How I fixed my boken frame

[82chevyk10]

I read a thread on here about someone with broke frame at the p/s gear box. I actually had this problem last year, and if I would have know that this was a problem area for these body style Chevrolets I would have reinforced it before it cracked. This was my solution that didn’t involve any new parts other than bolts, nuts and washers. I removed the tire, inner fender well, bumper, bumper bracket, p/s gear box, and cut the fame off between the motor mounts and gear box holes. I intended on replacing the whole section of frame, but my bumper bracket and leaf spring bracket wouldn't line up with the holes in my donor k20 frame from a junk yard, so I decided to reuse my original section. I got the junk yard guy to cut the donor of behind the motor mount so I had plenty extra to work with. I use a ratchet strap to pull the cracks together on the broke section and welded it, grinded down the welds, and drilled the p/s gear box hole back round. I cut section from the donor that laid inside the original that run from the front of the p/s gear box to behind the cut i made. Using bolts in existing holes to line it up, and tack welded it in few places so it would hold. I lined it up at the splice and tacked it on the top and bottom to hold it in place. I rechecked everything to make sure it was square, then welded the entire cut line on the outside. I cut a section from the bottom of the donor long enough to go from the from of the p/s gear box to behind the cut line. Instead of welding I drilled and used 3/8” grade 8 bolts and nuts to hold it in place. I made a bracket for the outside to the cut line using 1/8” angle steel and 1/8” flat steel cutting both pieces to a desired length and welding them together. I bolted it over the splice using several grade 8 bolts. Kept tightening until the steel plate contoured to the frame and put en extra nut on so it wouldn’t back off. Finally I was ready to put everything back together. FYI, it wasn't as easy as i just made that sound. It took a lot of cutting, grinding, fitting, and more cutting and grinder to get everything to fit just right. Just over a year of daily driving and off road abuse and still staying strong, though not very pretty.

Leftover angle steel used for the plate to cover the splice.

Leftover steel plate used to make the plate to cover the splice.

Some of what was leftover from the donor frame section

Bottom view of the pate i made to cover the splice. I had to drill out one of the factory brads on the cross member so the plate would fit flush. Replaced it with a grade 8 bolt.

Side view of the plate i put on the bottom of the frame that I cut from the donor.

Side view of the plate that's covering the slice.

Top view of the splice