If you HAD to cut a frame

[1500cheyenne96]

SOOOO...... heres whats going on my truck was poked in the rear and it has left cracks in the frame on both sides of the left shock mount and in front of the axle bumper as this is a old truck(96) the frame in those areas is to corroded to weld the cracks. The right side frame rail is good not bent or cracked i have a frame laying around but the front end is bent to badly to use the whole thing. if it was you where would be the best place to cut the frames to weld a section in I'm thinking of cutting both right in the middle of the front leaf spring mount any ideas to mull over would be appreciated thanks Jeremy

Truck is a 96 1/2 ton 4X4

[hotrodpc]

Maybe its cuz I don't weld and understand the stregth, but I just don't think I personally would want to do something like that. I am sure it can be done. I am not a metal professional either, but I also here cutting, heating, using a torch, etc can really degrade the strength of the steel even if you do have a strong weld. JMO, If I ever found a vehicle like that for sale, I noticed it, I wouldn't buy it, for road use no matter how cheap it was. Maybe for parts, but not to drive. But, what do I know? It would take alot to convince me it was safe, correct, strong and straight.

[1500cheyenne96]

Right right but seeing as how I'm more than likely going to be the last guy that ever drives this truck i figured what the **** you know maybe I'll try to find a good strait frame and just swap every thing over i was just curious what the odds of success were going to be. I've seen it done on TV where they took a long box truck and converted to a short box by cutting and re-welding the frame and box. but I'm no pro either so.........

[hotrodpc]

I am sure some the tweekers will be here to post some instruction or advice soon. And when I say tweeker, I am reffering to truck tweek and mods. Not the other kind of tweeker, those aren't allowed in my book.

[1500cheyenne96]

^^^^Big 10-4 on that thanks

[vansdonk]

C4 works well.

[1500cheyenne96]

Don't suppose you got some just laying around do you?

[vansdonk]

It's easier than the task you want to do. And you could tell the insurance company that it just disappeared. HEHE

[bubbatrucklover]

I would STRONGLY suggest you not and I will tell you why. Someone can chime in on structual integrity and what not but I will add my .02 in another area.

I just bought a truck yesterday. While trying to insure it through my GFs insurance they have a (can't think of the technical term maybe underwriter policy) ______clause that says my truck is an uninsurable risk because I exceed the height modification limits.

Now THAT is off topic per say which leads to the next insurance agency. They insured me and have a clause that says IF you do ANYTHING to modify the suspension,frame blah,blah blah in a manor which is unsafe and causes changes to the structual integrity and overall safety of the vehicle9keep in mind in THEIR eyes) YOU ARE SCREWED!!!!

How does that affect you? GOD FORBID you get in a wreck and SERIOUSLY injure the other driver(and vehicle and or you etc.) it doesn't matter if you "slipped one by them" to get insured and be "legal". The SECOND their expert adjuster catches ANYTHING out of the norm(or "unacceptable") YOU and ONLY you are responsible for ALL costs PERIOD.

Don't mean to be the voice of gloom and doom but the insurance agent said to me that she was glad for mysake that I made her aware of the height prior to inspection or I would have been paying for basically a worthless piece of paper that only helps if I get pulled over.

Come claim time (if needed) I would be sol.

[mrjohnwayne]

while bubba does bring up a good point I don't believe you will have to worry about that.

If done correctly it will be just as strong if not stronger than the stock frame.

Depending on what that frame is made out of (tensile strength) it should not be to complicated to do. being a half ton I would not think that it has a high tensile strength steel frame, which means you really wouldn't have to take any precautions before and after welding like pre heating or stress relieving etc... actual location (IMO) would be best if you do it in front of the front spring mount. Make a z notch when you cut it instead of a straight cut, and use a fish plate on the inside of the frame after welding to add extra strength.

I'm not on my home computer but I have a link that can give you pictures of what I mean.

Guys do this to 67-72 c-10's all the time to make SWB trucks since they are so hard to come by for a cheap price, and I have not heard anything about it being an issue for any reason.