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I finally got a little work done towards the Travelette last night.
I "roughed" 6 of the 8 connecting rods with my flap-wheel, which are now ready for the die-grinder and cartridge roll to finish the polishing. One rod is done, and one still needs the piston pin pressed out.
Then I looked at the Np205 mounting brackets from the parts 200 to see what needs done. They're cracked, of course.This seems to be a fairly common problem.. so what's everyone else done to repair it?
My '74 200 4x4's driver's side mounting bracket is cracked, as in the picture below. On the outside view, you might notice a weld bead from where someone else already welded it up before, so it cracked next to the weld repair.
Seems to me just welding the crack up might not be the solution, or maybe the crack needs welded on both sides?
This bracket is identical to the passenger side bracket, which is uncracked, so I imagine I could find another passenger side bracket at the junkyard and swap it around to the driver's side - but will it break again?
On top of all of this, the "top" of the NP205 crossmember has been broken, plated, and welded before as well. Some of the bolt holes on the passenger side are plated over.
Maybe this truck just saw a lot of abuse? :D
The truck is gone, but the NP205 and related items are getting cleaned up / patched up / and otherwise repaired and then installed in my currently 2wd '74 200 Travelette for heavy-haulin' duty.
My current line of thought on the driver's side bracket is to grind off the old weld area, bead blast, then weld the crack from both sides and smooth it back down, then add some triangular corner gussets outboard of the 2 bolt holes, which'll resemble the formed gusset in the center between the two holes.
That's my best idea so far.
Is there a better route?
More Pictures
I also managed to remove the spring bushing from one of the front shackle mounts.
Also thought some about moving my spring hangers over for the Dodge Dana 60, and I think I'll weld 1/2" plate to the back side of the fixed spring hanger "outside" portion, and then just fab new "inside" halves to the brackets from some angle.
-Tom 2/14/03