Thread: Aluminum cradles FTL

Originally Posted by Blown97

Interesting!! I've never been a fan of aluminum frame parts, but I haven't heard of a cradle cracking. Sorry for your luck!!

Street Wolf, You got an idea?

when first came out the police impalas were breaking them but i believe it was in a different spot.

Where did you get this one from?

Originally Posted by alacran

Where did you get this one from?

Talking to me? It's the stock one in my 2004 Impala LS.

I did the temp fix today. Not pretty but it works. In the first picture here, you can see the stock hole to the right I used to drill the first hole, and I had to drill the hole on the left and adjust it's angle with my dremel to be able to drill straight up for the second hole:



Here you can see the two bolts. 3/8" bolts, 9/16" heads, and I forget the size of the washers. The holes are exactly the size of the threads, so there is no play around them at all. Thanks to my Dremel and its 90* attachment.



I need to shorten the bolts about 1/16"-1/8". They hit the cross member above and that's why the crack isn't completely closed. I didn't have access to a good enough vice nor the time to do it tonight. I can take these back out easily, so I will get it done eventually.

Excellent information Sabre. Thank you for taking the time to do all that.

Originally Posted by Sabrewings

Pictures say it all. Stress fracture (no impact did this):

You do not think this damage had ANYTHING to do with it?


I want to still do this to my car but I will get some added welds done to it first since this looks like a weak point, accident or not...

All Impalas/Montes have the ends of the front cradle support looking like that. Never understood why, but most of them have "tape" all over it to cover it. Years ago I started to peel it away and that's why you can see it. I didn't hit anything there.

Originally Posted by TDCRacing

Welds are always suppose to be stronger than metal.If anything it should have cracked besides the weld. but thats besides the point.

Depends on how it's welded. Aluminum is difficult to weld properly because it can become brittle. If any impurities get in while welding, it just gets worse. Tig welding is the best way to do it, but GM probably cheaped out since it can be expensive.

I have seen many of these cradles. I guarentee you that damage above is what broke the welds. But the welds shouldn't have broke, the aluminum should've bent so the weld was weak. If anyone else drives your car they could've hit a curb and not said anything.

Originally Posted by Sabrewings

All Impalas/Montes have the ends of the front cradle support looking like that. Never understood why, but most of them have "tape" all over it to cover it. Years ago I started to peel it away and that's why you can see it. I didn't hit anything there.

This is the part that looks like an accident:

Seeing how that's been there since I bought the car four years ago, and this just showed up in the last month I don't see it being possible... Like fast98 said it's probably bad welds that cracked open, since they shouldn't have cracked at all.

GM uses an automated assembly line..... they might have had a bad welder. its possible?

Mine looks fine, and much cleaner than yours

Originally Posted by FastKatt

Mine looks fine, and much cleaner than yours