When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The more I look at the rear frame rails the more I think it was dropped or hit? Are they supposed to look like this on a 52? Both are symmetrical and perfectly straight on the top.
Something seriously unpleasant has happened to the back of that truck at some point. It looks like the bottom flanges of the frame have somehow been pulled together. The bottom flanges should be flat just like the top flanges and the web should be dead vertical.
Yes it looks as though something has sprung the bottoms of your frame rails, but it looks like it is confined to behind the rear Spring shackles. The only perceived problem I see would be mounting the bumper.
I would speculate that truck has had a hitch mounted to the lower frame flange and had a lot of weight hanging on the hitch. I would check the frame for being straight and not diamond shape. FWIW, I had an S10 frame straightened back in the late 1980s and the cost was quite reasonable. The rear end of the truck had slid sideways into a curb and torqued the frame an inch or so.
I've seen similar damage from pulling out of a mudhole or snowbank without a bumper, just a chain or rope tied between the rails. Seems like a porta-power would straighten it right out.
So an update here...... I purchased a porta power and used it today to straighten the back frame rails. They popped right out, looks perfect, exactly 34" across.
On on the front rails, I am right at 32" at the crossmember but about 1.5' from the end the rails bow out to about 32.5". Going to have problems there with the front bumper so I need to pull them in. Was thinking of using a big piece of all thread and using two existing frame rails holes near the end to pull both sides in, thoughts on that?
There's probably a hundred ways to Skin that cat (wonder how that saying ever came about PITA defiantly wasn't around then ) only because I always have one handy I think I'd try a come along before I bought so allthread. If Axracer was still on here he'd tell you all thread is a pretty soft steel and that you'd strip it before it'd do what you want. I on the other hand would probably go that route if the come along. It's not that expensive and you might be able to use it elsewhere some other time. I would warn you (as you may well know) DON'T use heat.
Allthread will probably work fine to pull the frame rails together. I would use a 3/8" or 1/2" thick piece of flat steel the width of the frame sides with a hole in it for the allthread, so you don't deform the sides of the frame. You will have to bend it too far, as it will spring back some. It may take several tries to get it where you want it.
Mark
We rigged up this little contraption to balance the load across top and bottom frame rails. Perfect 32" on the front and 34" on the back. We checked diagonally and it checked out exact so we moved into paint after pressing in new front perch bushings.
) only because I always have one handy I think I'd try a come along before I bought so allthread. If Axracer was still on here he'd tell you all thread is a pretty soft steel and that you'd strip it before it'd do what you want. I on the other hand would probably go that route if the come along. It's not that expensive and you might be able to use it elsewhere some other time. I would warn you (as you may well know) DON'T use heat.
