Here's a photo of what bothers me, looks like a wear mark doesn't it?

 

It certainly looks like the the frame has been moving in/out on the crossmember. I think I'd be drilling the rivets out and installing bolts.

 

But pulling both frame rails together with the come-along, this area didn't move.
The rivets sound 'tight" looking at the bottom of the rivets, they are rust covers as is the plate, both showing "old rust" any movement there would look different.

The actual motor cross-member also has three other rivets, on the vertical section of the frame rail, they are solid too.

I've painted the area white, if there's movement, the white will be wore off.
maybe the plate is "machined" there?

anyone else see this "wear mark?"

 

Ok, we shall see.

 

Yes, we Shall....

 

I am about to do a Redhead swap. I am glad you posted this. I bet I wouldnt have caught the filling instructions.

Was it a direct swap w/o any issues?

 

Took OO-BGUB out for a run with the new box, Wow it's tight! almost to the point where it does not want to return to center......
Still checking on crossmember flex.

 

Too tight? I'll bet it loosens up with a bit of use.

 

Just a "red flag" of the steering not "returning to center" easily.
As you mentioned, maybe loosens up with time.

 

Not enough caster in the frontend will cause it not to want to return to center and not have that confident "I want to always go straight down the road" feel.

Balljoints are known to get rusty and can cause this also. Front u-joints on 4x4 models can get rusty and cause this too, they move around even though you are not in 4x4.

 

Hi Franklin
All you mentioned is new last Fall. Ball Joints, U-joints, All rubber bushings, including Radius Arm and Axle Pivot (this is a 4x4) Left Front caster 1.4 , Right Front 2.7. Total Toe 0.09

 

Wow took a movie of the cross member joint. It is in fact moving. Amazing, a 2 ton come-a-long could not move what a power steering box can!
Gary PM me with your E-mail address, this is a good movie to put in the garagemahal?

 

PM sent, Ron. At the very least I can put it on youtube and post it here. But, how did you take the movie?

 

Can't seem to to compress it, But, yes it's moving the amount shown in the photo.
Will have to remove the box, drill rivets and put in a brace.....
Just for fun I took a movie of the left side, no movement there....

 

I know you are not supposed to, but I would be so tempted to weld that joint. Instead of having a couple of bolts holding it in small areas, you would have that whole long area holding it.

I would probably talk myself out of it, but it just seems like the right thing to do.