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Frame Twisted

74kay5

1/2 ton status
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Posts
484
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2
Location
San Jose CA
I noticed after a couple of times up and down an rti ramp that the k5 was leaning toward the drivers side quite a bit. This is not too long after a 56" rear spring swap. Swapped out the 56's with another brand new set and same thing. I just got the thing back from a frame shop and they are saying that it's definatly twisted somehow and can't be fixed without a new frame. Any thoughts on making a liar out of him? It's 1.5" lower on the drivers side rear now. See the pic:

 
First, make sure there is no frame damage (i.e. cracking or noticeable bends anywhere).

After that your problem sounds pretty typical, the K5 frames aren't very strong.

Put a 1" zero rate under the side that's leaning or just deal with it, it looks pretty level to me.
 
Ramp it the other way a few times...I'd guess you stressed the riveted crossmember areas enough to reset the hold they have on the frame.

These frames aren't great IMO.

Rene
 
My K5 is in our carport, floor is dead level, and the railing in front of the truck in this pic is also dead level. Springs are Alcan's that are pretty new and haven't been used hard yet. Tires all have the same air pressure...

frametwist016.jpg


That's almost 2.5" difference from one side of the core support to the other.

My frame does have a kink in one rail on the drivers side towards the rear, this truck got rear ended hard in 2001. I just never had such a true visual of how bad it was until I moved to this place. I always assumed it was uneven where it was parked, or whatever.

I'm starting a new project, and it has the larger, thicker one ton frame. If it doesn't sit level I'll burn it. :p:

rene
 
Mine in the same way, but not as bad. less then 1" dif. Is there a way to beef up the frame? Dues any one sell a kit to box the frame or sumthing?
 
There is no kit to box the frame, though its not terribly hard to do yourself.

A truck that doesn't ride evenly isn't necessarily due to a bent frame, it could be differences in the springs or more weight could be on one side.
 
you can put it on a frame jig and have it pulled straight but alot of money and probably going to do it again.
Bottom line you need a cage there not only there to save you they are there to save the truck from things like this.I f you ramp it like above said and get it stright or straighter build a cage to hold it there.
 
Well you don't live to far from me and I am in the process of building my own frame for my 74 k5 I will be starting my own thread soon with the build but I will be selling the frame and it seems to be in cherry condition so keep an eye out for my thread and you can pick up my frame or see how to build your own.
ProjectK5073.jpg
 
mine was level until I put in 56's and then it was instantly unlevel and leans to the driver side. I'm hoping its just one spring pack is softer than the other.
 
Well you don't live to far from me and I am in the process of building my own frame for my 74 k5 I will be starting my own thread soon with the build but I will be selling the frame and it seems to be in cherry condition so keep an eye out for my thread and you can pick up my frame or see how to build your own.

Looking forward to it.

There is no kit to box the frame, though its not terribly hard to do yourself.

I will do some searching and see if I can find some more info on boxing a frame.
 
are you measureing from the frame to ground or the body to the ground?

Body mounts can be deteriorated or crushed to the point of a 2.5" difference. Mine kinda leans to the driver side because rust has caused the metal to start to collapse.
 
"If it doesn't sit level I'll burn it. :p:"

That's exactly what I said when I saw the lean after a new set of springs. But yours is worse than mine and you have the cage helping to tie things together. That doens't make me have much faith in my rig handling the beating that I want her to.
 
Before you blame the frame, check everything else. I have found that even under normal use, identical springs sag differently. Plus bushings can stick and bind, the sway bar can get tweaked, etc. Plus, a problem in any spring can throw all 4 off so it's hard to tell if the lean comes from the front or back. You can use a cut overload spring for 3/4" or a 1" add-a-leaf to tweak things. The only problem with this is that if the original problem is spring sag, you are getting a bit of "steer" in that axle. This is a bigger problem up front where the "saggier" spring will tag the fender sooner even though the truck sits level.

I find myself tweaking something every year or two to keep the rig level. I like to measure from the axle tubes to the frame to check the springs and then from the ground to the bodylines. It's important to take the measurements parked in a few different locations unless you have access to a surface that you know to be really flat.

Sometimes a single hard manuever off-road can change one of your springs. You could always run coilovers and adjust them all at will.
 
Before you blame the frame, check everything else. I have found that even under normal use, identical springs sag differently. Plus bushings can stick and bind, the sway bar can get tweaked, etc. Plus, a problem in any spring can throw all 4 off so it's hard to tell if the lean comes from the front or back. You can use a cut overload spring for 3/4" or a 1" add-a-leaf to tweak things. The only problem with this is that if the original problem is spring sag, you are getting a bit of "steer" in that axle. This is a bigger problem up front where the "saggier" spring will tag the fender sooner even though the truck sits level.

I find myself tweaking something every year or two to keep the rig level. I like to measure from the axle tubes to the frame to check the springs and then from the ground to the bodylines. It's important to take the measurements parked in a few different locations unless you have access to a surface that you know to be really flat.

Sometimes a single hard manuever off-road can change one of your springs. You could always run coilovers and adjust them all at will.

New poly bushings in springs, replaced all 4 springs, and still saggy. I've been measuring different parts of the frame and nothing makes sense. Right in front of the driver and passenger side rear leaf forward spring mount the frame is equal. At the actual spring mount the frame is 1/2" higher on the passenger side. Removed the bumper and at the very rearmost part of the frame it measures equal. :confused:
 
Shoot! After I removed the sway bar just having a full tank of gas (saddlebags) makes the truck sit funny. Also if the spare isnt in the middle of the bed, or my camping gear isnt loaded evenly, and even the weight difference in passengers causes mine to sit strange. I just got used to it. Reminds me of how a monster truck sits lopsided due to the squishy suspensions they run.
 
Shoot! After I removed the sway bar just having a full tank of gas (saddlebags) makes the truck sit funny. Also if the spare isnt in the middle of the bed, or my camping gear isnt loaded evenly, and even the weight difference in passengers causes mine to sit strange. I just got used to it. Reminds me of how a monster truck sits lopsided due to the squishy suspensions they run.


Suspension stuff like leaf springs and the sway bar are one thing. The frame making the thing sit funny is another.
 
Not trying to be an ass but its a 35 year old truck its going to be alittle off the standards back then where not what they are today.
do all the dorr gaps and so forth look right and even these frames twist a bunch the only thing is finad a new one or build a tube frame fron scratch.
We all want are stuff to be perfect but at some time we got to realise the age and so forth on our trucks.
my truck is all un even aswell and its had differnt springs new body bushings so forth i just try and not think about it.
 
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