boxing the frame
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: McAlester, OK
boxing the frame
I'm considering the whole indie suspension thing, but I have question about the frame.
First off, my plan is to box in the frame from the front to the rear, and make a tranny mount that will also serve to brace the frame.
About the frame, I heard that the modern day frames cannot be welded on without a special procedure and welder otherwise the thing will crack under stress. Would the F-1 frames be old enough not to use this high grade steel? Also, I have a wire feed that can be converted to MIG that I am hoping to do the job with. Would the MIG be necicary? And when I get ready to box it, would it be necicary to get metal of the same stregnth and thickness for the job? Thanks.
Clayton
First off, my plan is to box in the frame from the front to the rear, and make a tranny mount that will also serve to brace the frame.
About the frame, I heard that the modern day frames cannot be welded on without a special procedure and welder otherwise the thing will crack under stress. Would the F-1 frames be old enough not to use this high grade steel? Also, I have a wire feed that can be converted to MIG that I am hoping to do the job with. Would the MIG be necicary? And when I get ready to box it, would it be necicary to get metal of the same stregnth and thickness for the job? Thanks.
Clayton
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
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From: Littleton, New Hampshire
boxing the frame
Clayton,
It is my understanding that the original straight axle equipped frame is supposed to flex, but a frame with independent suspension is not supposed to (all the flex is in the suspension), thus the reason for boxing the frame. If the old frame is not boxed when you add IFS, you run the risk of it flexing under pressure and causing stress cracks as you said. The only welding I've done on old frames has been arc welding and I know from personal experience an arc weld will do the job. ALthough I haven't done any MIG welding that would probably work too, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I was looking at the boxing kit offered by No-Limit for 53-56 frames and was thinking of trying to use it for my 48. Even if I had to do some trimming here and there, it would still be easier than cutting all the boxing plates myself and it would be of the correct gauge metal.
It is my understanding that the original straight axle equipped frame is supposed to flex, but a frame with independent suspension is not supposed to (all the flex is in the suspension), thus the reason for boxing the frame. If the old frame is not boxed when you add IFS, you run the risk of it flexing under pressure and causing stress cracks as you said. The only welding I've done on old frames has been arc welding and I know from personal experience an arc weld will do the job. ALthough I haven't done any MIG welding that would probably work too, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I was looking at the boxing kit offered by No-Limit for 53-56 frames and was thinking of trying to use it for my 48. Even if I had to do some trimming here and there, it would still be easier than cutting all the boxing plates myself and it would be of the correct gauge metal.
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Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Iowa
boxing the frame
Clayton
I am a rookie welder so I try to make it easy on myself. I find it easiest to weld metal that is similar thickness. I used 1/8 steel to box which is a bit lighter guage than the frame on my 53. I put the metal up to the frame and traced with a paint marker. Then I cut the plates with a sawzall and did the final trim with a grinder. Wasn't too hard to get a good fit. Would have been real easy with a plasma cutter.
A MIG welder can certainly do the job but you don't say what you have. A $400 MIG welder is not going to get it here.
I am a rookie welder so I try to make it easy on myself. I find it easiest to weld metal that is similar thickness. I used 1/8 steel to box which is a bit lighter guage than the frame on my 53. I put the metal up to the frame and traced with a paint marker. Then I cut the plates with a sawzall and did the final trim with a grinder. Wasn't too hard to get a good fit. Would have been real easy with a plasma cutter.
A MIG welder can certainly do the job but you don't say what you have. A $400 MIG welder is not going to get it here.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: McAlester, OK
boxing the frame
The welder I have is a wire feed arc welder that has a conversion kit availible to become a MIG. As I thought more about boxing I realized that I have a spare frame. I could torch off the top and bottom of the frame rails and use it to box in this one. 
That would be so much easier and cheaper. I also guess that I should weld in all the crossmembers that are rivited to make them sturdier. Hmmm, so many things to think about and do.
That would be so much easier and cheaper. I also guess that I should weld in all the crossmembers that are rivited to make them sturdier. Hmmm, so many things to think about and do.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,881
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From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
boxing the frame
I used a mig welder with a 75%argon/25%C02 gas to weld three feet of 1/4" steel boxing plates on both sides of the front portion of my 50 F1 frame. I will be installing a Fatman MII kit so I needed the front portion to be very stiff. My frame is only 1/8" steel, so from the firewall back I will be using 1/8" steel boxing plates and a mig welder. The main concern with welding is good penetration. I borrowed a medium duty mig setup to weld my plates and tested it first with a couple pieces of 1/8" and 1/4" steel. We welded the pieces together and I tried to break them to see the penetration. I could not break the weld but did break the 1/8" steel. So the penetration was very good.
As for cutting up the other truck frame just for boxing plates....That seems like a lot more work and effort than cutting fresh 1/8" steel plate? Also, these old frames were not stamped exactly perfect and after a few decades there is probably certain bends/flex points in the extra frame that might make fitting it hard. Good luck on your project.
-Ron
As for cutting up the other truck frame just for boxing plates....That seems like a lot more work and effort than cutting fresh 1/8" steel plate? Also, these old frames were not stamped exactly perfect and after a few decades there is probably certain bends/flex points in the extra frame that might make fitting it hard. Good luck on your project.
-Ron
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