Well I guess Ill just chock it up to my personal opinion. I just cant bring myself to weld on the frame like that.

I am really not all that surprised the frame cracked. My truck always has extra weight in it. About half my driving is pulling some form of trailer, it also has a 90 gallon fuel tank in the back I keep full. I also work out on forest service and blm roads a lot, and I don't drive slow on them. All that, combined with usually at least 30-60 psi in the air bags, took its tole on the frame. I am curious now though, if the air bags harmed or helped the frame. The more I think about it, the more I think the air bags hurt the frame. Just cause when I have them aired up, that is a lot of pressure focused on one point on the frame. As apposed to the leaf springs spreading the load out over a much longer stretch of frame.

 

Didn't mean to make you nervous there, just throwing out my two cents on what might have caused the problem. It would have been nice if these trucks had boxed frames in the back which would make them much stronger, but unless you do some fabrication that's wishful thinking.

 

My truck has had a 3800 pound slide in camper in it since new, when that isn't in there a 1500 pound fuel tank is. In my experience running an F350 4x4 empty is FAR worse than loading it down. I've broken the dashboard, trashed door panels and just torn up some front end components when it was empty. Even on road it beats the crap out of us empty.

As far as welding, who welded the one you saw that broke? There is a certain amount of skill that goes into a proper weld. If done right it's not going to break. That's why I hate stick welders. They are for backyard bubba, not really for professional welds on vehicle frames. In places like shipyards and steel buildings they have a place but I can't think of one anywhere on a truck. I've been doing mig and tig for a long time and never failed an x ray or had one crack on me yet. It just has to be done right.

 

Your doing the right thing bolting your plate in! I can't stand seeing hitches and bumpers welded in. Call it personal preference if you want but I believe it to be a bad thing to be welding those types of things to a frame. Lots of people do it but I spent 8 hours removing the bed of my truck after I bought it and cutting the gooseneck hitch and rear bumper off the frame.

 

You didn't make me nerous, just making me think about it. Maybe I have my bags aired up to much, I have this thing about a pickup sagging in the rear because of a heavy load. Mine is aired up to 70 psi and with my 5er it sits up nice. When I hit that right combination of bumps though the 5er will come down hard on the pickup, it makes me cringe. Maybe I should go with less air, I'll try 50psi tomorrow and see how it sits and rides. I wish I could stop the flat tires, I got G rated 14 ply tires on there and it doesn't seem to be enough. I buddy said to put truck tires on the 5er, he thinks the trailer tires are for shi!. All said, my camper really should be a triple axle. God only knows what that would be to change over or if its even possible.

 

I'm not sure if that question was pointed for me, but the guy who welded in his cross members is very capable welder. Does he do it for a living? No. All I know is, go look at big equipment 9 times out of ten, cracks develop where the welds are.

Obviously you must weld for a living, so i am sure you are far better at welding than the majority of us. I am sure that plays a good part in how welds perform.

 

I too am not a fan of the way aftermarket junk looks welded to the frame. Makes me think of farmer John slapping things together so he can get back to work. No offense to anybody.

Here are few more pictures with it all done. A bit overkill for a gooseneck, but I guess I was killing 2 birds with one stone: the crack and the gooseneck.
all thoes are factory holes in the frame, except for the forward most one, and the rear most one.

 

Nice work. I would not hesitate to weld that crack, that's a repair, and I like that you made the hitch a bolt in unit. That helps preserve some flexibility and I too hate when aftermarket crap is welded onto a vehicle. Well done.

 

Yeah I did v-out and weld the frame, its already cracked so anything is better than leaving it. I just feel other welding on the frame is not a good idea.

 

Yeah I did v-out and weld the frame, its already cracked so anything is better than leaving it. I just feel other welding on the frame is not a good idea.
However as other guys have pointed out, welding on the frame is probably ok.

 

Yep that is exactly what I would have done. Sometimes its also a good idea to drill a hole at the end of the crack. This will terminate the crack then you can V and weld as you did.

 

Nice workmanship.

 

Thats some nice work there! Well done!

 

Looks amazing!