Need to clean the inside of the AATV...need help!

[arp35]

Well I finally pulled the frame out of the tub today I pressured washed both the tub and the frame. I then applied some rust remover on the frame and am letting it dry overnight. I will make some adjustments to the frame tomorrow and then paint it with black rustoleum. I do have one crossbar in the middle of the frame that is bent slightly. It is the same area where I removed the bent axle. I am guessing one of the previous owners must of hit the middle of the AATV against a tree or something. I will try to hammer it out. I am thinking about buying a shop press. Then I could use it to straighten the axle and perhaps that crossbar on the frame. I just don't know if I could get the frame up and positioned correctly. The shop press would have to open on one side to slide the frame inside. Unless there is a way to position it on the outside of the shop press using a steel jig. Does anyone know? Anyway, I am excited to finally have the frame out and cleaned of 30+ years of sand/dirt and lots of grease. The bearings I ordered are being delivered on Tuesday as well as the flange plates. With luck I hope to have the frame back together by next weekend and then I can start on the transmission. Let me know if someone has experience with a shop press and know of a way to lift the frame into a position so I can straighten the middle crossbar. Pictures attached...
Al

[Robinhood02]

I went through all your frame pics and i don't see the bent crossmember ?? you may want to leave it alone if it is kinked at all you may make it worse trying to staighten it, you may be better off with heating it with a torch and correcting it that way instead of cold press,

[Mike]

That's a good place to be in the restoration process. You are almost to the point of re-assembly and everything should go much smoother from here on out. The frame in my Max II was tweaked just a little and I ended up laying it on a level piece of concrete in the driveway (that took a while to find) and then I had someone stand on one end while I beat the frame straight at the other end with a sledge hammer. I placed a piece of wood over the frame so I wouldn't damage it with the hammer and beat it a little at a time moving around as I went until it was straight again.

[jerseybigfoot]

I have straightened frame members out with a bottle jack, 2 chains and a strong-back. You should put some plates under the frame to keep the u channels from collapsing. Put the bottle jack on the kink and the strong back on the bottle jack and chains around the strong back and frame rails.

[arp35]

Thanks for the suggestions. I measured the frame to check for squareness and it is only off by 1/8" in the area where the cross member is kinked. I am going to double check it again when I get the frame back in the tub. Then I'll trial fit the bearings and flange plates into that area and make sure it all fits and turns without binding, etc. I'll take a close up of the kink and post it tomorrow.
Al

[arp35]

I went through all your frame pics and i don't see the bent crossmember ?? you may want to leave it alone if it is kinked at all you may make it worse trying to staighten it, you may be better off with heating it with a torch and correcting it that way instead of cold press,

Here is a closeup of the bent area. It is actually twisted and not really out of whack too much. Should I just leave it like it is?

[Mike]

Is your whole frame bent a little? In that last picture it looks like the frame is bowed out where the twisted support is but that could just be the picture? If that's the case I would try to straighten it. Also, next to the twisted support above and below the hole for the axle the frame looks like it has rusted away a little or perhaps it has been pried against and marred up?

[arp35]

Is your whole frame bent a little? In that last picture it looks like the frame is bowed out where the twisted support is but that could just be the picture? If that's the case I would try to straighten it. Also, next to the twisted support above and below the hole for the axle the frame looks like it has rusted away a little or perhaps it has been pried against and marred up?

It is boogered up above and below the axle hole. I cannot really imagine how it happened. I think someone tried to straighten it earlier and in the process bent up the lip above and below the axle hole. Anyway, other than use a sledge hammer, is there a way to fix the kink?
I just took a straight edge and it is actually bowed in a little at the kink. It looks as if the roller bearing holder on that side is not straight. But the axle hole looks straight when compared to the inner axle hole. So I may try to bang out the roller bearing area to make it parrallel to the outer frame. What do you think?

[jerseybigfoot]

The square cross piece is not important to straighten out. The axle outer bearing should be parallel with the backbone and the frame looking at the side should be straight. Just make sure the cross piece is welded to the outer channel. My Hustler was worse and the outer channel cracked through. There is plenty of room in the tub to reinforce the channel flange. BTW the frame gets ripped up from the chain jumpping off the sprocket and lodging between the frame and sprocket. Not sure how the square tube bent.

[arp35]

The square cross piece is not important to straighten out. The axle outer bearing should be parallel with the backbone and the frame looking at the side should be straight. Just make sure the cross piece is welded to the outer channel. My Hustler was worse and the outer channel cracked through. There is plenty of room in the tub to reinforce the channel flange. BTW the frame gets ripped up from the chain jumpping off the sprocket and lodging between the frame and sprocket. Not sure how the square tube bent.

The crossmember is solidly welded to the frame and the side is straight. Should I weld some angle iron to strenthen the channel around the axle hole? The lip of the side is chewed up a bit around and near the axle hole.