Dirt Daily. Finally the Flat-Fender Frame Fix

When I bought this 1946 Willys CJ2A I knew I was going to have to address the broken frame eventually. I opted to get it running first and now that it purrs like a kitten its time to fight that crack epidemic in my 78 year old chassis. The frame is rusty and crusty, but it's time to make it as good as new, or at least not as broken as it is.
If you want to get an ARB Fridge Freezer go here:
ARBUSA.com
store.arbusa.c...

[@stepchildpolaris]

How long before Dirthead Dave is allowed to help you? You are very talented but when you and Dave play together it's Genius status

[@justplain8793]

Wait, did MT shut the show down and not allow them to work together too?

[@taunovalo2964]

Dave lives a few states over, it’s expensive for small KZbin channels to collaborate when it requires travel.

[@888johnmac]

@@justplain8793 .... yeah Dave Chappell said there was a clause in the contract so him & Fred ( and possibly Dave Frieburger / Mike Finnegan ) couldn't work together for a period ..... welcome to Big Corporation Lawyers

[@brucea822]

@@taunovalo2964hmmmmmmmm. But het went and worked with Vice Grip….

[@MissionRestomod]

@@888johnmacand Dave is working all over MotorTrend still.

[@Rivetroad]

The best thing on KZbin right now! Can’t get enough of this flat fender content.

[@danf4616]

Yikes, looks like the only thing holding that side of the frame together was the battery tray! Yep, might be time to fix that. 😁 Thanks for the videos! 👍👍

[@JeremyMakesThings]

The dirt, sand, rust, paint, manure, etc can cause problems getting a good weld, but the worst contamination by far is….. ….ham water.

[@davidruppel1216]

I've had ARB air lockers in my dynatrac axles. They are about 11 years old and have never had a problem with them.

[@JohnBurge-t1e]

These the videos that I truly love to watch. Repairing an old beat up 4x4 and getting it back in working order. Thanks

[@kenthedenstrom3452]

Great video great information. Thank you very much

[@BrendanPerring]

I have been watching since your first episode of Dirt Every Day. Thanks very much for all the entertainment, education and calming vibes over the years Fred. You are a legend 💪

[@mikeframe9852]

Nice work, it looks like belongs there. That song you sang was pretty awesome too 😂

[@oliverohnemus5791]

For a minute I thought you were referring to Hamm’s beer 😂😂

[@marktadlock5428]

I have fixed a lot of those frames where jeeps were equipped with post hole diggers. I weld a block on each side of the Crack and then used a c clamp to pull the two parts together then welding it, grind it down and covering with a fish plate

[@phlashtheband4939]

Had the same problem on driver-side, due to added power steering. Was a job but got it done. Good luck!

[@larryboy8821]

I had an M38 with a broken frame in the front. I was just a kid with a 110v flux core mig and no clue on how to fix it. So I didn't. I just drove the thing to death. It'd get death wobble so bad you had to just stop, that would reset the frame and off I'd go. 😂

[@jasonscharf97tj]

Awesome job Fred! Won't be long you'll have back on the road 🤞

[@phillip.9524]

ARB is an Australian company with outlets all over the world …..🇦🇺

[@kevinfcolton]

Fred, thank you for your very clear instructions and guidance on things like this. The other issue would probably be the other side at that same place on the frame. Since generally, what's happening on one side is also happening on the other.

[@LukeEdward]

Fred, you should have one of those lightning tractor alternator gauges on that thing’s dashboard.

[@bassettraceengines]

Good job Fred !!!!

[@bushnut8305]

Personal moto. "Never time to do it right, but always time to do it twice". Lol

[@VetJeeper]

Loving these videos your doing! Always wanted a flatty. Can't wait for the next episode! Thanks Fred!

[@Kyle-ev4fk]

Okay, let me see if I got this right. You put a gusset, fish plate, a strap, and a shark fin.

[@nealesmith1873]

Fun to watch! I did a frame-off low-buck restoration on a 1943 GPW in 1986. Very similar, but the battery platform was bolted on, not riveted and welded.

[@johanbjork1650]

If you break a bone and it is a straight fracture the bone in that area will often be stronger than the rest of the bone after healing. Think that will apply to this fix.

[@stepchildpolaris]

I watch Stan Fuller and his Grandpa jeep, would love to see you locker stocker crawling with him

[@Grampas-jeep]

I’ve followed Fred’s GpW around on the trail before. He helped me with a oroblem on the trail. Thanks for the shout out.

[@4xFredWilliams]

stans the best, not sure I could keep up with him!

[@markpospichal1309]

Beautiful weld job! 👍👍

[@JeepnJeff]

Looking good! I love seeing the Flatfender since I have a similar project sitting in my driveway. Mine's only 72 year old.

[@joshslackslack8115]

I enjoy the video I built a old Willy's on a cut down 81 Toyota 4x4 truck frame I called it the Toy-Willy's it was mostly tube with a jeep skin

[@qdusen]

Seems like it would be a good idea to do the same reinforcements to the driver side.

[@TerinasAdventures]

Second. Dammit.

[@OneManGarage]

Love your work and explanation too. Of course now prevention on other side ya need to make it match right ??? :)

[@fintownusa]

Grinding away, in the background is the Jerry can that says Flammable. Almost Wiley Coyote like.

[@jeepguy04]

I agree the fridge is nice but u can buy a yete cooler for 400 and the ice last for days with out it melting so u won’t get ham water lol

[@ReadMichaelParenti]

Ham water! 🤣🤣🤣

[@petedholm]

Is ham water and hot dog water equally unpleasant?

[@eggdashure]

Am I the only one that thought Fred hit something electrical at 33:26? 😂

[@robertwells6454]

Good job there Fred. You could put some newer axels just something cheep that would take a locker and do some crazy wheeling with a mostly stock Flat fender. They just seem to surprise with the stuff they will hop over. 👌

[@mikechiodetti4482]

That looks like a good job Fred. Are you gonna paint the repair? Looking forward to the next Jeep video.

[@4xFredWilliams]

yep. primer and paint

[@notoriouslopez1]

Hahahaha ham water 💧 man I hated that.

[@Tom-lf8hx]

I have a N70 Hilux xtra cab, i removed the useless backseats and installed some batteries and a 50L fridge/freezer it is one of the handest mods ever!

[@JonStein-mu5eb]

You can cool the welds faster if use compressed air and blast it.

[@4xFredWilliams]

yeah thats a great tip for sheet metal. i wasnt in a rush on this repair

[@Wheel_Horse]

A lot of stress on that part of the frame. I would at least plate the other side as well. I know... can't fix it if it ain't broke... but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Why wait for it to break?

[@northmanlogging2769]

we have a radiator shop up here that can rod, clean, and test your radiator... got to be someone close to you though (but also, its not all that difficult to do yourself, if you can get the top and bottom off in one piece...)

[@4xFredWilliams]

yeah i flushed it and it seems pretty good. just needs a new cap

[@mattruth778]

Sad to say but the frame next to all that reinforcement is now compromised

[@ThunderRoad70]

I keep a supply of caged nuts on hand because they’re pretty handy

[@davidcurry9292]

Hamms beer, is better that hot horse piss, if the hamms is cold lol

[@btm11109]

Really enjoying the flat fender series. Great job Fred!

[@michealgiron9340]

Are you and Dave still friends? Was your release friendly?

[@bigbill709]

Nice work welding up the jeep frame .

[@Michaels_Coffee]

If anyone ever recorded anything like this in the 50s it would have been just like this.

[@4xFredWilliams]

except with stick welders

[@kenfrazier616]

Fred step it up some, way to long explaining

[@orcrawler7387]

Can’t wait to go on my adventure next month that is fueled by years of watching D.e.d and roadkill. Bought a 46 Willy’s in Reno, gonna go work on it and drive it home to Midwest Oregon. These videos are great timing.

[@4xFredWilliams]

that sounds like a great adventure

[@amx19733]

Always Great content!!!

[@tinkerjeeppublications9823]

Next time V-groove your butted ends. then fill the V-groove from end to end. It's a frame rail not a piece of thin body sheet metal.

[@4xFredWilliams]

its actually a very thin material and pocked from years of rust. even at full thickness i was concerned with overheating the base metal

[@jscheu71]

Fred Please please PLEASE cut the ugly tow bar brackets off the frame.

[@4xFredWilliams]

thats part of the character. its not a show jeep

[@anthonyanderson1479]

Better than factory

[@justinscherrman]

Love it Fred, keep up the great work!

[@karmafarbus160]

Great content, I hope you ended up with that samurai that you and Dave built . That was my favorite episode of DED . I dropped MT when they dropped DED

[@4xFredWilliams]

i didnt buy the samurai truck. i heard it ended up at an organization for troubled kids to teach them mechanics. i did buy the tracker

[@welndmn]

All the flex is gone from the flatty, I mainly use my frame cracks for all my suspension flex. lol

[@4xFredWilliams]

there is plenty of flex left in the frame

[@6226superhurricane]

there's no such thing as an emoo.

[@mattruth778]

You inspire me to go on living

[@jeepguy04]

I agree the fridge is nice but u can buy a yete cooler for 400 and the ice last for days with out it melting so u won’t get ham water lol

[@4xFredWilliams]

i have one in mexico on a trip and the ice still melted. but they are less expensive

[@sethrussell5649]

I wonder if the battery acid over the years has weakened an already under engineered section of the frame. 🤔

[@4xFredWilliams]

thats a very good possibility I hadn’t considered.

[@mattruth778]

We need Dave ???!!!!! Help

[@ezranobles1528]

How was it for you to transfer from writer to you tube video by the way love your stuff from the magazine days clampy and all your builds what happened to the military ambulance

[@Beat98TJ]

Period correct is dumb

[@andreasjennersjo400]

Thanks for the super nice video to start my day off, keep putting this kind of stuff out there. It makes me smile, it is sort of educational and makes me inspired to work on my own old junk.

[@bigbill709]

194th 😊

[@MarkRayCalvin]

Nice looking frame repair. You'll have to wheel that flat fender really hard to break that one.

[@ShopJock]

Enjoy the low buck realistic content. Love the flattie.

[@mattruth778]

I love the videos

[@benjaminjonholman]

Fast forward past the ad spot only to hear the phrase " Ham Water" almost made me want to rewind and listen to all of the ad.

[@dogpotter]

thanks for showing us how you fixed the frame rail on your jeep

[@TheMrhick92]

Is there any reason you didn't drill holes in your fish plate for rosette welds

[@4xFredWilliams]

i considered that and probably would if it was a larger plate or thicker frame

[@Beat98TJ]

Third! 😢

[@davesbroncogarage]

What happened to the engine you poured diesel into to free it up from being stuck?

[@4xFredWilliams]

its still frozen solid

[@davesbroncogarage]

@@4xFredWilliams thank you for the reply and update! I’ve been a fan since the early days of DED.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Hey Fred, Aussie here. It's Old Man "Eee Mue" not "Eee Moo" lol (Very common mistake tho') Love your work, cheers mate 🍻

[@aussiegonz]

lmao

[@taunovalo2964]

On the other hand, a mountain lion is Pooma, not Peuma

[@4xFredWilliams]

thanks! ill remember that for next time

[@jrally]

Should all this work be repeated on the driver's side as well? Seems like it's going to be the next weak link.

[@4xFredWilliams]

it could be, but I’ll fix that when it breaks

[@adammcclendon431]

Looks great man! What a great project!

[@crateball]

the wizard at work

[@4xFredWilliams]

definitely not a wizard, but I’ll keep working

[@Dynmawr]

I liked because ham water

[@scottgalyk8970]

There's an awful lot of structure in one fender, does it hold the whole front end on😂

[@scottgalyk8970]

Are you going to do the other side or you trust it?

[@4xFredWilliams]

I'm not touching the other side until it breaks

[@scottgalyk8970]

@@4xFredWilliams ok

[@GunSmoke098]

First. Love this series.

[@31terikennedy]

Oil the underbody.

[@Mansfield_Motors]

Great project

[@tammyspencer9786]

thanks man!

[@TheJonwilder]

What are those shackles? Please explain those!

[@upscaleshack]

Stock flatfender C-shackles. What more explanation is there?

[@i976scirocco3]

Hey Fred, is it a good idea to do the other side too? That way one side doesn't flex more then the other. Keep up the good work !

[@4xFredWilliams]

ill cross that broken frame rail when it happens

[@i976scirocco3]

@@4xFredWilliams I hear ya man, it ain't broke, don't fix it. Thanks for the reply !

[@monette44]

😮😅😊

[@mblake0420]

If its welded proper, the weld will be stronger than the frame, fish plates unnecessary as you where saying to start. Should have ground out the crack. I guess you are not a professional welder.

[@upscaleshack]

I'll bet you a trillion dollars it won't break in that spot again. So what's your issue with it?

[@mblake0420]

@@upscaleshack no it just made things more likely to break right in front of it or right behind it, maybe the other rail.

[@scottgalyk8970]

Not for 1500 dollars 😅

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Off road fridge/freezers are crazy expensive because they need to have a huge amount of vibration resistance. The ARB ones are designed to withstand days of high speed driving on stoney corrugated desert tracks in Australia. If they can handle that, they'll cope with the US 👍 The last thing you want is to be 500 miles from the nearest Pub and have your fridge die and end up with 100deg beer 🍻 !! 🫤

[@scottgalyk8970]

@edwardfletcher7790 still not worth 1500 bucks to me

[@edwardfletcher7790]

@@scottgalyk8970 Me either. But I know how much car camping freezers cost and there's no such thing as cheap quality....

[@scottgalyk8970]

@@edwardfletcher7790 I still wouldn't pay that much for a cooler

[@NorWis744]

@@scottgalyk8970 I purchased an ARB frig/freezer about five years ago from REI. It cost about $700 with a 10% off coupon. It works very well. It has a Dan Foss dc brushless compressor. Dan Foss is a German company. Very energy efficient. Less battery capacity is required to run overnight, etc. Expensive , but worth it to me. Wife and daughters love it.