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Taking Twist Out Of Frame Above Leaf Spring Hanger

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by danielbuck, Jan 30, 2023.

  1. Jan 30, 2023
    danielbuck

    danielbuck Uncle Buck

    USA
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    the frame on my 56/58 has a twist in it on both sides, right at the rear spring front hanger. The frame is straight except for the area just around that hanger. the shackle side of the rear spring is straight.

    My gut tells me I can remove the rear axle, springs and driveshaft, make a large prybar 2-3 feet long that bolts to the frame and to the spring hanger, put a floor jack under that pry bar and press upwards to remove the twist. do that on both sides (both sides are like this, photo of just 1 side).

    And then once it's reasonably straight again, brace that area a bit and maybe even make a 2nd crossmember that goes across.

    Anyone have some input here? I'm not going for a perfect fix, just want to get it reasonably straight. It drives fine, but the tires aren't centered under the jeep, the tire is noticably farther inward on one side than the other.


    incase the photo isn't clear enough, the spring hanger doesn't seem to be bent that I can tell, it's the frame that is twisted on both sides. and just in the area near those 2 hangers.

    IMG-5305.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2023
  2. Jan 30, 2023
    3b a runnin

    3b a runnin Active Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    virginia
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    Maybe a strong come along, 1 1/2 ton or so.
     
  3. Jan 30, 2023
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sedalia MO.
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    You'll be surprised how easy it is to take a crescent brand adjustable wrench and bend the top or bottom flange.
     
  4. Jan 30, 2023
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    If this was mine, I'd make a beefy 1 3/4" wide "lever" that bolts in the spring hanger and bottoms in it, maybe a couple feet long, and with the Jeep blocked against something solid, just use a bottle jack or portapower and a chain to jack that straight. You may have to replace the hanger judging by the angle of the hanger bolt. The bolt holes are probably wallowed out. If you do, put some effort into finding NOS versions. The replacements these days pretty much suck. 3/16" versus the original 1/4" and not even drilled perpendicular.
     
  5. Jan 30, 2023
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    That too does work. All reasons some frame boxing there works wonders.
     
  6. Jan 30, 2023
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    It's doable but will be easier with the tub off.

    TONKA REBUILD FRAME straightening_9.jpg

    Tonka rebuild frame straightening_12.JPG
     
    Fresbone, dozerjim and Fireball like this.
  7. Jan 30, 2023
    Oldpappy

    Oldpappy A.C. Fults - Curmudgeon at large 2022 Sponsor

    East Tennessee
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    I like JW60's idea. I haven't had to fix that particular area of a frame but I have straightened the flanges on front frame horns that had taken a beating using a similar idea. I have a very old, very large adjustable wrench of the type we used to call a "Monkey Wrench" looks sort of like a pipe wrench but with smooth parallel jaws, and that is what I used on those frame horns. The thing is about 2 feet long, but I have a big Crescent wrench too and think it would work about as good.
     
    dozerjim likes this.
  8. Jan 30, 2023
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Maybe a Porta-Power if you can find angles to push and pull from. Cheap knock-off kits are available. Or a rescue tool from your local Fire Dept.

    Frame shops utilize floor anchors in a level slab to push and pull precisely.
     
  9. Jan 30, 2023
    45es

    45es Active Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Naches, WA
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    Looking at your picture, I have a couple of questions since I can't tell from the picture. It's obvious the lower frame flange is bent but is the web in that area bent or twisted? You said the frame is straight except for the area at the spring hanger. If it is just the flange, you could probably do as other suggested and straighten the flange with a wrench once you have removed the interference items.

    You say both sides are bent, and the tires are not centered under the jeep. One tire is further under the jeep. I get the impression that the jeep was sliding sideways and struck some that quickly stopped the sideways slide. If that is the case, you could quite possibly fix things by just straitening the lower flanges if the web is straight and reinforce as necessary.
     
  10. Jan 31, 2023
    danielbuck

    danielbuck Uncle Buck

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    the top and bottom of the frame channel are both bent/twisted, and the vertical side of the frame is not 90 degrees to the ground anymore, it's twisted as well. Yes, the axle is not centered under the jeep.

    what Howard Eisenhauer is doing is similar to what I'm thinking, only I'll be doing it under the jeep, with the main bar parallel to the ground, and using a floor jack to raise upwards.
     
  11. Jan 31, 2023
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    Makes one wonder how that got smacked hard enough to do that and have the rest of it still usable. With that much distortion, I would be tempted to just take it to a body shop where they can tie it all down and straighten it all out proper. Might be money well spent. That said, probably more expensive than finding another frame but that would be a lot of work.
     
    Rich M. likes this.
  12. Jan 31, 2023
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    You could try crashing it again, on the opposite side...

    But seriously, I'd be surprised if there aren't secondary issues with body mounts, steering, wheels, or etc etc.
     
  13. Jan 31, 2023
    Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Maryland
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    Thats really a new one on me. I've seen them spread in the front but not in the rear. I second a trip to a frame shop or a replacement frame ( don't know where you are, frames very common in my area)
     
  14. Jan 31, 2023
    danielbuck

    danielbuck Uncle Buck

    USA
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    oh, there's issues. :rofl: I've addressed a lot of things already, but I'm not "restoring" this jeep, just getting it back to road worthyness as a fun drive-around jeep. A few of the body mounts are funky looking, and lots of hammered out sheet metal and gas welds on the cowl, fenders, and floor that look like they were done quite a while ago.

    I was told this jeep was involved in an accident on the tarmac of an airbase decades ago, as a civilian jeep used on an airbase. Don't know how accurate that story is... but this jeep definitely had a rough past. Good news though, the metal is all good, nothing rusted out. California climate is good for old vehicles I guess.

    The funny thing, is that most of the rough look of the jeep's sheet metal is towards the front, but the only frame oddities I see are this twist in the rear. It's possible this frame didn't originally belong to this body, who knows. It's also titled as a 58, but I'm pretty sure it's a 56 or 55.
     
  15. Feb 1, 2023
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    Looking at that photo, both the main leaf and second leaf have a pretty obvious twist in them and it appears the spring hanger bolt was replaced with maybe a 1/2" regular bolt with no bushing. You may also have a slight bend in the axle tube-certainly worth putting a straight edge along that when you pull the springs. It will be interesting whether or not the spring pack twist is permanent.
     
  16. Feb 1, 2023
    danielbuck

    danielbuck Uncle Buck

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    I'm hoping to re-use the rear springs. I did get a new set (BDS 2.5" lift) and put the fronts on, it sits pretty level (probably because it has reverse shackle fronts?) but the rears seem to ride good, and they look to be original, so if I can I'll re-use them. If not, I'll put the BDS springs in there and remove a leaf or something.

    I'll check the axle tube, but the wheels do roll smoothly.
     
  17. Feb 2, 2023
    jeep2003

    jeep2003 Well-Known Member

    Upstate NY
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    is the whole frame bent or just the bottom? I have a huge pipe wrench i would just bend it back with that. I dont think it would even take much effort. The frame isnt that strong. Then just box the area. I guess somebody was doing donuts or spun out and hit a curb
     
  18. Feb 2, 2023
    danielbuck

    danielbuck Uncle Buck

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    the top of the frame is bent too, although I didn't look at it super good to see, it's possibly the bottom is bent more than the top is. once I get the axle and springs out of there, I'll try the quickest/easiest thing first, probably a pipe wrench :)
     
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