[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Jeff,

In your first very observant detailed statement,

"After further investigation I notice when looking down at the top of the cross member when facing the front of the car, you can see the two sections in the middle where it curves in and then it's flat where the spring touches inside. These seem to be bent in more than usual. I don't know if it became warped from the welding or what. It almost looks as if they were hit with a hammer?"

What could have happened is where the two front cross member sections are curved & beat up "inward", the "U" bolts clamping the front spring may have been loose years ago & were pounding from front to rear on the front of the cross member.

With a worn & loose rubber ball on the wishbone ball, the whole axle & wishbone could have been moving excessively from front to rear pounding like a hammer every time the driver hit a bump, railroad track, or pot hole.

It could even be possible that the front spring center lower plate was installed upside down making indentation matters even worse.

If the top of the spring will not clear these two (2) "lower" front cross bar indentations when the cross bar is lowered on the spring, I would not hesitate to carefully try wedging them open to clear the spring -- again, if the weld breaks, it broke in the shop & not on the highway.

How to wedge it open? Maybe try this:

1. Cut & fit a 3/4" bolt, preferably with fine threads, to fit snug between the front cross member tight spot indentation.
2. Thread a 3/4" nut on the bolt & reinstall the bolt at the indentation.
3. Unscrew the nut to slightly open & place pressure on the in-side of the indentation.
4. If it springs back a little and/or you run out of bolt/nut threads, add washer(s) under the bolt head.

There are so many ways to wedge something open; but hope this helps