Welding question

[Cornpatch MO]

For the good welders out there. I put a 6 quart stock looking oil pan on my 64 Dodge with 440 engine
The oil pan touches the tie rod , even tho I have spaced the engine up with motor mount shims. I am thinking of taking off the tie rod, cutting it in two at or near the ends and making spacers in it to drop it down a little ways from the pan. Thoughts on whether or not to do that and proper way to do it??
Thanks for any comments.................................MO

 

[Beekeeper]

Seems that it would be a better and safer option to modify the pan.

 

[eric383]

X2 Beekeeper. A failed weld on a steering component can be catastrophic.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

Get rid of the pan and get one that fits.

 

[Cranky]

Many do not recommend welding or bending suspension parts but the 4x4 guys have been doing it for years and I've done some modification and welding on steering and suspension parts myself. If you are experienced in welding and can weld just about anything, I say you can probably go for it but on the other hand, without seeing some pics of exactly what you are trying to do.......

 

[dvw]

I'm assuming you mean the center link, not tie rod. Nothing the matter with a properly welded center link. That being said it's easier to swap or modify the pan.
Doug

 

[Hemirunner]

We usually cut a section out a piece of thin wall tube and weld it into the pan creating a clearance channel.

 

[Homstead]

We used to do that kind of thing on stock cars all the time. Never had any problems. But if its going on the street and it ever failed I could see that being a big problem with liability. I'm with most on here. Modify the oil pan. Much better in the long run.

 

[Yatzee]

First off, don't space the engine upwards if mods to the suspension or pan are in the near future. If you check there is a preferred angle that the engine should sit at taken at the top off the intake manifold. The reasons are obvious especially for the carb. Second, drag links are forged pieces which make them highly dense and strong. Even the best welder in the world would have reservations of butt welding the drag link especially when the vehicle is street driven. Your weld will never be as strong as an uncut forged piece. If you do weld the drag link instead of modifying the pan, stay off my street because there's a lot of children and elderly people in my neighborhood who either don't pay attention or move slow.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I'm assuming you mean the center link, not tie rod. Nothing the matter with a properly welded center link. That being said it's easier to swap or modify the pan.
Doug

Yes, I did mean the center link. Senior moment when my thought was tie rod ends . Tie rods go from the center link to the spindle arms.
I don't want to change the oil pan, I like the stock look. Tube through the oil pan will not work. The tube would have to be above the bottom of the oil pan in order for oil to drain back to the sump. And then the cross link would be too low. The cross link is mid way in the shallow part of the pan.
As expected, I am getting different opinions. I think maybe I will ask a certified welder.

- - - Updated - - -

First off, don't space the engine upwards if mods to the suspension or pan are in the near future. If you check there is a preferred angle that the engine should sit at taken at the top off the intake manifold. The reasons are obvious especially for the carb. Second, drag links are forged pieces which make them highly dense and strong. Even the best welder in the world would have reservations of butt welding the drag link especially when the vehicle is street driven. Your weld will never be as strong as an uncut forged piece. If you do weld the drag link instead of modifying the pan, stay off my street because there's a lot of children and elderly people in my neighborhood who either don't pay attention or move slow.

My motor mount bolts would only allow a 1/4" spacer shim on each side. Being that they are on an angle , the engine was raised only about 1/8 " I am going to take them out.
Best keep the kids and old folks off the street when I am around..I don't move slow, welded drag link or not ! Not planing on driving in London anyway.....................8-)..............MO

 

[Beekeeper]

I am a certified welder and would not weld any steering linkage componets due to liability. If the link was cut and both ends tapered on a 45 degree angle to about a 1/4" and welded this would be a full penetration weld. this would be as strong as the original part as long as there was no porosity in the weld but personally I just wouldn't do it

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I am a certified welder and would not weld any steering linkage componets due to liability. If the link was cut and both ends tapered on a 45 degree angle to about a 1/4" and welded this would be a full penetration weld. this would be as strong as the original part as long as there was no porosity in the weld but personally I just wouldn't do it

Understood..Liability is a major concern these days. Thanks for the input folks.........................MO

 

[dvw]

There are plenty of pans that will fit. Big blocks came factory in 64. Why not just get the correct pan?
http://www.440source.com/oilpans.htm

http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/oilpans.html

Doug

 

[Cornpatch MO]

There are plenty of pans that will fit. Big blocks came factory in 64. Why not just get the correct pan?
Doug

are they 6 quart ? What is the large 3 digit number stamped in them? It would need to be for a 1964 B body Dodge...................................MO

 

[mopar 3 B]

are they 6 quart ? What is the large 3 digit number stamped in them? It would need to be for a 1964 B body Dodge...................................MO

Look for a maxwedge pan ( 426 or 413). I have a 63 pan but it is far from 6 qt.

 

[Kern Dog]

For the good welders out there. I put a 6 quart stock looking oil pan on my 64 Dodge with 440 engine
The oil pan touches the tie rod , even tho I have spaced the engine up with motor mount shims. I am thinking of taking off the tie rod, cutting it in two at or near the ends and making spacers in it to drop it down a little ways from the pan. Thoughts on whether or not to do that and proper way to do it??
Thanks for any comments.................................MO

I think what you mean is the center link. It is drop forged steel, not just regular steel. welding will weaken it. A stock HEMI 6 quart pan clears the center link. See mine:

Also, altering steering components like this, aside from the dangers of a failure, affects bump steer: The tendency for the steering to deflect when going through its range of motion.

 

[RT SE 440]

For the good welders out there. I put a 6 quart stock looking oil pan on my 64 Dodge with 440 engine
The oil pan touches the tie rod , even tho I have spaced the engine up with motor mount shims. I am thinking of taking off the tie rod, cutting it in two at or near the ends and making spacers in it to drop it down a little ways from the pan. Thoughts on whether or not to do that and proper way to do it??
Thanks for any comments.................................MO

if your worried about stock look with correct stamped numbers well 1 it must not be the stock pan or the steering link would not hit so the number theory is out the window 2 as all others have said welding it not a good option so the way i see it look for a pan that fits correctly I'm not sure on your application but did your car come with this combination if so find out what pan does fit and look for that particular stamped sump as there are plenty of reproduction sumps being made .safety over looks is always a better option

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I think what you mean is the center link. It is drop forged steel, not just regular steel. welding will weaken it. A stock HEMI 6 quart pan clears the center link. See mine:

Also, altering steering components like this, aside from the dangers of a failure, affects bump steer: The tendency for the steering to deflect when going through its range of motion.

My pan looks exactly like yours pictured..I am wondering if there was a special center link to clear this pan?
Also I was not neccesarily wanting a pan that had the numbers stamped in them..just replying to a post that was not clear to me........ The car did not have an engine and the K member was for a 318. I used the Schumacker mounts. I don't even remember where I got my oil pan. ......................................MO

 

[Kern Dog]

Do you have the original K member in the car? I wonder if either the K member is wrong or if the motor mount brackets are incorrect. The early B body positions the engine either further forward or rearward than a 66-72 K member. the odd thing is, the 66-72 K members fit the early cars even though they put the engine in a different spot. I'd think that this would possibly cause some interference.

 

[Glenwood]

My pan looks exactly like yours pictured..I am wondering if there was a special center link to clear this pan?
......................................MO

The spacing looks about the same in my 64 Polara that had a stock 318P. Now I'm worried about this...440source just told me they do not have pans that will work with my car.