plating your crossover steering box

[mplatzer]

i just had a question about mounting your ifs steering box.  is it enough to just use the sleves that marlin provided me to, or should you plate the inside and out so the frame does not crush in. my last 83 was plated on the inside and it worked out good..  Thanks in advance for your replies.      

[Jack8542]

I just plated my framn around the steering box, a few if my buddies frames cracked around the box and the sleves that go throught the frame also cracked.  It would be a good idea to plate both sides of the frame and go as far as you can up the frame as possible.    

[mplatzer]

that was what i thought, thanks.  no offense to the marlin crew, but if the sleves dont work why sell them.  i think they should make plate for each side of the frame, have the wholes predrilled and sell the bolts and sleves for x over. just my 2 cents

[BigMike]

The sleeves that we make for the box mount kit are the correct width and work just fine. But the problem is that the frame is very thin and it is always a great idea to beefen it up when ever possible. We do not supply a plate because many people prefer to make that on their own. This doesnt mean that we will never offer one, maybe we will someday?

Regards,
BigMike

[Brandon]

this is pretty clean, little pricey but it saves time..

http://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/nfoscomm/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=56&osCsid=3b71977d4a448d5c23544d856ba79c45

[Brandon]

I personally have had my box rip right THROUGH my frame because the outside was plated and the inside wasn't - happened a long time ago (http://www.off-road.com/toyota/trips/turkey/ - 1997)

[Hyena]

We and James just got done plating both of ours inside and out.  The actually sleeves don't crack.  Its is were the sleeves weld to the frame.  beause you have to grind down a lot to make it smooth it takes away a lot of the strength of the weld.  I welded my sleeves 3 times and grinded them down and they still cracked. 

[Brandon]

not sure how his sleeves work but generally I run the sleeve past the inner plate through holes and weld the sleeves to the plate, no need to grind any frame at all.

[Hyena]

We didn't have the plate when we put the steering box on before.  we had to grind it down so the box would sit flat on the frame.  But we did not shorten them on the inner side.  I welded the plate we put on there to those sleeves.

[mplatzer]

TO BRANDON AND BIG MIKE:  HEY GUYS, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I RESPECT YOU TWO AS  NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL DIRECT YOU TO ANOTHER SITE FOR SOMETHING THAT MARLIN DOESENT CARRY. I PERFER TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVERY TRANSACTION HAS GONE VERY SMOOTHLY AND YOUR PRODUCT IS SUPERB.  THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND OPINION, AND ONCE AGAIN THANK FOR BEING A GREAT BUSINESS.

                                                                      MIKE PLATZER    

[Brandon]

TO BRANDON AND BIG MIKE:  HEY GUYS, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I RESPECT YOU TWO AS  NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL DIRECT YOU TO ANOTHER SITE FOR SOMETHING THAT MARLIN DOESENT CARRY. I PERFER TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVERY TRANSACTION HAS GONE VERY SMOOTHLY AND YOUR PRODUCT IS SUPERB.  THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND OPINION, AND ONCE AGAIN THANK FOR BEING A GREAT BUSINESS.

                                                                      MIKE PLATZER    

Thanks,
And for the record I don't (and never have) work for Marlin nor does he pay me to pimp his products - his reputation and products speak for themselves.

[blackdiamond]

We and James just got done plating both of ours inside and out.  The actually sleeves don't crack.  Its is were the sleeves weld to the frame.  beause you have to grind down a lot to make it smooth it takes away a lot of the strength of the weld.  I welded my sleeves 3 times and grinded them down and they still cracked. 

You could always V-bevel the frame before installing the sleeves so that the weld goes deeper into the frame.

[notajeep]

Don't know if this will help.... But on mine, I drilled the hole on the outside of the frame for the sleve, but not on the inside. On the plate for the outside of the frame I also drilled the holes large enough for the sleves to slide in, and left the sleves 1\4" long so that they would fit flush with the 1\4" plate. and then welded the sleves to the plate and the plate to the frame. On the inside of the frame I also plated it with 1\4" but did not weld it.
BTW... my plates look basically like the plates in the pic above.