YET ANOTHER 99 RCSB F250 BUILD

[DEECEE]

I guess you gave up.

No, just life getting in the way, the shoulder injury turned out to be a bigger deal than I thought, had to have physical therapy before it was said and done, it still hurts and I have less strength in my right arm than before, but nothing I can't live with. I had some mechanical issues with the truck I got fixed, the manual shift boot and top plate that holds the shifter, was leaking the rear end was leaking, the alternator went out, had to change both batteries, the gem module was a big ordeal and cost 500bucks, I changed everything on the interior but the steering wheel from salvage yards and the internet and put the 05/07 front clip on it. I still have all the parts to do the whole shortly chop but haven't gotten around to it yet, the truck has been useful though.

 

[DEECEE]

 

[DEECEE]

 

[DEECEE]

Getting rid of all that blue plastic and putting in gray proved to be challenging, those salvage yards aren't cheap, I got the back seat from an 01 f250 platinum (gray leather with silver inserts) for now, my old seat was unacceptable by any standard..... I'm just going to build it as I get time, with all the mechanical issues and necessary upgrades/repairs I have pretty much made a crap farm truck into a decent truck. The frame is next, I will probably cut it next month on my vacation. The issue with the blinker was a short compounded by a "special fuse" on the trailer turn signal slot, the previous owner wrapped small copper wire around the base of the fuse and it caused some wacky electrical problems.

 

[DEECEE]

My pro welder buddy is in town for a couple of weeks and he said he wouldn't mind welding my frame back together for me, so she should be a shorty mid week. I am going to try some unusual techniques for my frame weld, I've been reading engineers opinions on cutting frames. I'm not sure how much of them can be applied to the very limited section that has to be welded on the f250 frame but the plan is to make the cuts at varying and as drastic of an angle as possible, preserve the cutout piece, trim the top off weld it back inside the splice (because most frame failures, post repair, are located on the bottom of the frame) and then weld a large tapered fish plate on the outside of the rail. That should deal with torsion stresses and the constant downward tension on the frame. Right? I know this may be addresses elsewhere and I don't have my truck in front of me at the moment, but...does anyone know if it's possible to just move the rearend forward sixteen inches and drill new holes with a mag drill? I know the frame has a weird pitch to it under the cab and then near the rearend, but couldn't it be compensated for with creative engineering?

 

[JMart]

My pro welder buddy is in town for a couple of weeks and he said he wouldn't mind welding my frame back together for me, so she should be a shorty mid week. I am going to try some unusual techniques for my frame weld, I've been reading engineers opinions on cutting frames. I'm not sure how much of them can be applied to the very limited section that has to be welded on the f250 frame but the plan is to make the cuts at varying and as drastic of an angle as possible, preserve the cutout piece, trim the top off weld it back inside the splice (because most frame failures, post repair, are located on the bottom of the frame) and then weld a large tapered fish plate on the outside of the rail. That should deal with torsion stresses and the constant downward tension on the frame. Right? I know this may be addresses elsewhere and I don't have my truck in front of me at the moment, but...does anyone know if it's possible to just move the rearend forward sixteen inches and drill new holes with a mag drill? I know the frame has a weird pitch to it under the cab and then near the rearend, but couldn't it be compensated for with creative engineering?

The frame is curved over the axle for suspension clearance. Its shaped diffferent enough that ou would have a hell of a time trying to reengineer the frame. Its easier to just cut it.

 

[DEECEE]

Thanks for the reply j, just thought I would put it out there and get someone else's opinion, I guess if it was an option you would have done it on yours. You sold your truck didn't you? How's it holding up, or do you keep contact with the new owner? It's pretty cool watching these old work trucks transform into something more.

 

[JMart]

Thanks for the reply j, just thought I would put it out there and get someone else's opinion, I guess if it was an option you would have done it on yours. You sold your truck didn't you? How's it holding up, or do you keep contact with the new owner? It's pretty cool watching these old work trucks transform into something more.

I haven't heard from him since he picked it up. I had it for two and a half years and it was still holding up fine. No cracks at all.

 

[DEECEE]

I haven't heard from him since he picked it up. I had it for two and a half years and it was still holding up fine. No cracks at all.

My truck will be used as a work horse after its complete, hauling trailers pulling stumps, hay bales, maybe even a little fun in the mud, so I want to do the most I can to insure I don't end up with a v shaped frame mod.

 

[DEECEE]

I haven't heard from him since he picked it up. I had it for two and a half years and it was still holding up fine. No cracks at all.

It is not clear to me why I can't just take a cutting torch to every rivet on this frame redrill New holes and move the leaf mounts forward 16", the axle will be forward from its normal position and won't fall directly under the arch, but it will still have clearance enough to work. I can't seem to find anyone who's done it, but I have taken a lot of measurements and can't seem to find any real issues with it. The second to last bed bracket will probably need to be modified and the back leaf spring will need a plate welded to the frame for it, because it will fall in a groove/impression on the frame, but it should work, especially if I put airbag suspension under it and remove the overload spring/bracket. It will be more work but having a truck without a spliced frame seems like a big plus to me.

 

[JMart]

You will have to modify the mounting beams under the bed as well. They ar different heights.

Your plan wouldn't work for me because I lowered mine. But it might work for you with just less suspension travel. It will look odd too unless you have large enough tires to fill the wheel well.

 

[DEECEE]

 

[DEECEE]

You will have to modify the mounting beams under the bed as well. They ar different heights.

Your plan wouldn't work for me because I lowered mine. But it might work for you with just less suspension travel. It will look odd too unless you have large enough tires to fill the wheel well.

Yeah, the second "beam" from the rear is the only one that will change the way I see it, I will have to cut it out and make a new one for the correct height. I plan on lowering mine a little bit too, it might be pretty close, but I don't think it will hit the frame, I could trim out a section on the bottom of the frame and make a box to reinforce it, but I would probably just cut the frame behind the bed like everyone else before I did that. I'm not really too concerned with how the frame would look under the bed though, if it means I don't have to listen to everyone and their dog telling me my frame is weak behind the cab..... That is so annoying. I have a buddy who says I can never haul a trailer or put over 750 lbs of weight in the bed if I do the frame cut, but I think his figures are a little off.

 

[JMart]

I don't know what Danny has had in the bed, but I know he hauls with his. I have seen plenty of pics of it with a trailer behind it.

 

[vcassens]

If cut and welded correctly the joint should be the strongest part of the frame if I am not mistaken.

 

[DEECEE]

I don't know what Danny has had in the bed, but I know he hauls with his. I have seen plenty of pics of it with a trailer behind it.

I don't doubt either of you, I'm at the point of no return and have to decide which way to go, I am a pretty decent welder, but my buddy is excellent and he's out of town 95% of the time, so the window of opportunity to have someone I trust and know do it is closing. On the other hand I know I could handle any of the fab work involved in just moving everything forward, but Jesus it will be three times the work drilling all of those holes and grinding those factory rivets also.... I was kinda hoping someone else would chime in in favor of the frame shuffle idea, lol

 

[JMart]

If cut and welded correctly the joint should be the strongest part of the frame if I am not mistaken.

Yeah I was told if it cracks it will be near the weld from heating the frame, but not the actual weld.


You could also box in the area and give it more strength.

 

[DEECEE]

Well, yet again my project was put on hold when my buddy went out of town on the pipeline again. I decided I'm just going to do it myself, I can weld well enough to handle this project. I have read a few engineers opinions on cutting and welding truck frames, I'm so mixed up due to all of these conflicting opinions. I dropped my fuel tank and drive shaft yesterday and I am ready to cut. I made a template to do the cuts at about a 40 degree angle on the top side and bottom, the cuts will start from one direction on top in a sharp angle then zig back down the side and back again on the bottom, the thing I am worried about is the sharp point on the bottom portion where the z would come to an angle on the bottom. The way I understand it the bottom of the frame takes the abuse and I am concerned a sharp angle would create a weak spot. I read on the miller welding site and also in another place that you shouldn't create any vertical seams (90 degree angles with the frame) and you should aim for as close to 30 degrees as you can. The best I could manage with my template was 40 degrees, with this frame it would be hard without taking out the crossmember on the front leaf spring mount temporarily. I am cutting it in the morning, and will probably weld it this weekend. I am going to do a root pass on the inside of the frame with 6011 rods with an AC arc welder, back gouge the outside put down a bead on the outside with 6011 and then swap over to a 7018 to do my buildup, grind down my weld flat and fish plate the inside of the frame with an angled piece of 3/8 beam I picked up at a scrap yard.

 

[DEECEE]

She's cut in two pieces. I went ahead and did the z cut, I think it will make it stronger since the weld (and surrounding metal) won't be constantly pulled apart along the seam. I plan on starting on the weld this weekend. I have to get the fit right, which is going to be a little harder with this z cut, but it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[RBernardi]

That is not a "Z" cut!