Yeah will do, what are the chances you could fab some of these up and sell them?

 

well pretty high just depends on how many people ask for one would you be interested ??

 

Yeah I would be interested forsure.

 

In the 40 or so f-series trucks i have had, I've NEVER seen the frame brake like that before

 

ok glovemeister i will talk to my dad and set up a paypal store with end the next week or 2 if thats of with you and i will give you a price

 

Hey Kawi its kinda difficult to read your typin. Could you try proof readin before you post? Thats I great idea. Ill have to see what my frame looks like.

 

Hey, 00Boss, the way you don't use apostrophes makes it real hard to figure out what
you're tryin' to say sometimes, could you maybe...............

J/K

 

My 95 f-150 has a crack too at the steering box too so has this held up? Need to fix mine and looking for the best solution?

 

Wonder if I should inspect this area on my '80 F150 ?

 

I might be intrested as well, would you take a money order? (don't have a credit card or paypal)

 

My 96 cracked same spot I found it becs use I couldnt turn right. My truck nothing crszy 3" body lift w 33-12.50's. Good idea, the bracket yhat is. After I repair the crack I may try tp fab something up like that.

 

NICE mod...No doubt ill rig something like you have here and start restructuring the whole ball of wax up front.

Just found the similar crack on my 96. The area behind the coil buckets was swiss cheese when i replaced them. I plated but only used bolts. I blame that for being part of the reason. True, it is a 20yr old truck. I'm also from the northeast which is really the culprit. They love to apply calcium chloride for all the fools that can't drive in slick. Tell your legislator to convert over to beet juice ice melt. It also benefits the farming industry!

The thing with the ford frame designs is that they are great because they put a ton of steel webbing on there, but the negative is the webs leave pockets for water to trap and kill it. Other manufacturers go real light but spend the saved cash in heavier coating or it just drains because it's so open. Word to the wise, if you like your truck, assess drainage and coatings before the problems. This is obviously true for body parts also.

I've used a great seam sealer across areas such as the radiator support. I intend on doing it to the coil bucket mating areas also. It's Loctite PL roof sealant. Urethane based, very tough, very permanent and will stick to absolutely anything. Once i saw it bond thick aluminum flashing together to the point of ripping the flashing. I sealed and bonded a pair of boots with it. Think about it: it's perfect for the auto being it withstands terrible heat, expansion and weather. The only drawback is since it dries somewhat rubbery, it probably shouldn't be painted unlike conventional seam sealer. So use it in under-body places like i did and paint first. (its a nice jet black, should stick to POR, but I haven't tested that yet.) You can get it at any hardware/building store for 6 bux a caulk tube. What's not to love?

I can go on about corrosion all day...

And wtf...I thought this steering box cracking was only a 73-81 GM C/K problem, right?

 

Looking into this further, the cracking occurs on the trucks where the front cross-member is removed and the frame horns have accordion-like crumple zones.

The 80-86 frame has a stamped, bolt-on crossmember that dips below the radiator support. There are also no "crumple zones" or relief holes in the rails.

On my 92-96 there are two D shaped holes. One is one on the box of the passenger inside and one on the driver outside rail so that the frame bends over to the left in a head on impact.

These, plus the removal of the front cross-member give less support to the steering box. I notice the box area is a bit thicker, but hey, after near 20 years of flexing that rail, it will find a place to crack.

 

I'm not sure what you are saying, whether the 80-86 frames do or don't crack. But, the frame on Dad's truck was cracked at the bottom rear bolt hole for the sector box. And yet the bolt-on crossmember had never been off and the tires had always been the stock size. In fact, the truck had never been off the road. So they will crack, and seemingly without much provocation.

 

Ford actually had a TSB put out on the rivets coming loose and the holes getting enlarged where the frame is attached to the main crossmember, very near the steering box. One thing will lead to another probably in this case.