Cracked frame where lower control arm bolts in

[Emil]

Its been a while since i posted on here, been building swimming pools for the last 3 yrs. Anyways I have a 1992 1500 2wd lb lwb ext cab 5.7tbi with a 3" body lift. Picked it up for $800 6 years ago. It's kept my bosses company up and running when his crew trucks constantly break down. If it blew up today I'd have a smile on my face I've gotten more than my monies worth out of the Ole girl.

Anyways over the years I've replaced almost everything suspension and steering related. All I do now that I replaced the aged tranny is drive to and from the job, which is a 200mile drive round trip. Thank my boss for footing the fuel bill lol. The problem I have is I noticed a few months ago the frame is cracked where the lower Control arm bolts in. It's cracked where the bushing towards the front of the truck bolts in, on both sides of the bracket. Where the other bushing mounts is perfectly fine.

I know it's not safe to drive like this. Specially highway speeds from Gulfport Mississippi to Daphne Alabama, sometimes to orange beach Alabama. Just curious if there's any solutions to fix this like a bolt on bracket? How much would a shop charge? I'm huge on diy and know a few great welders. it is my only vehicle and I can't afford to take someone's life or even my own because of negligence to get it fixed.

What would cause something like this to happen?

Only known history previous to me owning it is the guy used it to haul 5th wheel on a farm or something in Texas

I've pulled a few trailers with it I would say 4,000lbs plus the trailer, but not in the last 6 months. she's retired from pulling and heavy weight in the bed.

Suspension is stock body has 3" lift
In the last year I've replaced
tie rods inner outer and sleeve
Ball joints
Idler arm
Pitman arm
Wheel bearings and race inner/outter
Steering gear box

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions. Truck has about 325,000 miles

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[Emil]

I apologize for the blurriness and dirtiness in the pics

 

[Justin S]

Doesn't look as if it was caused by rust at least, looks like too much strain. I'd just clean it up and have someone weld it for you before it gets worse.

 

[Emil]

Far as I know it's lived in the south. Far as welding it, probably be best to drop the control arm and replace the bushing as well. That way it can be welded inside and outside the bracket right

 

[Supercharged111]

You can plop a patch on top to beef it up too. I had a crack in my trailer frame and for some reason welding a bead on top didn't work so I laid a patch on top that bridged both sides and that's still holding.

 

[Bob L]

I would drill a hole at both ends of the crack first,then grind the crack to a V the full thickness of the frame and then weld it up.

 

[90halfton]

I would drill a hole at both ends of the crack first,then grind the crack to a V the full thickness of the frame and then weld it up.

Definitely do this, you have obviously been a welder and had to fix cracks in steel before.

 

[kennythewelder]

Welding a crack, will not stop a crack unless you open up the crack so that the weld can penetrate it. If I was doing this, I would try to make new thicker brackets, and replace the old ones, welding them in place on very clean base metal. If that is not an option then I would drill out the ends of the crack, then open up the crack with a dremel tool. IMO it looks to me like the metal is thin there and that is why it cracked, so I would also add an extra piece of metal for reinforcement.