Hey guys i just took my bed off today because I am installing a gooseneck hitch in it. Well when I got it off, i was washing away all the grime, and noticed there is a crack in the frame. It is right next to the rear passenger side shock. There is a little cut out where the shock is right next to the frame, so the shock doesn't hit the frame. Right there is a crack. Anybody ever had this problem? Does anybody have a re-enforcing kit for it? Any ideas how to fix it. I am thinking of going to buy some flat bar and running it along the frame. Any suggestions. Thanks guys.

 

That sux! Got any pics? A picture is worth a 1000 words

 

I would try and grind a v in the crack, then weld it. Then I'd plate it on both sides if possible. Pictures would be great.

 

another vote for a plate & a weld ...

 

I will post a picture tonight. I am too busy working on it. l I ended up getting 2 pcs of 1/4 x 7" x4' long flat bar. I am now working on grinding off all the rivets between the spring hangers. I will then bolt the plate in place. Trim it, and then tie it into the goose-neck i am installing. That way it spreads the whole load out. I am doing it to both sides as well.

 

Hey guys here are some pictures of the crack and what I am doing.

I didn't spend as much time with it today as I would like, but I got a good start. Fortunately I found out both sides of the frame are identical, just reversed, so I just need to drill a few more holes, and then replicate my long bracket. Not as pretty as It could be, but I am not all that creative!

 

1/4"? Seems to be overkill, but happy welding

 

Crap, I cant seem to get pictures posted.

 

I'm not welding it to the frame. I will be bolting it, using existing holes in the frame. I will v-out and then weld the frame a little bit though.

 

I don't know if this caused it or not, but that crack seems to have occurred right where the bolts are for your air bag bracket. That load may have stressed the frame a little more where it was weaker, causing the crack. It looks like you've definitely got the problem under control with all that reinforcement though.

 

if you have a welder why would you do any bolting? just weld the dang thing its gonna be stronger

 

Cause welding does not flex nearly as well as bolting it. That is one of the reasons it is always a bad idea to weld on a frame. The welding heats the frame up, making it brittle. Ever wonder why cross members are either riveted in or bolted in? Cause if they were welded in, they will crack within a short amount of time. I had a buddy who welded his cross members in a truck. A few months later (no joke) his fuel tank fell out driving down the highway along with both cross members. Kinda funny, he had to use 5 gallon jugs the rest of his several thousand mile trip.

 

Now you have me nerous with my air bags and heavy 5er jerking me around on our wonderful smooth highways and bridges!

 

well use a stick welder they can withstand alot more shock than mig welds. i must have ran into some really tough frames in my day then i have never had a problem stick welding a frame and having problems down the road.

 

I've welded my gooseneck plates on my last 4 trucks and more than a hundred other trucks over the years. Never had a problem with them yet. We have been using 3/4 inch steel plate on most of them. I've also seen those cracks before, several times, at a couple shops I worked at. I just ground them down and welded them. I use a miller mig welder for everything, not an arc welder.
I can't count the times I had to weld cracks on my last bosses race car too, and weld on mew shock and spring mounts, He had way too much power for that frame. I have never in my life had a weld of mine break.

Oh, on those cracked frames I saw like yours, most of them had some really torn up spring or shackle bushings in them or were ranch trucks. THose guys are really really hard on them.