Frame help Opinions please

[SIMPLE73]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the site and must say awesome site! I just purchased my first blazer and have already started tearing apart. It started out as just a few mods then somehow along the way ended up as a full rebuild. When I bought it I knew it had prior frame repairs. However, it was not till I removed the steering box that I realized how crappy the repair was. Anyway, I have been stuck between repairing and purchasing another frame. I found a frame shop that quoted me $400 bucks to fix properly and install the ORD weld in brace as well as the bolt on brace. My first question; is it possible to repair and make look as if it never broke? My frame shop claims they can accomplish. My second question; is it worth it to repair or just find a donor frame?

Thanks!

 

[chiefheaphy]

$400 bucks seems like highway robbery to fix that. If you dont already weld you should take that money and go buy a buzzbox arc or mig welder and do it yourself, plus you'll end up using the welder a lot down the line.

From the pics, as long as there are no visible cracks, you would probably only need to grind down the old repairs, clamp down the brace and stitch weld it on. Hour or two of work tops with the right tools. The bolt in brace is even easier to install.

 

[imiceman44]

I would find a frame from the same year range, I know of one from the later models 81 and up, the guy is selling the frame and tub, I could use the tub you can have the frame unless yours is a 73 (your screen name?). I believe he wanted a couple of hundred or so.

 

[SIMPLE73]

Unfortunately I do not know how to weld. It is on the list of things to learn. I already removed both plates and grinded everthing smooth. The bottom portion of the frame is where they did horrible repair work; just look at the pics.

 

[SIMPLE73]

I would find a frame from the same year range, I know of one from the later models 81 and up, the guy is selling the frame and tub, I could use the tub you can have the frame unless yours is a 73 (your screen name?). I believe he wanted a couple of hundred or so.

I have been looking for a frame but no success so far. Everything I have found has been either way too expensive or to far away. The blazer is a 73. Thanks for the offer though. I will most like pay the $400. I just want to make sure it will look good as new and be stronger than new with the braces as my frame shop claims. I will post pics when I get it back.

 

[chiefheaphy]

spend the money on a welder. And a good book if youve never done it.

 

[buefchris]

I'd fix what ya got, less work than frame replacement and you can make that area stronger than it was originally.

 

[RaisedK5]

looks like the front clip is off and you have good access to it. Shouldn't be to hard to get it there and clean it up and weld it up. Theres plenty of us around that would be happy to give you a hand. Do you have a 240Volt dryer hook up in the garage? If so a relatively in expensive Stick welder would take care of that crack, or you might be able to get one of us fellow So cal guys to bring over a welder, if it can wait a couple weeks, i'll help you. I'm in South Carolina right now and In Virginia next week, But i'll be back eventually.

 

[SIMPLE73]

I'd fix what ya got, less work than frame replacement and you can make that area stronger than it was originally.

Right now that is pretty much the road I am going to take. Being new to welding I was not sure if the integrity of the frame would be better after repairs than when new.

 

[buefchris]

Like LELAND said, do you have 240volt available? I would help out I have a wire feed welder. PM me with any more info.

 

[SIMPLE73]

looks like the front clip is off and you have good access to it. Shouldn't be to hard to get it there and clean it up and weld it up. Theres plenty of us around that would be happy to give you a hand. Do you have a 240Volt dryer hook up in the garage? If so a relatively in expensive Stick welder would take care of that crack, or you might be able to get one of us fellow So cal guys to bring over a welder, if it can wait a couple weeks, i'll help you. I'm in South Carolina right now and In Virginia next week, But i'll be back eventually.

Thanks for the offer. I have the truck at my work so I have access to a 240v connection. As far as waiting is concerned not a problem. The other reason why I was going to take to a frame shop is because I wanted them to make sure it was straight. After see the sloppy repairs I was not sure if it was even straight. I have the entire truck apart and have been researching all my options with gearing, axles, etc so I will be working on this for a while.

Actually I have another question for everyone. When you remove the rivets and replace with grade 8 bolts is that just as strong as the rivets?

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[SIMPLE73]

PM Sent. Thanks!

 

[chiefheaphy]

Actually I have another question for everyone. When you remove the rivets and replace with grade 8 bolts is that just as strong as the rivets?

depends on who you ask.

 

[imiceman44]

Actually I have another question for everyone. When you remove the rivets and replace with grade 8 bolts is that just as strong as the rivets?

quote]

depends on who you ask.

Exactly
I know for a fact that a rivet is better than a grade 8 bolt, but a new grade 8 bolt will be better than an old rivet that is lose.
If it's not lose don't touch it.
The rivets are actually grade 10 and they make them hot and smash them so they fill the hole for no side to side play between plates and then it cools down and shrinks to put a preload on wich is equal to a toqued down bolt.
With an old worn out and abused frame you will see a few lose rivets, it might look tight but you will see signs of rubbing on the edges of the brakets in question, fix those and any rivet that also is lose on the outside.
If you can get bolts that are slightly bigger than the holes in the frame then drill to a tight fit and tighten, then go and do all the rivets, but if you have a lose fit bolt, no matter how much you tighten the bolt, it will eventually move.
Most holes you will find are not perfect circle too, so over sizing them will be good to make a nice round circle.

If you want to verify what I am saying, ask any steel structure worker, I design these things and I supervised working on them too.

 

[SIMPLE73]

Frame

Well I took my frame to the shop today and after spending some time with the frame guy he was basically suggesting it would be better to find a new frame. So I came home bummed and was ready to throw in the towel. After a few hours of calling salvage yards, google, and this and that I found a place in Fremont that specializes in vintage Chevy trucks. I spoke with the owner and he believes he has a frame. $500 bucks for a virgin frame. So I am excited again and waiting for him to call me back to confirm. Anyway not sure if you guys know this site but if not thought it would be a good recommendation.

http://www.vintagechevytrucks.com

 

[SIMPLE73]

Exactly
I know for a fact that a rivet is better than a grade 8 bolt, but a new grade 8 bolt will be better than an old rivet that is lose.
If it's not lose don't touch it.
The rivets are actually grade 10 and they make them hot and smash them so they fill the hole for no side to side play between plates and then it cools down and shrinks to put a preload on wich is equal to a toqued down bolt.
With an old worn out and abused frame you will see a few lose rivets, it might look tight but you will see signs of rubbing on the edges of the brakets in question, fix those and any rivet that also is lose on the outside.
If you can get bolts that are slightly bigger than the holes in the frame then drill to a tight fit and tighten, then go and do all the rivets, but if you have a lose fit bolt, no matter how much you tighten the bolt, it will eventually move.
Most holes you will find are not perfect circle too, so over sizing them will be good to make a nice round circle.

If you want to verify what I am saying, ask any steel structure worker, I design these things and I supervised working on them too.

I spent some time researching this and talk about a subject that can go both ways. Sheesh.

 

[chiefheaphy]

Its kinda like... if your questioning your frame from the beginning your always gonna be thinkin about it. The last thing you want is for your frame to be the weak part of your truck. If you can score that for 5hundo it would be worth the piece of mind. Hey atleast you know what to look for in a frame now though!

Good luck man

 

[cuervo]

One thing I have learned about fixing cracks in metal is to always drill a hole at the end of the crack. It's best to just put the drill bit at the very end of the crack and drill the hole.

If you don't do this small step you are taking a chance the crack will just continue through the end of the repair. By drilling the hole you end the crack in the metal and once a weld is in place there is less of a chance to crack futher.

One such place I have seen this happen more then once is the little cracks you get at the top of the tailgate near the ends of the window. After a weld without the holes drilled in the crack it just comes back at the tail end of the repair weld.

 

[cuervo]

Well I took my frame to the shop today and after spending some time with the frame guy he was basically suggesting it would be better to find a new frame. So I came home bummed and was ready to throw in the towel. After a few hours of calling salvage yards, google, and this and that I found a place in Fremont that specializes in vintage Chevy trucks. I spoke with the owner and he believes he has a frame. $500 bucks for a virgin frame. So I am excited again and waiting for him to call me back to confirm. Anyway not sure if you guys know this site but if not thought it would be a good recommendation.

http://www.vintagechevytrucks.com

Well that would be good news. And, you might as well reenforce the frame at the steerbox while it's apart.

 

[SIMPLE73]

Thanks everyone for the input. I have someone on their way to pick up my frame. I'm excited and even more motivated now. Knowing I have a clean frame with no cracks and installing the ORD weld in brace, and bolt on brace will give me piece of mind. My build is going to be mild and respectable. Hopefully by next Wednesday I will have back from the sandblaster, and off to powdercoating. I will post pics of the progress so I can get input along the way.