[rkn463]

Next I hit the areas that would be touching with a coat or Rust-oleum semi-gloss (because that is all I had left). Somehow I did not get a picture of that step. Next I pulled the bolts that were holding the spring perches in place and dropped the plates back in. I was able to tap the front down into place with a hammer and line it up front to back with a long punch. I replaced the bolts in the back and used some c clamps to hold it all in place in the front. All of the original holes from where the frame was cut to the back still lined up so I started filling them all with grade 8 bolts. From the cut forward I would have to drill new holes. The plan was to use existing holes in the frame or plate and drill through the other side. Through this all I am drilling a 1/4 inch lead hole and following that with a step bit. I had been trying to figure out how I could really center the 1/4 inch lead hole inside of an existing 1/2 inch hole. As I poked around in the shop I suddenly realized I could tap a 5/16 nut into the hole with a hammer and use it to guide the 1/4 in drill bit. It worked better than I expected! Once the lead hole was drilled I just threaded a bolt into the nut and wiggled it back out. The first ones I drilled were through the holes in the plate that used to line up with the front cross member but were now 18" forward.

-Richard