Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing cross head repair

I bent the tube badly quite a few years back, and persuaded it back closer to where it should be using a BFH. I've just started a complete rebuild of the car, so now is the time to properly fix it. If I can sweat the ends off, I'd rather replace than repair. I don't want to put a bad cross head on a new chassis.

Personally, I would retain the old crosshead and replace the bottom tube. Steve Barnes at Vintage Sheet Metal or Terry Foxon at GEE will know the steel spec although I'd be surprised if it was anything approaching exotic. This way you will retain originality as the new factory ones will no doubt differ and introduce more hassle.

I'd also take the opportunity to remove the positive camber on your crosshead by lengthening the bottom tube by the appropriate amount as it will improve the car's handling and steering.

BFH - a precision instrument essential for working on Morgan cars!

Have You priced a new Cross Head from Morgan Spares?

Button

Button, it's a straightforward job to replace the bottom crosshead tube and far, far cheaper than buying new aside from the carriage and import duty costs. Stateside, it will probably be less hassle too.

I'm not sure that the factory could supply although it's possible. Terry Foxon at Gee would be my first port of call if a replacement is needed.

Hi David,
I have a spare and damaged crosshead. The tubes are OK but the sheet metal frame is torn a bit where the lower tube passes thru. Now I have thought a lot about how to repair this and insure the alignments are proper. It is not simple. Or at least the way I would approach this is not simple. I would need to make a heavy steel jig with the proper alignment to bolt the crosshead to and weld/braze whatever. Just making a jig is way beyond my skill level.

Button

Hi Button,

Are you wishing to repair a crosshead as well as Morgan_75?

Obviously without seeing yours it's difficult to say. If the centre of the crosshead is not distorted, it should not be too difficult to repair.

At risk of sounding repetitive, I'd call Terry and ask his advise and perhaps send some images. GEE make chassis for early cars and so will have all the measurements required.

Regards, David.

A new cross head runs about $900USD from Morgan Spares. Six feet of tube should be under $50USD. The extra cash will come in handy when I come across something seriously broken.

BTW I have no connection with Either Steve Barnes or Terry Foxon - they've been around a long time, are experts and craftsmen and have good reputations.

You are very lucky to have Craftsmen in the UK to go to. Us US'ers are not so lucky. I have tried to contact Steve Barnes several times. Frankly I think He is busy just satisfying the UK demand. Do not have experience with Terry Foxon other than reputation. I know of several locals that can do this job. But I think the cost will be substantial. $900 maybe a bargain. Not sure.
Ron Garner would know for sure.

Button

A repair is well within the capability of a small general or agricultural engineering shop. The small tear you refer to might be repairable by welding and the tube fittings can be sweated off and re-brazed on to the new replacement tubes.

The splayed angle of the crosshead centre legs should match the angle of the curve of the chassis and the width of the tubes should match the dimension of the old tubes.