Post
by Rickf » Mon Jan 30, 2023 5:24 pm
Go back and read what I said! I said that I originally thought you were talking about the front to rear body rails, they are what gets cut out and replaced. Please do not put words in my mouth!! Here is what I said.
"I just noticed after looking again that you are working on the crossmember so that will be different. But keep what I said in mind if you need to get into the front to back channels."
In this case that particular channel was never meant to be replaced. As Hambone said, if you look in the manual you will see that part is x'd out and it says that if rust is found in this channel the body is to be scrapped and replaced. Now, obviously you cannot do that so what you need to do is exactly what you are doing. Cut out the rust back to good metal, clean very well and weld in new metal. But keep in mind that this is a suspension support and as such it is a stressed member so the welds have to be perfect and any hole positions also have to be perfect or the rear wheel alignment will be off.
Again, there are NO replacement parts for that channel other than the outer ends.
I'm sorry if I come off as an a$$hole but when people make it sound like I am saying THIS IS HOW IT HAS TO BE DONE, then yes, I will get pissed. I never tell people how it has to be done. I tell them how it should be done or I tell them how I do it and what they do after that is on them. Note above, I did not tell you HOW it had to be done, I simply told you WHAT had to be done and why.
The only time I will say it has to be done my way is if I am diagnosing a mechanical problem for you. Then yes, you need to do it the way I ask since that is the way the troubleshooting tree works, you do not skip steps. Many people over the years have interpreted my requests for this as a demand for "my way or no way" in all of my advice and that is simply not true.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone