Crushed frame rail repair options

[Z_Karma]

My AE has a pretty badly crushed passenger rail.
The good thing is it's not rusted out.



I was thinking about how to approach repairing it.

1)Trying to weld on some bolts and pull it with a slide hammer, like body shop studs.

2)Shaping a 16ga sheet and weld it in place over it. I picked up a plate of weldsteel from Lowes today.

3)Cutting it out along the creases, hammering it flat and welding it back into place.

[mydarkend]

How did you crush it? Jack? I say don't worry about it.

[Grr]

i have to do this to mine eventually too, and IMHO it would be best to cut the bottom off and straighten the sides, then weld some new, 11ga (1/8") flat on there so it has a bit more strength. When i do mine i plan to use some round chassis tubing so i have a strong, rounded framerail for using stands and jacks

[nutsaq]

do nothing and put some coating over what is left.

You did more damage taking off the coating than the crushed metal would have done.

[michaelp]

Z31P

[Russ84na]

[quote]michaelp wrote:

do nothing and put some coating over what is left.

You did more damage taking off the coating than the crushed metal would have done.
OR

Do the proper thing and repair it and put coating over it.

http://home.comcast.net/~gwmolitor/frame_repair.html

[Kennedy]

Russ84na wrote: http://home.comcast.net/~gwmolitor/frame_repair.html

Hmm.. Sinse that will be little more thougher that stock. Has anyone thinked to make boltable X under the car?
1-2 hard bolts thrue framerail in all ends. That way it will be removable if need to remove gearbox or exhaust.
Body should not flex that bad in tight ( track ) corners?

[attachment=0:h6wkpql2]nissan_z31.jpg[/attachment:h6wkpql2]

[85z31t88]

I will have to do some frame rail repair in the future as well as previous owners or shops decided that was a good jacking point. Im not too worried about it now, but it is something I want to address.

[Z_Karma]

It was like this when i bought the car last year.
http://www.z31performance.com/forum/...p?f=13&t=15718

wwgd
(what would Gary do?)
yeah, i guess i already knew the answer before asking the question.
I'll clean it up, prime it and cap it.

[allen colin Kelly]

That is a great looking 3" exhaust system you have.

[Careless]

i would :

- try the stud-pull trick first. make sure your surrounding floor is tough.
- forget welding over it.
- forget cutting it out and bending it back and rewelding.
- if cutting anything out, replace with all new metal.

[Z_Karma]

I'm wondering if a stud welder would work on that thicker (14ga?) frame rail metal.

I 120.00 HF stud welder wouldn't be a bad investment for this project..and the Shiros.

[Richard_85ZXT]

Careless wrote: i would :

- try the stud-pull trick first. make sure your surrounding floor is tough.
- forget welding over it.
- forget cutting it out and bending it back and rewelding.
- if cutting anything out, replace with all new metal.

+1 :lease

[floridaZ]

Kennedy wrote: Hmm.. Sinse that will be little more thougher that stock. Has anyone thinked to make boltable X under the car?
1-2 hard bolts thrue framerail in all ends. That way it will be removable if need to remove gearbox or exhaust.
Body should not flex that bad in tight ( track ) corners?

[attachment=0:1ldjuri3]nissan_z31.jpg[/attachment:1ldjuri3]

It's been done. There's a guy who made up that and other chassis braces for... Maronee, maybe? Can't remember, "they" are willing to reproduce as they have a jig but it's in Japan. And the Stramans had an X-brace as well, if memory serves.

[Richard_85ZXT]

I don't think it was Maronee, but I think he was the first to post pics of the car it was on, that is if you are referring to the white one. I believe it was first posted in the Mr. K's b-day celebration thread from quiz. As for the Stramans, I have no clue, Z-bum would be a good one to ask.