Welding/Boxing my frame!

[deek]

I'm preparing to weld my frame if anyone has any ideas or pictures, I would be very thankful

The reason I'm trying this is because, I have allready ruined two tops from twisting my frame. after breaking the first top I had the frame staightend, but it just bent again under the stress, then seperated my second top.

I'm starting to build another 73' with a sraight frame & good body, I just wanted to keep it straight, & I'm running out of tops. I'm starting to think that I'v sucked up every top in central Kansas.

 

[tRustyK5]

Roll cage...

Rene

 

[TJS]

Some people do not believe in welding the frame. However, I had no choice it was almost cracked in half on one side. So I beefed it up and boxed part of it in. I have many pics of this. I guess I will build a web page showing what I did. I will post a link when I am done with the page.
T.J.
www.tjsperformance.com

 

[TJS]

Here are some pics.

Here is the huge crack. Plowing makes it worse.

Another view of the crack.

Crack pulled in, welded and ground smooth.

Another view.

Pattern for the box.

Adding some strength.

Boxing in.

Boxed in.

 

[deek]

I have thought about just adding a cage but don't think that would save me from twisting 100%. I didn't mention this at first but I'm also wanting to keep my front clip straight, right now it's the most noticable area thats tweeked.

 

[camiswelding]

from looking at your particular situation it would appear that plowing/rust made your frame a WHOLE lot worse.... boxing will help for plowing but making a frame too stiff only means other things break. There isnt any perfect solution.. (I have helped a friend who uses his k30 for a hydralic drilling platform by putting a second frame inside the first... 24 inch augers still break things no matter how much frame there is)
anyway for plowing its really important to get the jarring impact off the frontend and farther back midship... we accomplish this by building a plow frame undercarriage that hooks up mid frame as well... never broken one yet,,, but we also dont do k10s.... k30s only..theres a reason I guess for that... cant beat steel and more steel
cam

 

[gravdigr]

[ QUOTE ]
we accomplish this by building a plow frame undercarriage that hooks up mid frame as well

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you have any pics of this type of mount. We will be retiring our plow truck soon and I want to mount the plow on my '79 K5 and plan on doing it that way.

 

[TJS]

I also lengthened the push plates as well and made new holes further back in the frame as well. I feel it is not really the jarring that caused this huge crack, I think it was the weight of the plow when in the up position and traveling these sucky CT. roads. Bouncing an 800 lb weight in the front is bound to crack something. As for flex goes, notice I did not box the whole thing in which I could have but I wanted it to have a little give. I have plowed two storms with it and have been checking everything and all looks to be in good shape.
T.J.
www.tjsperformance.com

 

[jekbrown]

I'd prolly add some more (well designed) crossmembers and a cage before I boxed the frame. If a 6 or 8 point cage wont stiffen it up enough for you, keep attaching it to different points until it does. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Dont see why a full exo couldnt be attached at dozen points or more... if your frame is still flexing after that, just go all tube frame, you'd be halfway there anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

j

 

[tRustyK5]

[ QUOTE ]
The reason I'm trying this is because, I have allready ruined two tops from twisting my frame. after breaking the first top I had the frame staightend, but it just bent again under the stress, then seperated my second top.

[/ QUOTE ]

A cage will prevent that from happening again, especially if you tie it into the frame.

The front end can take a lot of twist without too much trouble...usually the worst that happens is the outer skin of the front fenders tries to separate from the inner skins. The spot welds pop...

This is caused by frequent flexing to the maximum limits, usually in big rocks.

I would suspect the rocker boxes on the body were rotted completely which allowed the body itself to flex beyond the design parameters and crack or separate the tops.

Lastly, I'd look into a top from a 75 as a replacement as they were built differently and withstood separating much better than the 73 tops.

Rene