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Installing the total cost involved m2 kit and in the instructions it says to square the boxing plates to each frame rail and trim off the bottom which is wider. when I get to checking I find that my frame rails are not exactly parallel in the front axle area and are leaning in at the top.My thinking is to put a porta power between the top frame flanges and make the rails parallel then add a temporary crossmember to hold them until I get the m2 crossmember in.
Your basic reasoning and plan is sound, but you shouldn't need a temporary crossmember. Using your porta-power, move the top of the rail past vertical a bit, then when you release pressure it should move back to vertical. Work up to it slowly and gently a little at a time until you achieve success. Don't just crank it over hard on the first try. Be sure you also check the frame for square and twist before doing any welding. You want it to be as close to perfect as you can get before welding in the boxing plates and crossmember. Once that's done, it's going to be nearly impossible to fix any later found defects.
Your basic reasoning and plan is sound, but you shouldn't need a temporary crossmember. Using your porta-power, move the top of the rail past vertical a bit, then when you release pressure it should move back to vertical. Work up to it slowly and gently a little at a time until you achieve success. Don't just crank it over hard on the first try. Be sure you also check the frame for square and twist before doing any welding. You want it to be as close to perfect as you can get before welding in the boxing plates and crossmember. Once that's done, it's going to be nearly impossible to fix any later found defects.
I agree.
Both frame rails need to be checked. Are the frame rails straight where the cross members are located?
The entire frame needs to be as perfect as you can get it before any welding that limits straightening is done.
I filled all non factory holes before I put it on the frame jig. On the jig, I repaired the broken frame and made sure it was perfect before I boxed it. Once you weld in a cross member or box it, the frame will not move.
If is is too far out, it may pay to have a professional frame shop repair it. They can get the frames really close with the right tools.
Here is the rig I am using to straighten the rails. I can get them squared up and 34" wide top and bottom, the trick is getting it to stay there until I get the new crossmember in
It would be nice if you had a piece of steel that you could put on the straight frame rail, to reinforce it, from Cross member to cross member. That way, when you pulled on the bowed frame rail, the straight one would not move.
It would also be nice to know what caused this issue. Many times there is visible damage such as a wave in the steel showing where the distortion starts.
Good luck with your project. It pays to save a factory frame if at all possible.
It would be nice if you had a piece of steel that you could put on the straight frame rail, to reinforce it, from Cross member to cross member. That way, when you pulled on the bowed frame rail, the straight one would not move.
It would also be nice to know what caused this issue. Many times there is visible damage such as a wave in the steel showing where the distortion starts.
Good luck with your project. It pays to save a factory frame if at all possible.
âlI did find the bulge in the frame , I think I have it figured out, by going slightly past square I did get it to stay. What I did was put a piece of pipe the correct length between the top rails, cranked the bottom allthread until the lesser twisted rail was straight, then put a hoist from the top of the straight rail to the bottom of the twisted one, by adjusting the allthread and hoist I could put them anywhere I wanted.
ONe thing that I learned is when trimming the bottom flanges and squaring the boxing plates, square off a straight edge across the top of the frame, not try to square the plates off each rail flange like the instructions show
âlI did find the bulge in the frame , I think I have it figured out, by going slightly past square I did get it to stay. What I did was put a piece of pipe the correct length between the top rails, cranked the bottom allthread until the lesser twisted rail was straight, then put a hoist from the top of the straight rail to the bottom of the twisted one, by adjusting the allthread and hoist I could put them anywhere I wanted.
ONe thing that I learned is when trimming the bottom flanges and squaring the boxing plates, square off a straight edge across the top of the frame, not try to square the plates off each rail flange like the instructions show
Great job.
It looks like you have it all under control.
âlI did find the bulge in the frame , I think I have it figured out, by going slightly past square I did get it to stay. What I did was put a piece of pipe the correct length between the top rails, cranked the bottom allthread until the lesser twisted rail was straight, then put a hoist from the top of the straight rail to the bottom of the twisted one, by adjusting the allthread and hoist I could put them anywhere I wanted.
ONe thing that I learned is when trimming the bottom flanges and squaring the boxing plates, square off a straight edge across the top of the frame, not try to square the plates off each rail flange like the instructions show
If you can see where the damage is, use your fixture to put everything where it should be, and heat the rail in the damaged area to release the tension. Don't overdo it. The older frames can be adjusted like this, the newer ones the metallurgy is different. An old timer taught me how, about 35 years ago. Guy was amazing, he passed a few years later. I wish I had absorbed more knowledge at the time.
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