advice needed on crossmember notching

i am looking for advice, (like that's a change ).
i am going to need to notch the original front cross member to make clearance for the universal between the spud shaft and the intermediate steering shaft.

since i have transplanted the front frame horns from a 72 cj5 AND included the 72's front crossmember ( which means i effectively have two front crossmembers now) the original is now a "middle" crossmember, if i notch the original as in the photos below, do i really need to to beef up the notched crossmember by welding in extra plates or whatever since the frame is now also reinforced by the new front crossmember?

my other alternative is to resell the spud shaft i have and get one made locally with about 1 1/2 to 2 inches more length. even so, i may have to still notch the member.
how much space is needed for flex so the steering doesn't bind up.
i have included probably too many pics of this.

does any of this make sense?

thanks for any and all.

 

notch repaint and go. if you feel the need then put material back into the old crossmember. but from my vantagepoint you wont need to.

 

thanks jeff.
any one else? i always get cautious when i cut into original parts. heh.. i don't want to read about a cj's po on here and realize I was the po we're talking about that screwed it up! R) that would be too karmic

 

If you have a 2nd crossmember it will still be stronger than original even with the cross member notched. Me if I could get to it easy enough I would beef it up but I over kill everything. (I built a 5 x 10 utility trailer from 4x4x3/16 angle)

 

Stephen from the look of it you won't need to notch the the crossmember at all, are you using the steering box mount for the 72-75 Jeep also. My steering box is pushed about another 1/2" closer to the original crossmember. If you have the column in get a wooden dowel rod and mock up the angles and then see if the universal clears or not, my setup clears by about 3/4"-1" which is more than enough to cover flex. If you neeed more clearance, notch the crossmember and weld in a piece at an angle to clear the spud, but it doesn't look like your gonna need it if the pictures look correct on this end.

 

mike, i am indeed using the 72 mount with a 75 ps box. it just barely clears except for the 2 hex screws and locking nuts on the spud side of the universal. they block when they contact the xmember when i turn the shaft. i may just grind the bottom of the xmember with a dremel wheel.

the picts with this reply show the intermediate shaft mockup with a discarded 25" piece of pvc pipe. i haven't gotten the column end universal yet until i get the intermediate shaft.

 

Zed the first one of these that I did on mine I had to notch the crossmember. I used a piece of pipe cut in half maybe a little more. Cut it as long as the crossmember was wide welded it in the notch. I've since used another u-joint in the middle supported by a bearing mounted on the frame that gets me under the crossmember. I wonder if you need the 2nd crossmember since you have the later model in front other than for the grille mount. Dont't the later CJs just have the larger one in front?

 

yep the later cj's had just the front member. thats why i'm think i may not have to be too worried about the center member, except for the shocks and the radiator.

the problem i have is with locking screws on the universal they jam against the xmember. the spud shaft is fine and clears it no problem. if the steering box was mounted just 1.5" to 2" toward the engine more (away from the front of the bumper) i don't think there'd be a problem.

it also sorta comes down to how unhandy i am with a torch or mig now and getting one to my garage to borrow for a day since i don't own either. tho the coolness factor of getting this done may cause me to rent one.

 

fire up the torch and cut it.

I doubt with the two cross members cutting a little tiny notch out of one of them is going to hurt anything....

Rio

 

How artistic are you with a grinder? If it doesn't need much, might be the way to go.

 

R) i'm a lot more artistic with grinder!

but then, my torching does tend to be a little, shall we say.... abstract?

 

abstract...I like that, although even that might be overkind with the way some of my projects have turned out even when I was profecient with the tools available. R) R)

 

just an update. started to notch out the xmember tonite. starting with my 4.5" grinder and the proceding with my dremel with a cutoff wheel.

as soon as i make it "presentable" i'll post some pics. i haven't decided whether to weld some iron into the spot yet. as i look at the whole front end i've begun to realize how sturdy the additional front xmember really makes this frame front. except that the "hole" makes too nice a place for mud and slush to collect inside that xmember.

anyway, the spud that mcruff sold me really is nice. something really satisfying about having the spud shaft and universal attached to the ps box and turning with no restrictions.

thanks for all your suggestions. they were great.

p.s. i think i'm developing a serious attachment to my grinders....