I'm thinking of removing my Ford shock towers and fab something else. Should I fill in the holes with the welder.
CK5
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Filling the holes in the frame.
- Thread starter cbbr
- Start date
How about just filling all the holes in, in general... parts of it look like swiss cheese...
habitatxskate
1/2 ton status
use sheet metal, people always weld to stuff without thinking and it does weaken parts, i would do sheet metal to cover any wholes you want.
I filled in all the old holes I didn't use after installing my fabbed shock brackets. I liked it for looks more than anything else. I also moved the rear frame hanger and definitely wanted that hole filled in. It doesn't take much to fill most of the holes, they aren't very big. Just be careful of whats behind the area you are welding.
My brother welded all the un-needed holes in his frame. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 200!!!
Are you Serious!? on a frame?
Weld the holes up. less places for it to tear. BUT DONT USE SHEETMETAL!
With over 200 holes in every frame out there (based on the above, and how my frame looks as well) I don't think it's a requirement to fill in any of the holes.
Cracks always, or at least the vast majority of time, seem to happen where there are fasteners (tranny x-member mounts when dropped, steering box, engine crossmember) so other than looks, I don't see a reason to spend the effort on it, unless you need to mount something in the same general area, and the bolt holes aren't exact, but will partially overlap.
Cracks always, or at least the vast majority of time, seem to happen where there are fasteners (tranny x-member mounts when dropped, steering box, engine crossmember) so other than looks, I don't see a reason to spend the effort on it, unless you need to mount something in the same general area, and the bolt holes aren't exact, but will partially overlap.
you don't think it would increase strength/reduce flex to fill in those holes? not challenging, just asking.
It's possible there's some marginal gain, but I wouldn't think it's much.
I suspect they would be considered something along the lines of stress risers, but it really comes down to how much stress that location will see. If there is little to no stress in that area, other than a bit of twist, IMO it probably doesn't matter. When you start dealing with different angles of stress (again, where most things are bolted at 90* angles) is where it seems the problems arise, but that is due to the fasteners trying to hold two pieces trying to move in different directions with a lot of force, and is where the failures occur.
I wouldn't be surprised to see "random" cracks that form from stress on heavily wheeled rigs that don't use anything that keeps the frame from moving so much (like an integrated roll cage or boxed frame) but I think most that wheel hard enough and often enough to stress locations with no fasteners probably require roll cages anyways.
Only guy I know that wheels hard without a cage ends up breaking weird stuff, like core support body mounts off the frame, but those of course have rivets and are trying to keep the frame from twisting, and the frame wins.
One of our resident engineers will surely come along and give an educated response.
I wouldn't be surprised to see "random" cracks that form from stress on heavily wheeled rigs that don't use anything that keeps the frame from moving so much (like an integrated roll cage or boxed frame) but I think most that wheel hard enough and often enough to stress locations with no fasteners probably require roll cages anyways.
Only guy I know that wheels hard without a cage ends up breaking weird stuff, like core support body mounts off the frame, but those of course have rivets and are trying to keep the frame from twisting, and the frame wins.
One of our resident engineers will surely come along and give an educated response.
I may just fill them in for looks. No one seems to think that it will hurt.
vortec
1/2 ton status
if it's all about looks, just use some jb weld, sand it smooth and paint it.
or, go to the dollar store, buy a bag of assorted superballs and cram the best-fitting ones in the appropriate holes. they'll act like shock absorbers built right into the frame, and look reall cool.
(somebody please actually do this)
or, go to the dollar store, buy a bag of assorted superballs and cram the best-fitting ones in the appropriate holes. they'll act like shock absorbers built right into the frame, and look reall cool.
(somebody please actually do this)
original balzer
1/2 ton status
Im willing to bet my crew cab had/has well over 200 holes in it. lol (I cut 5'7" of frame off)
the only ones im going to fill in are in the front wheel well, where the bolts went through for the upper a-arms. Those holes are in the thinest part of the frame and are about 1.5" diam. also they are only about 4" appart. It will probably take some sort of filler and a small square "fishplate" behind it.
Balzer
the only ones im going to fill in are in the front wheel well, where the bolts went through for the upper a-arms. Those holes are in the thinest part of the frame and are about 1.5" diam. also they are only about 4" appart. It will probably take some sort of filler and a small square "fishplate" behind it.
Balzer
Well I don't know if it actually needs to be done, or will add much strength, but it seem like a better idea than superballs.
Yeah, I would definitley fill in holes that are 1.5".
BIGNICK91
1/2 ton status
I have weld up a few of mine when i am under there with the welder but i dont think it matter for the most part
