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Old 10-08-2014, 06:34 PM
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Gojeep Gojeep is offline
MetalShaper of the Month March 2015, March 2020,, June 2022,Aug 2023
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Eastern Melbourne, Australia
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Spent some time getting the rails perfectly straight again in the press after the welding on the boxing plates.
I also bought myself a 7" disc sander to make it easier to do the final sanding and get it nice and flat. Started with 16 grit and worked my way up through the grades to 80. Did it now as easier without all the brackets that will go on soon.


Back working on the rear cross member which was started some pages back. Used a holesaw to get the matching radius of the Hayman Reese receiver. You will notice it in two halves also. I spent some time fixing up the rear cross member from the other frame to box this one. You would have seen the mess it was in when I was using it as a lever to straighten the frame etc in the picture below.


The original cross member was only 2" wide and that is too narrow to use as a towbar. Needs to be 3" wide in this wall thickness. So rather than making the second cross member 1" wide to add to it, I cut 1/2" off both making them both 1.5" wide to get my 3" of total width.
The reason is it means the pull when welding will be even and will stop it turning into a banana! Also gives me two perfectly straight edges to work with.


This will actually be the side of the cross member facing outwards. I have recessed it in the thickness of the cross member so it will be flush once welded. I didn't want the receiver sticking out and it will be hidden behind the licence plate.


I am showing here how I have the centre sitting up some before welding. With the welding it will shrink and hopefully pull it down level.


All tacked up ready to weld in stages. Top followed by the bottom directly underneath it. Then jump ahead to a still cool spot to do the next bit.


Fully welded and it stayed nice a straight due to keeping it in exact halves.


Backside of the receiver welded in too. The height the receiver is set so it matches the the one on my Jeep Cherokee. That way when I tow my offroad camper, it will be nice and level still.


Upside down here, but can see how I can fit the licence plate over the hole to hide it. I will attach the plate to a piece of tubing to go into the receiver and held with the hitch pin, or fit a spring type mount where it will hinge out of the way.


Pretty happy with how the pre-set came out in the end.


Made up some mounts for the safety chains. Just copied the ones that were on the 2008 Grand Cherokee towbar, which is for sale if anyone needs one.


All done and ready for the frame assembly.
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Marcus
aka. Gojeep
Victoria, Australia
http://willyshotrod.com

Invention is a combination of brains and materials.
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Last edited by Gojeep; 08-01-2017 at 02:52 AM.
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