Elongated Holes Crossmember Frame

[trim88]

Hi, In my 69 RoadRunner 4spd. the frame on the passenger side that the center crossmember bolts to, the holes are elongated, see pic
On the drivers side where the bolts go, the holes are normal, perfectly round. Not sure if this is normal on the passenger side to be elongated or is it someone slamming the gears with the bolts possibly being loose??
If not normal (being elongated), how can it be corrected since it is the unibody frame member??
Thanks for any help anyone can give, trim

 

[69hemibeep]

Are the holes on the cross member like that?

 

[trim88]

No, the holes on the cross member are round. Could the holes in the framey be that way for adjustment? Torque is recommended at 90 lft. lbs. Seems like that would hold it in one position???
Wished I had another Runner to look at with the tranny out.
trim

My Bad....Yes, they are elongated on one side..?

 

[69hemibeep]

Just checked my pics and mine are all round. Maybe some one hogged them out with a drill instead of taking the time to line things up?

 

[Basketcase]

definatly supposed to be all round.

 

[abodybill]

definatly supposed to be all round.

Yep somebody "hogged" them holes out.

My tranny is not in and all are like said perfectly round holes.

Dang Dave you must not type with 2 fingers

 

[trim88]

Thanks all, Not sure how to fix.....but definately need to do something. Any Ideas???

 

[Big John]

I edited the post to show the pic. Hope you didn't mind.

Anyway... The simplest fix I can think of (besides replacing it) would be to weld washers over the elongated holes.

 

[Basketcase]

that's what I was thinking.

 

[Big John]

Oh!! And I like the cribbing under the tire!!

 

[A31PKG]

Aren't there support tubes in the frame to keep it from collapsing when the crossmember bolts are torqued? It's hard to tell from the pic....

 

[trim88]

Yes, I can see support tubes inside, but they look a little oblong also. I thought about welding washers but then wouldn't the frame be too thick to receive the cross member?
trim

 

[trim88]

Thanks Big John, I couldn't figure out how to post it in the message and I read something at the begining when I joined about taking up as little room as possible with pics on the forum, so put it in photobucket.
Works better when it's by the post, Thank you, trim

 

[sixgunrunner68]

Thanks all, Not sure how to fix.....but definately need to do something. Any Ideas???

Plug weld the holes, grind the welds flat and redrill. Bolt the crossmember in as your template.

 

[george68hemirr]

Thanks all, Not sure how to fix.....but definately need to do something. Any Ideas???

Plug weld the holes, grind the welds flat and redrill. Bolt the crossmember in as your template.

i agree

 

[A31PKG]

quote]Plug weld the holes, grind the welds flat and redrill. Bolt the crossmember in as your template.
[/quote]

This is exactly where I was leaning on this... You are right about the washers, they may widen the frame to the point where the crossmember wont slip into place.

 

[moparchris]

I have seen this before. Its from loose bolts and piling a hundred thousand miles on top of it. I drill out the holes over size and pound a piece of dom steel tuning on the hole, weld the tubes to the frame then grind the whole thing flush. Or just leave it since its really not harming anything.