Bent Frame

[Georgeb]

http://janesville.craigslist.org/pts/5163913722.html

 

[MadOgre]

http://janesville.craigslist.org/pts/5163913722.html

Depending on what the axles are I would see if he wouldn't sell you the frame and axles for $500

I would do that for sure.

BUT.........

I know its rusty but make sure it doesn't get thin in areas it should be a good 5/16" thick everywhere maybe thicker. Check real carefully around where things are riveted together.

Also take a tape measure and make sure that the thing is square! And carefully eye up that the rails are not twisted. a good tell tail sign is what angle the front shackle bushings are at.

ill give you pic of what mine is like

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And measure like in this picture diagonally to ensure that it is square

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[Georgeb]

I was thinking of taking the time to give the frame I have a good looking over and measure everything the best I can. After smacking into a tree with my 71 C10 at somewhere around 35-40 MPH and totally destroying the front half of that frame i found a donor truck with a nice oil coated front half but the back half of that frame was too rusty. We cut the two in half and stuck my back half to the new front half. We had to set up an I-beam and use bottle jacks to move things around a bit but we squared it up as best we could. Then I swapped the entire front suspension cross saddle and all to the repaired frame. It aligned just fine on the rack and drove like a dream once it was all back together. In fact the current owner is racing the truck on some of the circle tracks local to me and collecting a few trophies while hes at it. Anyway, I'm not afraid of doing some pushin and pullin on the frame I have if it's not too far out. Just hard to measure with all the tin wrapped around it.

 

[highdesertrange]

Ogre you are going to install the ORD front shackle frame mount? ooooh do a build thread on that, please. I am going to do that to. I believe you have to open up the holes in the frame either way. if you read the info on them I think it says that. highdsertranger

 

[MadOgre]

Ogre you are going to install the ORD front shackle frame mount? ooooh do a build thread on that, please. I am going to do that to. I believe you have to open up the holes in the frame either way. if you read the info on them I think it says that. highdsertranger

Ya I don't know how excited I would be to try and open up an existing shackle bracket. Maybe with a dremmel lol But if I can find a good 2wd 1 ton frame it would be real easy to install it I think.

I have to find a frame first! I was thinking of calling down to Boyce or something for an old used CUCV frame or something. I dunno. I have wasted a lot of time with this stupid bent frame!

 

[highdesertrange]

no I mean the hole in the frame where the shackle bushing sticks out of. highdesertranger

 

[MadOgre]

no I mean the hole in the frame where the shackle bushing sticks out of. highdesertranger

Ya you have to open up all 4 rivet holes to the next size bigger with a step reamer so that you get as snug a fit as possible for the bolts. And then you have to open up the main hole in the frame that the bracket protrudes through. I think the only way to do that with out fubaring something would be to trace the right size opening and then grind the opening bigger with a dremmel.

If I had a 2wd frame I could just use the appropriate sized hole saw for the enlarged opening and then just drill the 4 mounting bolt holes.

But now Im wondering how much extra the 1 or 1 1/4 ton frame weighs?

Ive also been pondering just using my 83' 3/4 ton frame (that I know for a fact is straight) and adding all the extra bracing to it to update it to the post 85' frames. All the front end stuff is just a matter of drilling holes. For the extra braces at the cab cross member, I could weld an extra 1" or so to the outer flange to accommodate the braces. And then add the ORD stuff. Although if I go this route I probably will just use the stock frame shackle bracket.

But this means that I would have to fully disassemble my 83 to get at everything, and I was hoping to just transfer stuff over to another frame.

 

[firebane]

Ogre you are going to install the ORD front shackle frame mount? ooooh do a build thread on that, please. I am going to do that to. I believe you have to open up the holes in the frame either way. if you read the info on them I think it says that. highdsertranger

You have to open up the holes when you do the rear shackle flip as well. They say 7/16 but I went to 1/2 because the bolts were more readily available.

 

[MadOgre]

You have to open up the holes when you do the rear shackle flip as well. They say 7/16 but I went to 1/2 because the bolts were more readily available.

Ya but were talking about the front spring frame shackles

 

[Georgeb]

To open up the holes for the bushings you could make a guide plate from 3/8" plate that has the correct hole size in the correct spot. Bolt it on and hole saw the frame with the plate acting as the guide for the hole saw rather than needing a pilot drill.

 

[MadOgre]

To open up the holes for the bushings you could make a guide plate from 3/8" plate that has the correct hole size in the correct spot. Bolt it on and hole saw the frame with the plate acting as the guide for the hole saw rather than needing a pilot drill.

That would probably work too but I think for me it would be easier to just dremmel out the excess material.

I would rather take twice as long if its twice as easy LOL

 

[HotRodPC]

Where you at on this one? Get the bent frame resolved and the front springs installed?