Nomination for Booger Weld H.O.F.

dekeeb said:
I understand that to be replacing the threaded holes in the stock Dana 25 with studs to improve the strength of the connection....correct?
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Kinda building on Jeff's comment. The spindle is attached to the knuckle with six bolts. Those bolts thread into the cast iron knuckle. The threads get worn or loose over time and miles. Accepted repair or preventive methods are to stud the holes or (more prevalent now) install bolts from inside the knuckles which act like studs to the spindle. Such a measure entails spot drilling the holes for a flush face and installing button head bolts. Any head size larger than a button head, supposedly interferes with the CV joint of the axle.
I've never performed this upgrade. I'm relaying what I've read.
 
dekeeb said:
Yeaaah, this looks just fine. While tearing down my 55 pickup ahead of a frame swap, I came across this wonderful conglomeration in the front end steering. I snapped a few photos to capture the artistry of this repair. After soaking all this goodness in, I combed through my parts and service manual and I'm having a difficult time finding the proper parts listing and a diagram of the knuckle's connection to the lower steering arm where it attaches to the connection rod. Can someone point me to the proper reference so I can find replacement parts? Although it may be hard to see from the photos, the lower arm is connected to the knuckle via three bolts in two different sizes. The the bolt with the largest head was not completely seated prior to Sparky completing his old world welding magic. After discovering this mess, I'm feeling fortunate I was able to safely load the truck onto a flatbed to get my truck home.
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Just a little JB Weld and it will be like new, never know it’s there.
 
Fred46 said:
I find this a lot, DIY work by unknowledgeable folks especially in older homes undergoing renovations. Boogered electric, plumbing, etc… Some people just need to leave it alone and fine a good tradesman.
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With at least two flat tires and two Camaros in the front yard with no tires.....
 
johnd said:
Given the high probability that those threaded bores in the knuckle are as cobbled up as the repair, I think I would find another knuckle. The counter bore for the race may also be wallowed out.

Bubba indeed!
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You hit the nail on the head. It was worse than it appeared from my first post…..if that’s even possible.
 

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Andy FitzGibbon said:
Frightening to think that was possibly on the road. Even worse than drag links made out of rebar (seen a few of those).
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You can't make it out in the photos but that larger diameter bolt was a grade 2 cut down with a hacksaw and then just run it without cutting threads. Also, the geometry was off on the steering arm so everything on the drivers side was wallowed out and loosey goosey. When you have the truck up on jacks and turn the steering wheel it sounds like a train pulling out from a dead stop...a chain reaction of clunks.
 
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I. consider myself a FAIR welder, but I remember a couple of other people’s “repairs” on trucks that I should have taken pictures of because nobody would believe it. Especially an F350 steering box mount that an unhappy customer brought in. I fixed it and surely saved some lives. It was a stone masons truck, and we all know how those get abused.
diggerG
 
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