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Boxing Frame - Ideas for sourcing

ZombieK5

ZombieK5

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I am back after vacation from K5 work.

I recently met a car guy from around Boston. We met at an Iron Maiden concert of all places. While waiting for the band to start I told him about my build including the 496BB engine going in that is calculated to put out about btwn 550-600hp. He explained that the frame will "sustain" that power but I will never be able to really use the engine without twisting the frame or maybe even cracking it when it fails.

It was recommended to box the frame.

I remembered that DIY4x had a boxing kit, so I went to hit them up but oooops.....OUT OF BUSINESS. WTF?

I had been planning to buy one of their steel dash kits and a few other things. DAMN, really gonna miss not getting the dash i wanted. Soooooo glad I did not cut out the dash in the body I have.

PLUS, the boxing kit i wanted is now gone.

Does any one have experience boxing the frame or know any other sources for the precut steel?? I am sure I can buy sheets of 3/16th and use a cutting wheel or plasma cutter to make my own however a precut kit would be much easier in my opinion.

I have the DIY4x Wraptor to eliminate axle wrap but that probably wont stop the frame from distorting.

The boxing will be on a 1977 K5 Frame

Any ideas??
 
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That power level can certainly tear up some parts but I don’t think it’ll ruin the frame (especially being a Blazer, not having the cab/bed gap of a truck)

Diy4x closed BUT Kert opened Iron Monger Racing and is doing racecar stuff. He still makes a couple of things and is looking for / talking to companies about taking over various products, you might contact him and see if he can help or redirect.

Also, check 4xStore.com he’s the vendor for the Dueling Design frame reinforcement plate kits.
 
nvrenuf said:
That power level can certainly tear up some parts but I don’t think it’ll ruin the frame (especially being a Blazer, not having the cab/bed gap of a truck)

Diy4x closed BUT Kert opened Iron Monger Racing and is doing racecar stuff. He still makes a couple of things and is looking for / talking to companies about taking over various products, you might contact him and see if he can help or redirect.

Also, check 4xStore.com he’s the vendor for the Dueling Design frame reinforcement plate kits.
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I was going to get the reinforcement plates also. I am about to start back on my project but want to get the frame done first.

I'll see if I can find his email or other contact info.
 
The stuff offered from Rob Bonney and Dueling Design are all WAY cool and will no doubt be effective on stiffening the frame up but something to consider is just how extreme your wheeling plans are.

It’s the terrain that will tear up your frame not necessarily the engine power output.
Drag cars launching hard with a 1,000 HP on a car with a unibody chassis needs modifications to survive but the frame on a K10/20/30 will not see that stress.

Our crew has wheeled and raced K5’s & K10’s with heavily modified BBC’s ranging from 396’s to 632’s for years and none of them ever had frame damage from motor output - plenty of them jack’d up frames from wheel’n too hard but not from too much motor.

Not trying to talk ya outta the frame upgrades just wanted to cast a notion of confidence if the strong motor was the only reason for frame stiffness.
 
Kert may have an opening for a dash still, he was making a batch of them between customers cars.
I don't believe he keeps sheet stock on the shelf since going to Iron Monger racing, mostly tube stuff now.
Call him @
ironmongerracing.com

Iron Monger Racing

At Iron Monger Racing, satisfy your need for speed with our top-of-the-line services and fabrication.
ironmongerracing.com ironmongerracing.com
 
tarussell said:
The stuff offered from Rob Bonney and Dueling Design are all WAY cool and will no doubt be effective on stiffening the frame up but something to consider is just how extreme your wheeling plans are.

It’s the terrain that will tear up your frame not necessarily the engine power output.
Drag cars launching hard with a 1,000 HP on a car with a unibody chassis needs modifications to survive but the frame on a K10/20/30 will not see that stress.

Our crew has wheeled and raced K5’s & K10’s with heavily modified BBC’s ranging from 396’s to 632’s for years and none of them ever had frame damage from motor output - plenty of them jack’d up frames from wheel’n too hard but not from too much motor.

Not trying to talk ya outta the frame upgrades just wanted to cast a notion of confidence if the strong motor was the only reason for frame stiffness.
Click to expand...
This wont be a rock crawler and if I am ever in Moab one of you will need to drive me to the trails since my K5 will likely stay at the camp site.

However, I would rather fix the frame NOW since I can turn and flip the frame than later when I will have to lay on by back to do the underside welds. I hate overhead welding. Its kinda a "better safe than sorry" point of view.
 
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Are you drag racing the thing? Keep in mind these trucks have had Cummins swaps without boxing and that is a whole lot of twist.

I would be putting my stock in a bunch of guys that own and use these trucks not a "car guy" from a concert.

Keep in mind boxing the frame will trap dirt and moisture inside and you have to consider rerouting all the lines etc. I would not think twice about not boxing the frame.
 
76zimmer said:
Cage to frame, radiator support to tailgate, would be the best scenario!

View attachment 490724
Click to expand...
I agree that would absolutely do the job however I'm going to try and stick with a more traditional cage that doesn't protrude into the engine bay. My project truck came with the roll cage welded to the frame through the floorboard of the vehicle. I'm still on the fence whether to install a roll cage the same way or bolt it to the floor of the body.
 
I boxed my K10 frame from heel to toe.

It's a $hit ton of work and you need to put a lot of thought and planning into how things are going to bolt to the frame when you can't access the inside of it. I kept one of the factory crossmembers, added the ORD engine crossmember and the rest are custom. Keep in mind, nothing on the frames is straight, you're essentially trying to box an open noodle

In the end, I wouldn't do it again, I would build a new frame from scratch.

Pics for reference.

IMG_3517.JPG


IMG_3631.JPGIMG_3565.JPG
 
skunked said:
I boxed my K10 frame from heel to toe.

It's a $hit ton of work and you need to put a lot of thought and planning into how things are going to bolt to the frame when you can't access the inside of it. I kept one of the factory crossmembers, added the ORD engine crossmember and the rest are custom. Keep in mind, nothing on the frames is straight, you're essentially trying to box an open noodle

In the end, I wouldn't do it again, I would build a new frame from scratch.

Pics for reference.

View attachment 490742


View attachment 490744View attachment 490743
Click to expand...
That's some crazy fab work you did. What's the crossmember that looks like a flute. Do you have a finishing Pic of the exhaust? Does the exhaust work well crossing under the Tranny?

With the boxing, how's the stiffness?
 
ZombieK5 said:
That's some crazy fab work you did. What's the crossmember that looks like a flute.
Click to expand...

It was a lot of work, lots of cardboard templates were used and I got to know the plasma and the grinders very well. The crossmember with the holes in front of the gas tank is the center section from a DIY4X upper shock mount/crossmember.


ZombieK5 said:
With the boxing, how's the stiffness?
Click to expand...

Very stiff, you can't see any frame flex. Crossmembers played a big role in this as well. Later I added a cage but I couldn't tell the difference other than the increased vibrations.


ZombieK5 said:
Do you have a finishing Pic of the exhaust? Does the exhaust work well crossing under the Tranny?
Click to expand...

Yes, the passenger tube crosses over to the drivers side. The t-case is clocked flat for a flat belly so there's no room on the passenger side between the frame and the case.
IMG_3622.JPG
IMG_2560.JPG
IMG_2566.JPG
 
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