partial boxing frame in?

[Denee007]

G'day ya'll! no, I'm not an Aussie, but I love men with the Aussie accent!

Just got finished pressure washing the engine compartment and there's me kind of frazzeld from the back spray, and it's kind of humid today! My hair don't like humidty!


Anyway, after I get all this steering gear out and parking brake; I think I'd like to box in as much as I can of the frame? I'm pretty good with a mig, and migging is quite fun and relaxing for some reason. I have some repair work to do here anyway. Could I just run, say a couple feet of boxing in the frame? I think this way welding in my engine mount would be less distance to the engine block? es that make sense? Advice as usual is very welcomed! ; )
ok, going to push the truck back in the garage! There's not a soul around here to help!

this is the P side not washed(old photo)

[Denee007]

You know; I'm kind of liking the way the truck sits(stance wise); kind of looks like a 4x4!

[hotrod1]

good start. Be careful with metal fabrication. Once you start, the next thing you know, the entire thing is torn apart and you will be welding and fabing all kinds of stuff that you never knew existed.

[Denee007]

I like fabricating! it makes one think, and thinking is good!

one thing I forgot to ask, is where does one buy the metal to box in like I'd want to do? is it purchased in a channel to fit up to my frame? this is very new to me~

[hotrod1]

There is nothing that can bother you when you are fabing. No stress.

[Denee007]

Only when Gary is out "helping me"; then it becomes a bit stressful! lol That's not very often, but I'd like to teach him some stuff of garage life! He may chill and lower his blood pressure!

I found this site, but doesn't say where to buy the metal. I know there's place here in Houston that sells metal, but I may have to go over there and ask how I buy it and if they can make the channel for me to fit the application. I think just a couple feet would be enough on both side? or maybe do as far as I can?
back to the garage to pull wheels off, take that darned drag link off to have more working room(I have the truck up on my Maxjax lift).
http://www.hotrodhotline.com/md/frameboxing/

[hotrodrookie]

As long as you can still mount and access everything thats located around your frame rails in the engine bay then boxing wont hurt.

I would try and source some 3/16" sheet for that. Depending if you have a way to cut it yourself "oxy torch, plasma, cut of wheels and time =)" Maybe try a metal yard and look through their scrap. If not, then have them shear off a couple two foot pieces at the height of the inside of the channel of the frame rail. That way you can fit them in so that all the seams are an outside corner weld. No channel.

And as a word of welding advice. Don't weld the entire plate on either side of the frame at once. Tack them both in and evenly distribute welding time between the two sides of the frame to avoid any distortion.

[Denee007]

I was thinking more like this, but a little more on each side; that's where my engine mount would go. yes, I'm handy with my cutting rig(oxyact), so I'm prepared. I just need to run down to the autoparts and rent a pitman arm puller! the big nut came off without a fight! I feel I've made some decent progress today; probably be next week before I get back out there I don't see how that column is going to come out through the bottom nor top!

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

I was thinking more like this, but a little more on each side; that's where my engine mount would go. yes, I'm handy with my cutting rig(oxyact), so I'm prepared. I just need to run down to the autoparts and rent a pitman arm puller! the big nut came off without a fight! I feel I've made some decent progress today; probably be next week before I get back out there I don't see how that column is going to come out through the bottom nor top!

if you do,
where you end a plate fish mouth it{like the right of the tube in the picture} that will keep it from cracking.If you just leave the plate square the frame will crack where the plate ends. Seen it happen too many times. and make the fish mouth rounded NOT a sharp point and you will be fine

Mark

[Denee007]

I understand that~ makes good sense! I'm hopefully planning to extend it further than thought, so I'll so the same thing on both end? I'll post before what I'm going to weld into place for approval! ; ) Thank you Mark!

Originally Posted by mknittle

if you do,
where you end a plate fish mouth it{like the right of the tube in the picture} that will keep it from cracking.If you just leave the plate square the frame will crack where the plate ends. Seen it happen too many times. and make the fish mouth rounded NOT a sharp point and you will be fine

Mark

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

I understand that~ makes good sense! I'm hopefully planning to extend it further than thought, so I'll so the same thing on both end? I'll post before what I'm going to weld into place for approval! ; ) Thank you Mark!

Not sure I understand the question. But if you mean the fish mouth on both ends, yes and at splices cut and weld diagonal so the weld bead is not straight up and down we have used this technique on logging trucks that we lengthened the frame on with no cracks in 15 years or so of work here is a pick of the truck last week.
1952 peterbilt.

[Denee007]

I'm sorry, I didn't word that very well, but you answered my question~ ; ) Neat looking truck! I'll post my template of cardboard tomorrow of what I think I'll be doing ,and you can critique what I put up~ ; ) I'll be meeting with dwcsr(David Chapman) to see about getting some metal from him` it'll be nice meeting a fellow enthusiat of Classic trucks!

Originally Posted by mknittle

Not sure I understand the question. But if you mean the fish mouth on both ends, yes and at splices cut and weld diagonal so the weld bead is not straight up and down we have used this technique on logging trucks that we lengthened the frame on with no cracks in 15 years or so of work here is a pick of the truck last week.
1952 peterbilt.

[dwcsr]

What part of town are you in? and how much do you need?
SSS Steel is on Jensen is a full service supplier
Steel Supply LLP is on West rd and on Telephone rd, You can get small pieces they call drops and they do laser cutting at the telephone rd shop as well.
Brookshire Steel is in Brookshire. They have good prices. But limited on what you can get and they don't do special cuts. You have to buy in a full or half sheet or stick and you need to call first to make sure they have what you want.

If you need actual pieces of frame I have one I'm cutting up just let me know what pieces and you can have them.

[Denee007]

pm sent

Originally Posted by dwcsr

What part of town are you in? and how much do you need?
SSS Steel is on Jensen is a full service supplier
Steel Supply LLP is on West rd and on Telephone rd, You can get small pieces they call drops and they do laser cutting at the telephone rd shop as well.
Brookshire Steel is in Brookshire. They have good prices. But limited on what you can get and they don't do special cuts. You have to buy in a full or half sheet or stick and you need to call first to make sure they have what you want.

If you need actual pieces of frame I have one I'm cutting up just let me know what pieces and you can have them.

[Denee007]

Mark, is this kind of what you mean? this is a very rough photoshoped example. My plate may be longer. I was worried about access to the rubber bumpers and made holes for them, but may weld nuts inside the frame and bolt them on. The plate would extend further past where the bell housing crossmember is ,the splice is just an example. How am I doing?

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Mark, is this kind of what you mean? this is a very rough photoshoped example. My plate may be longer. I was worried about access to the rubber bumpers and made holes for them, but may weld nuts inside the frame and bolt them on. The plate would extend further past where the bell housing crossmember is ,the splice is just an example. How am I doing?

make a cardboard or paper template and we can cut anything you want it will just be a simple weld in then. we have all the steel. you can scan it and email it to us and we can have it at your door. We still deliver parts to west side of houston

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by mbgmike

make a cardboard or paper template and we can cut anything you want it will just be a simple weld in then. we have all the steel. you can scan it and email it to us and we can have it at your door. We still deliver parts to west side of houston

that's pretty close, I do the fish mouths longer at least 4" the idea is to weaken the ends the plate enough that it flexes enough to not crack. with a square end the frame flexes to the point of the plate and gets resistance there. sort of like putting a wire in a vise and moving the other end back and forth sooner or later it brakes. the diagonal splice lets the weld bead twist with the frame. A vertical{top to bottom}weld creates a rigid line that can cause breakage.
also always use a lower tensile weld filler material 60,000 psi is better than 70,000 too hard welds can cause cracks too most often along the weld.

Thanks Mike Mark

[Rude Dude]

I boxed my back of frame different than the front went to iron scrape yard bought some 1/8 plate and recessed into the frame. It was I think no more than $8 or $10 dollars spent more time scrounging at the yard than cutting and welding. I am cheap

[Denee007]

Wow! that came out great! What did you weld with? If I used 1/8th plate in the engine compartment, would that be strong enough to hold up my engine, welding or bolting it to the plate?

Originally Posted by Rude Dude

I boxed my back of frame different than the front went to iron scrape yard bought some 1/8 plate and recessed into the frame. It was I think no more than $8 or $10 dollars spent more time scrounging at the yard than cutting and welding. I am cheap

[Rude Dude]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Wow! that came out great! What did you weld with? If I used 1/8th plate in the engine compartment, would that be strong enough to hold up my engine, welding or bolting it to the plate?

Hobart Handler 165 model. 22OV mig (Hobart is owned by miller now, my torch handle even says Miller) Plenty strong for motor mounts, actually a little overkill but they didn't have any 3/16 or 10 gauge steel at the time. Use a cutting torch to cut to fit, One of these days I am going to break down and buy a plasma cutter but like I said I am cheap.

[hotrod1]

Hey Rudedude:

Plasma is worth the $$$$. Great tool!!!! Better control and u never have to buy gas for cutting again. I just keep the torch around for heating metal.

[jayman68]

Rob from No Limit Eng. gives some good advice on this subject in a thread called "make it handle". He talks about it in post #31. Suggests using a piece bent into a channel that slides into the frame rail and then only weld 1" every 4".
Lots of good info in the thread.
Good luck to you

link to thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=419251&page=2

[mknittle]

PS Holes are ok as long as they don't have square corners.
I weld nuts in tubing often There are special weld nuts but I just use grade 5 or 8
I use a shortened bolt to locate nuts when welding mostly to keep dingle berrys out nothing like welding something up and the bolt nor a tap will go in.

[mknittle]

this is the way I do it

[jayman68]

Nice truck btw.