1996 2wd 2500 engine cross member BROKE!!!!!!!

[nathantc]

has anyone else ever seen anything like this. how can i safely fix it. replacing it would be major as its welded to the frame. welding it also would require pulling the motor and entire front end apart. frame swaps come with their own legal issues. this no matter how i look at it could be a major liability after any repair. so far no shop wants to touch it either. had this truck about a year now and there is no noticable issues when driving. no uneven tire ware or anything.

around here people want 5k or more for any 3/4-1 ton even with no motor or trans so finding another truck to transfer everything too is not cost effective

really love this truck but use it for work so liability is an issue

 

[nathantc]

the first pic sux i know, but its to show how unlevel it is from the ground, this is how i noticed something was wrong as well

 

[EvilSpirit]

Where are you located?

 

[nathantc]

lumberton tx

 

[SYKRAMMAN]

has anyone else ever seen anything like this. how can i safely fix it. replacing it would be major as its welded to the frame. welding it also would require pulling the motor and entire front end apart. frame swaps come with their own legal issues. this no matter how i look at it could be a major liability after any repair. so far no shop wants to touch it either. had this truck about a year now and there is no noticable issues when driving. no uneven tire ware or anything.

around here people want 5k or more for any 3/4-1 ton even with no motor or trans so finding another truck to transfer everything too is not cost effective

really love this truck but use it for work so liability is an issue

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No way to get in there with a welder huh? That’s a pretty clean original weld break, can’t pop out the coil n get to it?

 

[nathantc]

No way to get in there with a welder huh? That’s a pretty clean original weld break, can’t pop out the coil n get to it?

its hard to tell from the photo, but there was no weld, or seam where the break is, its almost like there was a defect in the metal itself today im going to remove everything on that side, upper and lower control arm and weld what i can. ill be looking for a good condision cab and chassis version that needs a powertrain. when i do find one ill strip this truck and shred the rest. at this point ill never fully trust this frame

 

[nathantc]

well i feel better about the metallurgy now, the factory missed its mark on the outside weld and never welded the inside at all. this is a factory defect and im thinking i better take apart the other side and check it you too..... these pix are it preped and waiting on my welder to get off work and come seal it up. what a nightmare.

 

[SYKRAMMAN]

well i feel better about the metallurgy now, the factory missed its mark on the outside weld and never welded the inside at all. this is a factory defect and im thinking i better take apart the other side and check it you too..... these pix are it preped and waiting on my welder to get off work and come seal it up. what a nightmare.

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That’s crazy how they missed an entire section of weld on a major frame component! Nice! Yeah I’d check the other side too. I think if you get a solid bead on there you won’t have issues jmho.

 

[nathantc]

with the trailer is the before photo (when i had no idea it was broke)
the other is now that its welded, its 2" higher in the front, rides much much smoother, but now the camber and toe is way way off on both wheels. this tells me the previous owner actually had it aligned broken and the shop never noticed it. i actually have the receipt from when it was last aligned, 6 years ago!!!!!!

first thing in the morning its going just 3 miles up the road and getting properly alined for the first time in years. just wow.

the rest are just random photos of the day