I've been working on rock sliders for my Land Cruiser - made all the brackets to fit just right but after I welded them on good, one of them got really tight and it won't got all the way up onto the frame...

Here is the pic of the bracket before assembly:


Trouble is that the bow is on the inside of that bracket and the distance between the uprights is less than 3'' so I can't get my grinder in there... what else could I use to remove some of the metal to make it flat again?!

James

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

I don't quite get what you mean - do you want to round off the welds or something? What needs to be flat?

I can however just chuck some ideas out there!

Smaller air grinder
Rat's tail file
One of those DIY belt sanders (sort of a pointy nosed belt sander designed to get into corners)
Putting in a hydraulic spreading device to physically make something larger...

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

If you're looking to spread it, use two flange nuts and a piece of all-thread...you then use two wrenches to spread the gap.

If you want to remove metal, a hand held belt sander or use a 5 inch disk sander and come at it from both sides.

Or, you could heat it with a MAP torch and bend it back into shape.

__________________
1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Could I talk you into making two sets

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

if youre brave, you might be able to get in there with a 14" abrasive cutoff disk like in a chop saw. maybe turn on the chop saw and hold the bracket in your gloved hands. this may or may not take off your hand arm or head as well.......

it will take longer but you can also buy little barrel shaped sanding disks for a die grinder, this will be much safer

maybe just make a bracket over so that fits.......

or can you remove a little of the mating part?

__________________

1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

Yeah... this may work... agree that it's a little dangerous but it may get the job done if done carefully. I only hope that the abrasive wheel can reach down that deep into the bracket.

Here is the highlighted part of where the problem is (approximately):


Ideally, I would have a long-reaching belt sander that would allow me to reach in there from the side to remove some of the material from inside of the bracket to make it all flush...

Or maybe I will just cut it and re-weld it and be good to go.

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

Try a sawzall with a long metal cutting blade?

__________________
1984 300TD 1981 240D

I assumed you didnt want to use a big flat file? but it would likely be not too bad unless your trying to remove a ton of metal

__________________

1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

A coarse-grit sanding drum on a drill press with the bracket on its side on the drill press table. Finish it up with a file.

A die Grinder.

Get some bits and take your time.

I use it for all kinds of metal shaping.

__________________
KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

I like files - good ones, not crummy ones, and with appropriate handles.

Good technique in handling a file is vitally important. Having some way to hold the workpiece firmly (e.g., good bench/vise setup) can also make a world of difference in being able to use a file effectively.

yep, hard to find good files these days, when I was a toolmaker the Jorgensons were good, but they have dropped off a lot in quality IMO. dont even bother with the HF or Home Depot ones

__________________

1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

Are you thinking of Nicholson?

I have a few Grobet files that I really like. They make some "Habilis" files that are intermediate in size between needle files and full-sized files - very handy for some jobs.

I have some Nicholson files - thanks to my late Father.

I also have some diamond files - but they are tiny for some very detailed work... File may work - I've tried it, but, boy - it's slow going and it's not removing much of the material - it's pretty flat so it's hard ot get a good 'bite' into it.

I may get a drum sander attachement for the drill press - which I have... that maybe the way to go.

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

120VAC (not battery-powered) Dremel with grinding stone. What's the problem?

The stones are generally less than an inch in diameter, but it runs at 10k RPM rather than 1k or so for a normal grinder.