Frame flex
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2009
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Frame flex
I have a 89 f250. I was just messing around and parked on tire on a steep hill and got out and noticed that my frame flexed and you could notice that the body line on the side was about a inch and a quarter lower on the bed then the cab and it does this on both sides when you do this. just wandering is this normal for these trucks. Ive been under my truck and see no cracks or anything on the frame. It evens back out when you are on flat surfaces.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 201
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From: Spokane WA
Lame history note: The main reason that the Ford Model T became so popular was because of the frame flex, if you think our trucks are bad go romp around in one of those, I have done it. Because of the "road" conditions in the 1920's were drivable at best the other company's automobiles frames would actually break. Ford was the first to let their chassis flex and with wood spoke wheels and single leaf springs it made a hell of a difference. Now you know. haha
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 630
Likes: 4
From: Northeast
Lame history note: The main reason that the Ford Model T became so popular was because of the frame flex, if you think our trucks are bad go romp around in one of those, I have done it. Because of the "road" conditions in the 1920's were drivable at best the other company's automobiles frames would actually break. Ford was the first to let their chassis flex and with wood spoke wheels and single leaf springs it made a hell of a difference. Now you know. haha
Ford achieved this, in part, by re-engineering steel, to get a more flexible variant (the name of which escapes me at the moment--vanadium? Dunno...). Actually, the janitor that Henry Ford sent to school to be a metallurgist had something to do with the new steel in the Model T's frame, again, if my memory is correct.
But it's not a "lame history note"--it's just History. Thanks for sharing.
Big Six
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 5
From: Almost Heaven
I was always impressed by my truck's frame flex. I think it's cool. Now with my body lift, when I flex the ole' girl, it looks a lot more radical than it really is. I've been wanting to take pictures but haven't done it yet.
Gotta love these old Fords. They feel just like tanks, don't they?
Gotta love these old Fords. They feel just like tanks, don't they?
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 156
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From: Texas....by way of Hell.
Wait....so the absurd amount of frame flex, evident on BOTH of my F250s, is NORMAL???
Ive got a body lift with new poly bushings waiting to go on whichever truck I decide and I have since canned the idea out of concern! Once I saw just how much the frame twists on the trucks I am scared to install the BL(which before the soapbox, I have ran before{on Chevys} and it worked flawlessly) Oddly, the newer Ford is no better than the old one!
Looks like cheezy framerails to me.... but I am gonna do some internet research now!
Ive got a body lift with new poly bushings waiting to go on whichever truck I decide and I have since canned the idea out of concern! Once I saw just how much the frame twists on the trucks I am scared to install the BL(which before the soapbox, I have ran before{on Chevys} and it worked flawlessly) Oddly, the newer Ford is no better than the old one!
Looks like cheezy framerails to me.... but I am gonna do some internet research now!
FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 56,542
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From: In my own world
be glad it flexes. ford went with a unibody truck in the early 60's. the frame flexed, but the body didn't. you could put a load in the bed, take it home, and not get the doors to open, because you parked on a hill. not to mention it sometimes poped out the windshield. killer looking truck, but ford only built it for 3 years because of that little problem
FTE Legend
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 56,542
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From: In my own world
volkswagon. they had a diesel version, over 50 mpg!!!!. gotta love the 80's
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 470
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From: Washington County, Penna
that seriously looks like a *****ed up frame... yet awesome to see cuz you know its supposed to do it, i can see why people worry about it tho, it doesnt "seem natural" for a supposed to be straight and solid frame to flex that much