gauge which is just about 1/8". Remember it's not just your car or your life at risk. Oldwolf is right they rust from the inside. Fix it right the first time, don't just cobble it.
I promise you I'm not saying this to be a dick, and it is good that you're trying to fix this instead of taking a chance, but if your welds are ugly, they are not strong. That is some fairly thick frame metal that you're welding on (or at least, it should be). If you can't run a nice, clean, even weld on it, then it's not clean enough or it's too rusted. That crossmember needs to be replaced. It's not worth wrecking your car or getting yourself or someone else hurt over. I know it stinks to miss a show or a self-imposed deadline, but you'll be much better off in the end.
The welds are splattery as I used a flux core welder. Even before I patched it I couldn't get anything to move. I cut back to metal that was at least as thick as 16 gauge. I couldn't get the welds to budge with a heavy hammer and chisel so I figure they're holding? I do plan on getting the crossmember replaced properly but I figure this would make the car safe to drive? Or am I driving my OT car to the showdown? Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
As in a gasless flux core wire feed? I imagine a little 110V 60A buzzbox? No way I'd trust that. I'm sure the welds are hard if you beat on them with a hammer, any weld will be, but the shear strength is what you're concerned about. I'm not saying that it's not possible to repair what you have versus replacing it, but if you can't lay down a clean weld, I wouldn't trust it. And I personally wouldn't weld anything without shielding gas with one of those little cheapie welders, but that's maybe more of a personal thing.
I WOULDNT MESS AROUND Your lower control arms ar connected to that cross member.If that gives away you lose control of the car Like NO STEERING.GET A PRO 6to weld it right.
Park the car until you can replace it or, if you have metal solid enough to weld to, repair it. One of my cousins wrecked a '55 because of the control arm attachment pulling through a rusty crossmember and sending him into a deep ditch. I replaced the one on my '55 about 2 years ago. Unless the car came out of the desert southwest, most 54-'56 Fords have a crossmember compromised by rust.
Bringing up this old thread just to let you Ford guys know that Goodell Fabrications closed it doors about four months ago after decades of producing these replacement cross members. We have blue print plans for the 1954-56 cross members available in the 1952-59 Ford Social Group, I did reach out to a few folks that have made them in the past and asked if they would be interested in making them for guys that need them but sadly no takers.
How can I get a copy of the blueprints for the front crossmember that Jeffb2 was talking about , only for a 56 customline? They're supposedly not the same as the 54. I sure would appreciate any help I can get!!
@JeffB2 should be able to provide a link to crossmember plan. Here is the social group for 52-59 Ford guys: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/social-forums/1952-59-ford-social-group.282/ Click on 'forum tools' and 'join forum'.
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