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TR4/4A Tackling the biggest problem with my TR4A.... Frame Damage :[
- Thread starter Djoslyn
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I've been continuing to cut out rusty patches as I find them and create patches for those spots. All the while I've been practicing my welding skills. Today I've finally started welding in some of those patches into the frame!
I'm still debating on whether I should use some rust converter before I start closing in these sections of frame or just using some of the eastwood internal frame coating. I think I want to end up using both for the areas I open up for sure.
I'm still debating on whether I should use some rust converter before I start closing in these sections of frame or just using some of the eastwood internal frame coating. I think I want to end up using both for the areas I open up for sure.
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Got some more patches welded in today. I'm getting as much practice in in the front sections before I do some more extensive work on the trailing frame rails. Grinding the welds flush will get done later.
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Considered yes. I've leveled it up on some jack stands for the time being. I'm being careful about not over heating anything too much as I'm spot welding these panels into place. Hopefully this will be enough to keep anything from warping too much.
This frame has already had the front passenger corner replaced from a donor frame at some point in the past. I plan on taking it to a frame shop to bring that corner back into spec as that turret was bent about a 1/4" rearward already...
This frame has already had the front passenger corner replaced from a donor frame at some point in the past. I plan on taking it to a frame shop to bring that corner back into spec as that turret was bent about a 1/4" rearward already...
The major repairs are almost complete. I ran out of shielding gas over the weekend so I'll have to get more before I can finish these welds. I still need to find a local frame shop that will true up the twist in the frame. Once done I'll be adding the typical re-reinforcements before painting.
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Madflyer
Jedi Knight
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I did a frame off restoration as the car I got had poor frame clip work LH side front. I replaced frame from a parts car that I got for $ 150.00 As there are few mounting points for body and most all elect. is in the body fuel and brake lines and steering and battery are about it. I added a hook assy at the garage supports for the rear and hooked the hood rails in front. I did have to move the frame side ways as garage role up door would hit hanger. When replacing body to frame I used long bolts with heads cut off as pins to line body as I lowered it. I did it myself remember doors will need to be adjusted and old mount spacers will not be the same.
The Robert Bentley TR book has all frame spec. to check for true. Ounce you see your old frame that would be the call as to replace or repair. A new frame needs everything mounted as repairing yours can be a lot less work
Weak points are at rear spring mount, shock mounts, Diff supports and rear swing arms .
GOOD LUCK and send pic of work .. Madflyer
The Robert Bentley TR book has all frame spec. to check for true. Ounce you see your old frame that would be the call as to replace or repair. A new frame needs everything mounted as repairing yours can be a lot less work
Weak points are at rear spring mount, shock mounts, Diff supports and rear swing arms .
GOOD LUCK and send pic of work .. Madflyer
Finally some more progress!
I took a break from this over the winter and started looking hard for a shop that would be willing to check the frame for twist/straightness/etc. Unfortunately none were willing to work on just a bare frame as they have no good way to anchor it down besides chains. I found one that supposedly specialized fixing up these older cars and the measurements I"d done last year he seemed to think that it wasn't a big deal and I should just use it as is.
I started thinking though. I've done a lot more research on working with car frames over the last several months and I'd also gotten a handy laser level for another project. So I went ahead and measured everything again. This time I used the laser level to get the frame perfectly level front to back and side to side based on the central body mounts as they would have been farthest away from any accident damage in the past. Once done I re-adjusted the laser level to where the datum should be and started measuring all the crucial points stated in the manual.
Thankfully all the major suspension and body mount points in the front where I thought was twist were within a few mm of each other compared to the datum! It turns out what I thought was frame twist was a difference in the vertical height of the frame rail corner that had been replaced. That corner was different enough that sitting on my garage floor it can rock making it seem like there was twist in the frame.
Unfortunately though. The extensive rust repairs I'd made in the rear bottom side of the frame ended up pulling the frame rails behind the drive shaft loop down. Measuring at the rear leaf spring mount it was right around 1inch lower than where it should be..
Since No shop was willing to take my money and help get the frame right, I figured out a way I could do it myself. I figured since cutting and welding on the bottom side of the frame pulled everything down, doing the same on the top side should correct it to some extent. I did run the idea by a friend of mine who has a good amount of car fabrication experience and he agreed it should work. I planned on re-inforcing the frame rails in that area with extra metal anyways to take care of the typical weak points so I shouldn't have to worry about weakening the structure with the cutting and re-welding.
Anyways, today I ended up marking the top side and sides of the frame rails on each side. I cut through the top and sides down to about 1/4 of an inch from the bottom of the frame rail. I used some extra jack stands and some of those wooden wedges to lift the rear end of the frame back up to where it needed to be. I made a couple of tack welds at first and re-measured everything.
I did set everything about 1/8th of an inch too low from the spec in the manual because I knew as the welds cool it might pull up the frame in that area even more. Which it did.. by about 1/8th of an inch... So now the rear leaf spring mounts are a touch too high. But that can be taken care of with shims. Plus as I weld in the extra re-inforcements I'll weigh the rear end of the frame down and hopefully get it just right.
I've started making the cardboard templates for the various places I'll be adding more metal to the frame.
And just to make sure.. I measured every cross dimension just to make sure I still have a square frame after all of this work I've done.
I took a break from this over the winter and started looking hard for a shop that would be willing to check the frame for twist/straightness/etc. Unfortunately none were willing to work on just a bare frame as they have no good way to anchor it down besides chains. I found one that supposedly specialized fixing up these older cars and the measurements I"d done last year he seemed to think that it wasn't a big deal and I should just use it as is.
I started thinking though. I've done a lot more research on working with car frames over the last several months and I'd also gotten a handy laser level for another project. So I went ahead and measured everything again. This time I used the laser level to get the frame perfectly level front to back and side to side based on the central body mounts as they would have been farthest away from any accident damage in the past. Once done I re-adjusted the laser level to where the datum should be and started measuring all the crucial points stated in the manual.
Thankfully all the major suspension and body mount points in the front where I thought was twist were within a few mm of each other compared to the datum! It turns out what I thought was frame twist was a difference in the vertical height of the frame rail corner that had been replaced. That corner was different enough that sitting on my garage floor it can rock making it seem like there was twist in the frame.
Unfortunately though. The extensive rust repairs I'd made in the rear bottom side of the frame ended up pulling the frame rails behind the drive shaft loop down. Measuring at the rear leaf spring mount it was right around 1inch lower than where it should be..
Since No shop was willing to take my money and help get the frame right, I figured out a way I could do it myself. I figured since cutting and welding on the bottom side of the frame pulled everything down, doing the same on the top side should correct it to some extent. I did run the idea by a friend of mine who has a good amount of car fabrication experience and he agreed it should work. I planned on re-inforcing the frame rails in that area with extra metal anyways to take care of the typical weak points so I shouldn't have to worry about weakening the structure with the cutting and re-welding.
Anyways, today I ended up marking the top side and sides of the frame rails on each side. I cut through the top and sides down to about 1/4 of an inch from the bottom of the frame rail. I used some extra jack stands and some of those wooden wedges to lift the rear end of the frame back up to where it needed to be. I made a couple of tack welds at first and re-measured everything.
I did set everything about 1/8th of an inch too low from the spec in the manual because I knew as the welds cool it might pull up the frame in that area even more. Which it did.. by about 1/8th of an inch... So now the rear leaf spring mounts are a touch too high. But that can be taken care of with shims. Plus as I weld in the extra re-inforcements I'll weigh the rear end of the frame down and hopefully get it just right.
I've started making the cardboard templates for the various places I'll be adding more metal to the frame.
And just to make sure.. I measured every cross dimension just to make sure I still have a square frame after all of this work I've done.
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Here's a possibility on eBay:
Triumph TR4 • Original Frame Assembly | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Triumph TR4 • Original Frame Assembly at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com
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My apologies as I sent my message before seeing your last message today. Good luck!
