Cracked Cab

[abh3]

I searched but couldn't find anything about this, maybe I just missed it...

Anyway, brought home a '67 Duece from GL with a big crack at the diagonal brace plate thingy at the rear bottom of the driver's door opening, the door won't latch and there's a crack at the corner of the door opening as well... Someone's obviously done some very weedy welding on this before but it rebroke along the weld.

Before I weld it up correctly is there maybe something else going on here that caused the problem in the first place and then the re-break of the crappy weld? There are some big U-bolts hanging loose on the back on the cab, maybe something was mounted on top since it's a soft top w/ no vinyl? Just weld 'er up and add a reinforcement plate? Is this a common deal?

Thanks for all info.

 

[dabtl]

Sounds like it had a .50 mounted on it without the cab brace.

 

[Alredneck]

the ubolts coulda been for antenna mounts! Gets Some pics man!

 

[wreckerman893]

Ifyour cab tub is FUBAR I have one I am removing from a parts deuce.
$250.00 bucks plus delivery.
Have someone headed to Fla late next week.

 

[Alredneck]

Hey AB if all else fells If you can work out fuel I can pick it up at wreckers and get it to you to! Im always goin inbetween Im stationed at Eglin AFB near Fort walton beach Fl, so give me a buzz. My family lives in Tn so I go up there often and see them!

p.s. I just posted a thread about the antenna mounts I was talkin about with pics see if that matches the back of your truck !!!

 

[FreightTrain]

yep.You have a gun truck of sorts.sounds like someone went lazy and just installed the ring without the plate at teh rear of the cab.This is normal if you have a M66 but don't install the plate too.That is a LOT of weight way up in the air.

 

[abh3]

Sorry about no pics, got sidetracked moving an excavator to pull another contractor's excavator out of a boghole...

Here are the pics, the door gap, crack, u-bolts and it HAS the brace but WELDED in by the same beginner welder !! I may use this truck for parts but I need to jump it off and drive it some to see what it's all about first. If I save it won't the cab fix just fine with welding and a little bracing, just forego the machine gun and mount, LOL!?!

Also, the passenger side is cracked, welded and almost re-broken too...

 

[FreightTrain]

ok,you did have a ring mount and the plate installed....But they installed the plate way wrong.It is to be riveted to the rear of the cab not welded.The rivets are MUCH MUCH stronger than ANY weld you can put on that plate since it is held with 95 rivets spaced about an inch apart all across teh face instead of just on the edges.I personally would carefully cut the plate out of that cab,junk the cab and install another.Reinstall the rear plate with the correct 1/4" rivets.

 

[dabtl]

Yes, it is one beat up machine gun mount mess. If you cannot salvage the brace, I have reproduced them.

 

[abh3]

Since it came off of Eglin AFB who knows what all was mounted on it, maybe more than just an M2HB from the looks of this cab!

Maybe this is the excuse to start that crew cab I'd been thinking about but I guess this is the wrong forum for that...

Thanks for the input!

 

[renovate7]

Just a thought seeing how wicked that crack is and the fact the reinforcing plate is installed, although not to "spec". I wonder it they hit a low hanging object with the ring mount installed? How's the sleeve that holds the ring mount's front leg, any twisting? It's behind the muffler.

 

[FreightTrain]

I wouldn't call that plate installed.It is basically doing NOTHING welded in like that......especially with all the holes blown through the ribs by a welder wanna be!

 

[dabtl]

The installed plate is more cosmetic than helpful as installed. It has no load supporting capability that I can see from the pic.

 

[abh3]

The sleeve behind the exhaust has a very slight rearward bend to it, the mirror tubes have vertical dents but the exhuast is fine... Maybe they hit something with the ring mount but not the exhaust. OR they mashed the crap out of everything and replaced a bunch of stuff, this truck looks like it has NEW doors on it, electric wipers, excellent windshields (not all rusted out like other salt air Eglin trucks), a strange mix of really old and really new...

Drove the truck around this afternoon, drives well as long as you remember to hold the door closed when turning right ! I think I'll save this one, weld up the cracks and find a top... It would look some kind of good with the M2 on it, look out coyotes !

 

[dabtl]

Install the brace properly, or you will find out why it cracked in the first place. The designers were not entirely dumb.

 

[abh3]

But isn't the brace there for the added stress of a ring mount and weapon? As I have no ring mount and, alas, no M2HB .50 MG then won't I be OK just leaving the brace in, pulling the cab into shape, welding up the cracks and maybe adding a reinforcement or two?

Or are you saying a screwed up cab will always return to it's screwed-upness? I've seen some seriously mutilated cars, trucks and equipment make a recovery with some careful work. As an old guy around here used to say " Ain't nuthin cain't be done with'n a cuttin' torch and a arc welder"...

 

[jwaller]

your reinforcement plate should look more like this. even if you don't plan on putting a ring on the truck. go ahead and put the rivets in the plate. it will help to stiffen the cab a lot.

 

[emmado22]

I'd also bet that your truck went overseas judging by the white sticker on the door.. Where was it shipped from/to?

That would explain alot... The quickie welding job, the bent cab, ect..

 

[jwaller]

BTW If you want to sell those U bolts lemme know I'd like to have an original set.

 

[dabtl]

But isn't the brace there for the added stress of a ring mount and weapon? As I have no ring mount and, alas, no M2HB .50 MG then won't I be OK just leaving the brace in, pulling the cab into shape, welding up the cracks and maybe adding a reinforcement or two?

Or are you saying a screwed up cab will always return to it's screwed-upness? I've seen some seriously mutilated cars, trucks and equipment make a recovery with some careful work. As an old guy around here used to say " Ain't nuthin cain't be done with'n a cuttin' torch and a arc welder"...

I do not believe correctly installing the brace will correct the problems with the cab at this point. My comment about the brace being installed was in response to your post about putting a M2HB on the truck.

I rather suspect that welding and adding some new bracing will cure the problem now. However, if you are acquisitive, and we all are, and get the legs and gun ring, install the plate.