actually the weld will be stronger than the original frame. now, if i were gonna use this truck to haul heavy loads, i wouldn't do it, but its just gonna be a toy. and weather it's a ford, chevy or dodge, the step-side makes it look 110% better.


rulz, do you have a bed for it yet? make sure you post some pics after, i'm curious to see a short box and supercab mud wagon.

i guess i'm gonna go buy a scanner, anybody have any suggestions on which one to buy?

 

84W44's --

There is a misconception about welding tensile strength and fatigue strength. You are correct that the tensile strength of the weld will be greater than the base material. The problem you run into with weld is the fatigue strength. When you flex the frame from loading, unloading, or wheeling the root of the weld is not as fatigue resistant as the parent material. This can cause cracks to develop in a weld where they won't in the parent material.

You can minimize this effect by grinding the outer surfaces of the frame rail where you butt them together so the surface is perfectly smooth. In addition, I recommend adding a flat plate inside the frame with a c shaped cutout on both ends to reduce the stress concentrator. The plate inside the frame increases the stiffness near the weld and the c shaped cutout will transition the stiffness farther away from the weld reducing the possibility of failure.

It goes without saying you will need an excellent welder to get full penetration welds without voids. The internal plate can be used as a backer strip so you can leave an 1/8" gap on the vertical part.

NORULZ -- That truck looks awesome! Please post pictures when its done!

I joined this site because I bought a '78 F250 with 60's front and rear that had been used as a mud bogger. I later found the frame had been severely hacked and is unsafe to continue. I love reading the forums and have learned a great deal.

I am currently running an '89 Wrangler with numerous vehicle donors including '87 Ford D60 Front, '79 Ford D60 Front/'73 GM 14 Bolt hybrid rear, Chevy/Dodge Drive train, 36 swampers but am trying to fit 39.5 boggers I picked up (lots of rubbing).

LT1YJ

 

"it only hurts for a few minutes... then it just seems so right" Norulz, I got a chuckle out of that, and your results look damn cool. I agree '84 that your ride will look killer with that shortbed. As far as the scanner goes, I'm thinking about getting a digital camera, I hear those can download your pics right into your computer. Thats what I'm thinking about getting so I can put on pics on here.

If your knuckles ain't bleeding you did something wrong.

'72 F-250 "Hi-Boy" 4x4, Dana 60/HD44, FE428 @ 400 ponies , 4-speed, custom suspension w lift, mud on black.

 

>rulz, do you have a bed
>for it yet? make
>sure you post some pics
>after, i'm curious to see
>a short box and supercab
>mud wagon.

Bed? it's too short for a bed... Bronco 1/4 panels might fit, all that's going to be back there is tube, no more sheetmetal.
Mud? I live in the southwest man, nothing but rock down here

----------------------------------
Just A Bunch Of Old Fords...
"Get Nitrous & ARBs, Keep Pushing Buttons Till You Make It"

 

>NORULZ -- That truck looks awesome!
> Please post pictures when
>its done!
>
>I joined this site because I
>bought a '78 F250 with
>60's front and rear that
>had been used as a
>mud bogger. I later
>found the frame had been
>severely hacked and is unsafe
>to continue. I love
>reading the forums and have
>learned a great deal.
>
>I am currently running an '89
>Wrangler with numerous vehicle donors
>including '87 Ford D60 Front,
>'79 Ford D60 Front/'73 GM
>14 Bolt hybrid rear, Chevy/Dodge
>Drive train, 36 swampers but
>am trying to fit 39.5
>boggers I picked up (lots
>of rubbing).
>
>LT1YJ


Thanks man, will post lotsa pics when she's finally done (only a few weeks left unless I gotta re-do it all over again) I'm not worried about the strength of my frame, I just moved everything forward & cut off what was left... no welds... but without wanting a bed, I didn't really have to worry about moving mounts & stuff.
I assume your rear axle is a RC60 now? if so, & if you still got the outer parts off that front 60 (steering knuckles & stub axles specificaly) I could be interested in buying those from ya, let me know bigorangeford(No Email Addresses In Posts!)

----------------------------------
Just A Bunch Of Old Fords...
"Get Nitrous & ARBs, Keep Pushing Buttons Till You Make It"

 

Here's a few more recent so ya can see what direction the rear has been heading... 22 gal fuel cell, mount for spare, shock hoop, & 88up GM rear springs under the frame, the rear shackle in those pics isn't done though, it's just temporary so we could check the height of the truck w/the chevy springs

https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/User_files/3b0c3f8b6a7646db.jpg

https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/User_files/3b0c3fa76ae4a4af.jpg

----------------------------------
Just A Bunch Of Old Fords...
"Get Nitrous & ARBs, Keep Pushing Buttons Till You Make It"

 

Gentlemen, this is what off-roading is all about. Way to go on the one-off Norulz!

If your knuckles ain't bleeding you did something wrong.

'72 F-250 "Hi-Boy" 4x4, Dana 60/HD44, FE428 @ 400 ponies , 4-speed, custom suspension w lift, mud on black.

 

no mud?? man that really sucks, i couldn't imagine life without mud, i'd have to find a new hobby. what do you do with that bronco in the background???? are those sponserships down the sides?????


yj, i was somewhat skepitcle about cutting and welding a frame, but a buddy i mud with has a 82 f-250 and he cut and shortened his frame and put a step box on it. he runs 40's and really abuses it. he did this about a year ago and hasn't had any problems. now i've welded spring perches and shock mounts to axles, welded in motor mounts, exhaust pipes and other small stuff. i was planning on bolting on plates and then welding it up. but never thought about the c-shape at the ends, and i see your point. thanx....

i also have an 89 wrangler, a 400 horse 429 cj, 72 bronco axles, 40"boggers in the rear, and swampers in the front. spring over with 4" lift springs and a 3" body lift. i also had rubbing problems, so i went to off set wheels, still have a little rubbing up front, especially when turning. i started too, and now wish i had used big bronco axles. oh well, another future project. i think everybody knows about future projects.....


and pro, let me know about the camera, i've considered one of those too.