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AngliaGT

AngliaGT

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The steering in my truck ('95 Dodge Dakota 4WD) was feeling loose.
Looked,but couldn't see anything obviously wrong,so I took it to a local shop.
The mechanic told me today that the steering box was pulling away from the
frame,due to rust,& can't be safely welded,so now I have to decide where to
go from here.
I love this truck,& planned to keep it going for as long as I could,but it
just doesn't make sense to me to start pouring that kind of money into it.
At least I have the Miata to drive,but prefer not to in the rain & snow,
and hate to have to buy something in short order.
Trying to figure out where to go from here.
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Can you not weld some plates to both sides of the frame where the box mounts?

I'd be looking for a second opinion.
 
He had another mechanic look at it (from a different shop,
& said the same thing.
 
When I lived in Virginia years ago I always had the worst time with mechanics and inspection stuff - at least until I found the guy who did LBC restorations who also owned a shop and he was awesome. Before that it was a major stress-fest anytime I had to go to one of those places....I actually had one guy measuring the distance from the edge of the dash to the base of the windshield because "it looks too close and the state specifies XXX" - I actually asked him what exactly I was supposed to do if his measurement came up wrong since neither the dash or windshield on an MGB is exactly movable. And them putting it up on a lift, pulling all 4 wheels, trying to fail me because the brake lights weren't operating with the key off (even showing them the factory wiring diagram showing how it was designed didn't placate some of them) - just non-stop fun. I agree a loose steering box is dangerous, but I'd try to find someone maybe more inventive mindset (maybe even not a "licensed" mechanic) who does metalwork and see if they can do some kind of patch/reinforcement of the steering box mount.
 
I'd look for a good fabricator, unless the frame is totally rotten you should be able to cut out the bad sections and weld in new steel.
 
:iagree:

Seems to me a good frame shop should be able to fabricate something for you. Quite likely stronger than original, even.
 
You're a bit too far "inland" for it to be convenient, but I'd say there are a LOT of folks in and around Newport News shipyard area who would be sympathetic and willing to, as Mickey says, fabricate something to exceed the strength of the original mounting area. Not necessarily shops, rather the 'hot rod' guys.
 
I'll look into it.This just happened so fast that I was blindsided by it.
I love my old Dakota.
I went & looked at a few vehicles today.For what my budget is,I'd
more than likely get something that needs some immediate work.I thought
that it might also be a chance to get something interesting,but that's hard to
do on short notice.
 
YakkoWarner said:
When I lived in Virginia years ago I always had the worst time with mechanics and inspection stuff - at least until I found the guy who did LBC restorations who also owned a shop and he was awesome. Before that it was a major stress-fest anytime I had to go to one of those places....I actually had one guy measuring the distance from the edge of the dash to the base of the windshield because "it looks too close and the state specifies XXX" - I actually asked him what exactly I was supposed to do if his measurement came up wrong since neither the dash or windshield on an MGB is exactly movable. And them putting it up on a lift, pulling all 4 wheels, trying to fail me because the brake lights weren't operating with the key off (even showing them the factory wiring diagram showing how it was designed didn't placate some of them) - just non-stop fun. I agree a loose steering box is dangerous, but I'd try to find someone maybe more inventive mindset (maybe even not a "licensed" mechanic) who does metalwork and see if they can do some kind of patch/reinforcement of the steering box mount.
Click to expand...

Funny, that. Decades ago I lived in Hampton, on Buckroe Avenue a few blocks from the Bay. Found a guy in "newpertnews" with a shop in a former 2-stall gas station, named Burl Washington. "B's Foreign Car Service." Bought parts there and had the inspections done on the Elan and one of the MGB's. Before I found B and his partner the inspection issue was a real PITA. You just have to sleuth around to find folks who are creative!
 
That's a real nice looking truck and personally I would repair the chassis. Not knowing how bad your chassis is I'm sure some plate steel could be fabricated and welded in place to re-mount the steering box on. Cut the bad out, weld the new in! Look what we do to some of these Brit cars and some of them have tissue paper chassis. (y)
 
Can you go to a.wrecking yard with a sawzaw and cut a piece out of another truck then take the truck and piece to a.frame shop and let them them weld it in place?
 
I had it towed to a shop that does those kind of repairs.
Just waiting to hear from them.
 
Years ago, would have just brazed some spare sheet to it, like screen door leftovers, and covered it with body filler and a can of hardware store black paint. Aaah the good ole days....
 
Brother's MGB-GT had a floorboard patch made from an Ohio RT. 45 sign... stout thick aluminium! :devilish:
 
AngliaGT said:
The shop said they could do it.The estimate is about $1000.
Click to expand...
That seems reasonable - it seems like every shop visit I have have costs $200, $500 or $1000 - mostly the last two.
 
No kidding. Basic full size truck $40K plus dealer grab and double the prices on shipping and delivery. Nothing new again here.
 
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