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TR6 Frame Issue

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It’s still raining and so I am spending time poking around my 75 TR6. Here is a picture of what I found today. The hole is slightly larger than my index finger and I did not find any other spots like this. The metal around the hole seems solid so my question is: Ignore? Patch? Something major needs doing? 821BD5A0-87C1-45DF-8F06-E5A2E8BD84CF.jpg
 
Odd that there would only be one bad area...I’d be taking a pick or a screwdriver and be checking along the entire length of those frame sections. Pretty critical area so I’d want to be sure it was completely solid. If you are sure it’s localized to that one small area, then I’d like try to repair the area. I’d square the area out and make a nice patch out of 16 gauge metal. This would also give you an opportunity to have a bit better look internally as well as being able to spray some stuff in there like an internal frame coating product.

Cheers
Tush
 
I agree with Tush. These members are well known trouble spots, and it would be a little unusual to have just the one perforation and no other damage. I'd get a little more aggressive with a pick hammer. Also, there are some stiffening pieces in there to take the compression from the trailing arm bracket fasteners. Those are pretty vulnerable and the brackets will loosen up if they fail.

At the very least, open up a larger hole and weld in a patch.

Ed
 
I'm not an expert in automotive frames but I'm a structural engineer. This member is not greatly weakened yet but this looks like a good spot for a fatigue crack to start and propagate across the frame.
I agree that a little further investigation and a simple patch are in order.
 
I’m not seeing the usual signs of rust-through. It may be road damage from running over something like steel re-bar. I’d patch it, but I wouldn’t be in any hurry...it would be down a ways on my “to do” list.
 
My frame had a hole similar to that. Its not the hole you need to worry about as much as its the structure inside. The structure inside that keeps the frame section from collapsing when you tighten the bolts for the trailing arm mounts was rusted away so I ended up replacing the sections with new ones which are available.
 
Thanks everyone for the input. I got under the car today and explored the frame pretty closely and found no other trouble spots. My plan now is to just patch this area and move on to something else.
 
Since everything looks ok, I would use a step drill to make the hole round to help prevent cracks from forming and put a water proof plug in it. Before I plugged it up I would get a can of Eastwood inner frame coating spray and give it a good coating. Since these are rust prone areas on our cars I would consider doing both sides...one can should do it. I’m kinda an overkill guy and I coat the inside of my frames as a matter of course.
Rut
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-internal-frame-coating-14oz-aerosol.html
 
That's a clever idea about the plug. If it were me, I'd probably try to weld it, lying on my back under the car, letting the sparks burn off all my nose hairs.

I used the Eastwood internal coating on my TR4A frame. It went well, but it did require two cans. Maybe if you're more adept than me, which wouldn't have to be very adept, you could get by with one.
 
I had a small hole there also. Since the repair piece for replacing that whole cross member is inexpensive and widely available, I had the old one cut out and new one welded in by a restorer who has done this common TR6 repair many times. And while the one on the other side was solid, I went ahead and replaced it also just for peace of mind. And I took the opportunity to put in a poly bushing and Good Part adjustable brackets.

BTW, the inside of that piece has some zig zagged metal to give it strength. Sometimes the through bolts that hold the bracket rust and bond to the internal structure and cannot be removed.
 
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