- Joined
- Oct 6, 2010
- Messages
- 426
- Reaction score
- 4
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- Location
- Palmdale, California
- Vehicle Year
- 88
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 4.0
- Transmission
- Manual
Well,
Here goes. I slid off the road this past Sunday, backwards at about 40 MPH. I went into the median ditch and hit on the right rear. Scared me but no harm done, or so I thought. I was able to drive right out but a couple miles later I arrived where I was headed and heard the right front rub badly. Uh oh, it was not rubbing before. Jumped out to look and saw nothing obvious. Now to prevace this I had just replaced the steering box so my steering was a bit off so I did not notice any more "offness" in the steering and the truck tracked straight. Well I get home and see my tire is cut on the outer rim, not just rubbed. Did some quick measuring and found the right tire a 1/2 further back than the left and the truck is 1" low on the right front. Yikes! Now, I knew the right spring pocket had a slight rust issue and would eventually need replaced. Well here is what I found when I pulled the tire.
I measured and found the pocket had partially folded. Well I pulled one from the JY, in the dark and snow! Pulled mine out just now and here is what I found.
So my first thought is the frame is toast, and so is the truck. I'm really surprised the frame did not fold!!!! Of course it is fixable but I'm not sure I can keep the frame in the correct orentation when welding in replacement steel. And this is where the upper spring pocket/shock mount is. Also hard ot see in the pics is that the frame bowed out around the upper rivet and you should see the pile of what used to be solid steel under the truck! The left side is not rusted like the right side but I can only assume it may be badly rusted too. What do you guys think? I've put a ton of effort/time/money into this truck over the last few years and hate to think it's done for.
Here goes. I slid off the road this past Sunday, backwards at about 40 MPH. I went into the median ditch and hit on the right rear. Scared me but no harm done, or so I thought. I was able to drive right out but a couple miles later I arrived where I was headed and heard the right front rub badly. Uh oh, it was not rubbing before. Jumped out to look and saw nothing obvious. Now to prevace this I had just replaced the steering box so my steering was a bit off so I did not notice any more "offness" in the steering and the truck tracked straight. Well I get home and see my tire is cut on the outer rim, not just rubbed. Did some quick measuring and found the right tire a 1/2 further back than the left and the truck is 1" low on the right front. Yikes! Now, I knew the right spring pocket had a slight rust issue and would eventually need replaced. Well here is what I found when I pulled the tire.
I measured and found the pocket had partially folded. Well I pulled one from the JY, in the dark and snow! Pulled mine out just now and here is what I found.
So my first thought is the frame is toast, and so is the truck. I'm really surprised the frame did not fold!!!! Of course it is fixable but I'm not sure I can keep the frame in the correct orentation when welding in replacement steel. And this is where the upper spring pocket/shock mount is. Also hard ot see in the pics is that the frame bowed out around the upper rivet and you should see the pile of what used to be solid steel under the truck! The left side is not rusted like the right side but I can only assume it may be badly rusted too. What do you guys think? I've put a ton of effort/time/money into this truck over the last few years and hate to think it's done for.
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