Bent frame,maybe?

[pete57]

I got a '57 chevy 3100 im working on. After getting the frame striped down i noticed it looks to be kinda buckled up on both sides in the same spot and almost look identical but i dont think its factory. Its right in front of the rear spring hangers on the frontend. The truck showed no signs of being wrecked when i got it. In the picture the frame is flipped upside down. Is it bent or is this normal ? Thanks..

[Maximus]

Hard to tell without top and other side photos, but if its not really skewed to a side (when looking down from the top) I would think that damage may have been done during a barbaric removal of an old crossmember, and the frame may have just gotten bent up while the cross brace was twisted out??
that looks more like the spot where the brake and cab mount are though? like i said, other photos and angles would help...

[pete57]

Thanks Maximus. I cut the trans crossmember out, knocked out rivits, didnt beat or twist out. These are right in front of where the crossmember mounted on the bottom side of the frame. I hope this pic shows better. I was trying to figure out if i needed to get it straightened first before i weld my frontend in.

[OrrieG]

The Factory Assembly Manual show the diagonal check dimensions for the frame. I would pull the dimensions and see if it is within tolerance. Then you can decide if it bugs you enough to bang on it. I had a few places like that on mine, 8# sledge and old RR rail piece used as a dolly flattened them right down. Check measurement afterwards and temp. brace it. These riveted frames were designed to flex, pulling them back square it relatively easy. Also check for vertical to make sure it is level, when I was doing my frame work I bought 4 magnetic torpedos and kept them on each rail and the front and back cross members for reference.

[dicer]

Those are the type of frames to use to do the suspension mods to. Get some or borrow some real heavy c clamps and some thick pieces of steel and pull it back together.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/to...lampc-C/Wilton

[buggy5872]

I'm with OrrieG. check the measurements ....beat it flat... re-check measurements and run it. I have put several of these trucks toghther and they all needed some love taps to get some bumps and bruises out of the frames.

[pete57]

Thanks for the replys. Yes i will check measurements. I did buy a factory service manual after i got the truck cause this is the first time ive taken something all the way down to the frame to rebuild. Just kinda scared me when i flipped the frame over and saw these. Ill try that measure, straighten, measure method.. Thanks

[_Ogre]

i don't see anything in the manual. probably someone chained the truck down on a trailer and deformed the frame rail. either way, i'd just hammer them flat and box the frame with 10 ga plate

[OrrieG]

Starting in section 2 sheet 24.00 in my book. Using a little trig you can figure you the diagonals.

[mr48chev]

Since the two are exactly matched in both location and appearance could it be that they are actually folds in the metal from when more metal was folded over to get the taper in the frame. If you look closely they are both right at the start of the taper. Those trucks were built in several factories and the frames were stamped in several different locations and that may be one of those signature hickups from that particular factory.

The wowie in what is actually the top rail of the frame in the top photo but shows as the bottom because the frame is upside down on saw horses was caused by it being tweaked at some time and should be shrunk back flat.

Now Orrie or Ogre will be running out to their respective trucks to see if the frame has that crimp at the start of the taper.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Now Orrie or Ogre will be running out to their respective trucks to see if the frame has that crimp at the start of the taper.

Yes I did. I can feel some waves in the bottom, not as pronounced as the OP photos. If they were there I probably whacked them flat during the frame clean up process. I do know I checked the frame for square at the spring shackles and ends before paint and it was within 1/8" so I called it good. I followed a 74ish 'burb today on the freeway that has been hit hard, the front and rear axles were visibly offset about 3".

[Chevette]

Looks to me as though the front axle bottomed out against something and caused the leaf springs to surge back. Note the deflection in the frame rails is directly in line with the ends of the rear spring hangers. I'm not saying that is definitely the cause, but that is what I'd bet on.

[_Ogre]

I boxed my frame ten yrs ago. If it had dimples they were hammered and welded a long time ago
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[pete57]

I did some measuring and everything seems to be right on. Diagonally seems to be square. I just gonna flatten them out and move on. I just didn't want to get my front welded in and everything not be straight. Thanks for the help.