On my '55 f100 frame...

Can I safely remove the frame cross member that is behind the cab for sandblasting and then put it back in with bolts? (Looking at it closely, getting it out from between the frame rails might be a challenge even after the rivets are removed.)

And can the transmission mount also be removed before frame sandblasting?

 

It can be done, but truly, it would be best to leave well enough alone. Is there some problem that you need to remove the crossmembers? If you're just trying to sandblast superficial surface rust from between the pieces, I wouldn't mess with it. Blast it and paint it best you can, and call it good. If you start taking all the crossmembers out, they may not go back into place as easy as you think they should. My 2c.

 

This member did a pretty good job cleaning his frame up, without taking it apart.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...milestone.html

 

did this once before , and now with the 53 i have a frame i purchased that is straight , but was missing 1 xmember that has been removed for some reason , and it needs the v-8 xmember up front . it shouldn't be too hard with a good one but ...... in the past i did this with a 55 and after it had sat awhile and kinda relaxed for a lack of a better term we had to do some cussing and pushing and shoving to get them to go back in and line up to bolt in . this truck had led a hard life and it had been tweaked , and as i and my 53 can attest this is often the case { the 53 sits about 1 inch higher on one side of the front frame rails on the right , and no messed up or broken suspension parts ! }with these old trucks .it might as it was with the 55 prove to be a bit of a challenge to get back together !

 

I have refinished quite a few of these frames and understand why you would want to remove these members....but I am agreeing with the others. I would not.
Once you do....it may go out of wack.....and more work than it is worth.
If you flip it,or hang it to blast or paint.....it may go out of square.
Look in my gallery. I just finished one a few months ago,and did blast it,and flipped it many times to get all the nooks and crannies. Good luck.
Bill

 

Typically on frames up here in rust-land, the rust creates a layer that pushes the parts away from each other. It's at that point only, that I would separate to sandblast, but it's usually at that point that blasting it will show that the part is too far gone and needs to be replaced anyway. If it isn't that bad, I would leave it together, blast it the best you can as is, and epoxy prime it. Here's a pic showing rust separation:

 

Thanks everyone!!!

Looks like both will stay on.

For the cross member behind the cab, removing it was just to sandblast surface rust from between the pieces.

With the transmission mount, I was going to remove it for a thorough cleaning. I was going to soak it in a tub of degreaser and then power wash it. Now I will just go to work with a bucket of water, degreaser, and a scrub brush.

I added pictures of the two in my gallery. One of these days I will read how to put pictures in the message and get that figured out.

 

OK, adding pictures wasn't so hard...

 

Havi and the rest of the folks have given you good advice. Don't take it apart unless you have to.

I, unfortunately, had rust separation big time on Earl's frame and ended up taking the entire frame apart. There are 182 rivets in a stock 1956 F-250 frame - I'll remember that number till the day I die.

As the fellas have stated, taking it apart means you have to do a lot of extra work to get all the bolts back in and then align the frame before tightening them. It's not a simple job.

In some cases, the rust "puckers" between the rivets can be quite thick and yet not destroy much of the parts themselves. Iron expands by about a factor of six on average when it turns to rust according to some experts. They do say, however, that the exact factor depends on the particular steel alloy and geometry. When I measured about 1/3 inch thick puckers of rust pushing the frame members apart, only about 1/18 of the thickness of the members was actually consumed - 1/36 on each member. That's actually not a lot, but a visual inspection and measurement of the parts after disassembly and blasting is the only way to be sure the parts are still OK.

It sounds and looks like you have the situation well under control. If you are interested, there are a couple of pics at the web site in my signature block. I think I also described using grade 8 bolts and nuts and special washers to yield the stiffness that the original rivets had.

 

If there is anyone else on this planet aware of this fact I would be very surprised

 

Why would you even take the time to count!!!!LOL

 

That's why we need George around here. Besides the fact that he is one of the kindest individuals you will ever meet, he is the precision man. He keeps meticulous records of his restoration process and shares it with us. We give him some ribbing for it but often the info is very useful. This may not be one of those times, but one thing's for sure. If I am ever on Effie Jeopardy, I'm taking "F250 frames for $800 Alex"

 

i didna count the rivets , just how many times i smashed my fingers and hands ............

 

or count how many bolts you had to put back!!!