bent beams with cast beams?

[livetoride21]

Alright so I have a 93 ford ranger and I'm thinking about building it up into a prerunner. I'm thinking about cutting and turning the stock beams, but I'm pretty sure they're the cast ones. Haven't had a chance to get under and get a good look though.
Just wondering has anyone here cut and turned the cast beams ?
If so how was plating them and welding?
I know cast can be a real pain sometimes and was jsut wondering if anyone here has some experience.

 

[freeride]

you have cast beams, they can be cut and turned, but... they will cost 10x as much to weld and won't be nearly as strong as bent forged beams. so not a good choice

 

[djschick88]

I have heard 1983 trucks have good beams to bend. I could definitely be wrong, i have not done it but i heard someone say something about that.

 

[livetoride21]

hmm alright. freeride, just wondering why you're saying they would cost 10x as much to be cut and turned? because of having to preheat or just the filler rod?

 

[RaceRanger97]

either bend the beams cold or swap out for forged ones

 

[freeride]

hmm alright. freeride, just wondering why you're saying they would cost 10x as much to be cut and turned? because of having to preheat or just the filler rod?

yeah, the filler rod for welding cast is pricey

 

[livetoride21]

alright I gotcha. Will the older forged beams fit correctly with the newer spindles ? or do I need the old spindles too?

 

[freeride]

they bolt right in and you need old spindles

 

[Davis]

either bend the beams cold or swap out for forged ones

How does one actually bend the beams. I tried to do it a few years back, using a hydraulic jack and a jig that installed on the beams and had absolutely no luck. They would bend slightly and then spring back. Also the whole time I was doing this I was afraid something would slip and I'd die from a hydraulic jack through the forehead.

It looked about like this.

 

[livetoride21]

you don't actually bend them. you simply knotch them the amount of degrees you need to change and reweld / brace them. I'll try to find a picture.

 

[CopyKat]

you don't actually bend them. you simply knotch them the amount of degrees you need to change and reweld / brace them. I'll try to find a picture.

You don't cut and weld on the cast beams. Plain and simple. You might be able to bend them but you'll need alot more tonnage that a 2 ton bottle jack will provide. try 20-50.

The forged beams you cna cut and weld on till your hearts content.

Take a page from Dave at Threat and get yourself some D35or D44 beams. Cut the centers out and fill inbetween.

 

[freeride]

you don't actually bend them. you simply knotch them the amount of degrees you need to change and reweld / brace them. I'll try to find a picture.

cut and turn with forged beams is not done very often, most are just heated and bent. nothing wrong with cut and turn, just more work.

 

[Dakota83]

to "bend" them you do a pie cut then you can extend them as well if you wanted to and then you box them.

but i would take off the cast and get some forged beams

 

[freeride]

to "bend" them you do a pie cut then you can extend them as well if you wanted to and then you box them.

but i would take off the cast and get some forged beams

to "bend" them you "bend" them. if you make a pie cut that would be called a "cut and turn".

 

[Dakota83]

no you only cut and turn 4x4 beams other wise you pie cut it