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.
As some may recall I have had a problem with my left front spring to close to the frame. I will start with all of the underneath stuff is new. I will tear it apart this winter and check it out more but the question is I have a line on a 53 frame and my truck is a 55 so if I need the frame do I just swap and don't worry about the numbers stamped in the frame rail or go on down to dmv and go through a bunch of paper work for the title ? I have one more thing to do and that is replace the springs when I put the new rear end in. I have not checked the rear springs but have been told that if one is bad that it can throw off the front end hope that is the deal.
Too often we have new members buy the truck of their dreams only to find that their paperwork doesn't match their frame number. The frame number is generally the number used by a state DMV. Sometimes guys are faced with the fact that a prior owner has kept a frame swapped truck registered on the old vin which prevents them correctly registering it. I think in cases like this the state assigns it their own number which may or may not relate to the original.
I bought a roller chassis from MO a few years ago that had that first example, so I parted it out. I now have a donor truck from WI that has a vin assigned by the state. It will be parted also.
Someday you will sell your truck, and you don't want to be the subject of the common "prior owner" horror story. Stu
I went through your old posts and don't see what your referring to, but it's probably just a sagging or broken leaf spring. If its not, as long as its not severe collision or rust damage, a good frame guy can get it back in shape for a couple hours labor on a frame rack. Not really worth the time and trouble a frame swap would be.
eber hama the front is all new parts. We have measured and re measured x wise up down side ways inside out and outside in so I am hopeing that it is one of the rear springs that is &^(%#@ up. We will see.
ok, in that case. Maybe you've already checked, but..are both of you rear shackles vertical(or close to it) ? Sometimes when shoving or lifting the back end the shackle will flip down and lock, kind of in line with the spring, and won't let the suspention travel.
The number stamped in the frame is known as a hidden serial number and is only checked by most DMVs if there is an ownership question. So you could have a situation where you replace the frame and do lots of work to have a beautiful truck only to have the owner of the replacement frame truck come forward and make a claim against your truck. Probably not likely but is it worth the risk? It would be great if you could get the title to the replacement frame truck but at the very least a bill of sale for the replacement frame . . . providing the seller of that frame has a legitimate title to that truck . . . Many do not so then you throw yourself on the mercy of the DMV
Bj yes I have it in fact the last frame shop pulled it up and that is where he got all the dimensions. More and more people are telling me it could be in the rear springs and I am going to replace all the rear-end , springs ,hangers and anything else that is in the way.
We'll talk tomorrow when I head home, but for others info I bought the whole shooting match of rear spring shackles; their front rear shackle drop kit and their extended rear shackle from mid Fifty. I like it a lot and it changes the brass bushings to plastic. I did have a problem with the rear extended shackle hitting the bottom of my old bed. I'm not slamming MidFifty because when I removed my bed there were no insulators between the bed frame and the chassis. I'm just not sure if those when installed will give me enough clearance.
