fixing my frame
 

a few months ago i bought this 89 F-150 custom 4x4 but its pretty beat. this is my first vehicle, i am 16. the damage: it had broken a leaf mount in the past which busted up through the bed. both leaf springs were snapped and it had no shocks/mounts.

well i put in junkyard leaf springs, got shocks, shock mounts, leaf mounts, u bolts and hardware etc. when i was doing this work on the suspension thats when i really found out how bad the condition of the frame is.

i cut out the rear gas tank (it was shot) and the rear frame piece that connects each side of the frame... well...... just fell out!

the frame was in such bad condition that it was dangerous... so i started a very long project of fixing this.. i took the bed off (only front 2 bolts were holding it), took the bumper off, hitch off, and heres where im at.

im not really sure how to go about repairing this. its too far gone to be reinforced the way it is. the rest of the frame is in good condition.

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/a...photo-1772.jpg

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/a...photo-1118.jpg

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/a...photo-1710.jpg

http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/a...photo-2459.jpg

you can get some C-channel, and overlap the frame where it is still healthy.

logan steel can bend you some stuff to match the frame.

you can buy a new crossmember from a dealership, you might need to specify a newer truck to get one that is not discontinued, although they should be the same.

a new crossmember is $400 so i think im going to just make one. i am not using a rear tank anymore so it can be any size that fits.

i will look into logan steel, that would be great if they could make the pieces

if it doesnt need to be factory you can always make your own. this is a tranny mount with integral front driveshaft loop i made for one of ray's race trucks.
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/v...0507111447.jpg

great job on that. wish i had a tig welder. i just have a harbor freight 90 amp flux wire feed welder its a piece of crap but gets small jobs done... not pretty welds. ill probably have to bolt and weld my frame, because i dont trust a $100 welder on that. unless i can borrow someone elses welder.

tig isnt that great, its just lays an aesthetically pleasing and lighter weld than mig.

we only have the stick welder on the service truck or the 220v mig in the shop, ray's mig welder is awesome.

you might want to pay someone to weld the pieces, the 110 unit wont have enough juice to get proper penetration.