Frame replacement/repair

[harbt95]

I've got a 95 splash ex. cab and my frame is kinda rotted behind the rear spring shackles/hangars and really thin in a few spots between the front and rear hangars. I've just picked up the rear half of a 96 ranger frame done all the measurements and everything lines up. I'm a good welder and good with fab work and needed a project for this week. So the front spring hangar snapping this morning gave me a reason to pull the box.

What I'm getting to is, are there any tips you guys that have done frame work can give me?

I'm going to slip the new frame around mine after cutting off the lip on the top so I can slide it over the old frame and bolt everything in place, then weld all the joints not a solid bead but a good staggered pattern maybe 5-3" I will allow time for everything to cool in between beads so not to warp anything. I'm also changing all of the hangars except one that is only a few weeks old.
Will try to get pics and keep the tread updated.


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[harbt95]

I'm going from the cab back to make sure I get all weak spots taken care of and am going to clean the frame and cut out the rot then put a klean strip rust to primer converter that I like before any welding then apply the chem again and paint with underbody coating


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[alwaysFlOoReD]

I don't have personal experience but here is a link to a ford "pdf" article on frames and welding;
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9158&d=1358836447
Good luck,

Richard

 

[wizkid00104]

You may found this helpful. This guy helped me quite a bit with a rotted frame cross member.

http://www.rangerframefix.com/

 

[harbt95]

So I found more rust than expected. Am kinda disgusted because it's rotted in the spot these are known around here to break in half. That's right beneath the filler neck hose on top and bottom of the frame. So now am dropping the tank and contemplating boxing the frame.


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[harbt95]

I guess that's what I get for buying something with a foot of snow around it and only looking it over quick


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[harbt95]

Got the truck stripped and am getting ready to do some welding.


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[wizkid00104]

When you are done, take the time and wire wheel the frame and paint it with POR15 or my preference, chassis saver. You can get Chassis Saver from napa for $100 a gallon. Or by the quart. It works wonders for stopping rust


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[harbt95]

I've got a wire wheel on my grinder that's what I used to clean the frame up on pass side. I'm using a klean strip brand rust converter the changes rust to primer I love the stuff it's going on any metal parts before I use some paintable underbody coating


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[Andy D]

I wish I had a welder. I do have a sawzall, A whole bunch of grade 2 3/8 hard ware. I used a strip cut from a 275 gallon home heating oil tank. I bent it with clamps around a piece of 6x2 channel bar. And hammers, lots of hammers. What I did was to use a 30 " X 8" piece to fish plate the rotted away Flange and web of the frame. I had the transmission out to replace the clutch, so I cribbed the truck about 24" up. I did this all in a 12 x 24 tent. I laid down plywood scraps in the side yard. I fixed a punky spot under the driver's front cab support bracket. I had carpet strips left overs from commercial jobs . I would lay this under where I could sit comfortably in the tunnel. I just took out all the bolts around the front end that bolted into the frame forward of the area, I drilled out 2 rivets and replaced all the cab support bracket rivets with 3/8 bolts. Going aft, I picked up a cross member to bolt to. I also ran a second course of bolts to bolt the webs together.
I used to be a ship fitter. I know how to final fit pieces of ship together with very simple, but hard work. I learned that you can move steel if you can exert what force you have directed to a very small point. The tank was made from 1/8~ steel sheets. I have quite a bit left to deal with some punk that wasn't bad enough to deal with when a PO had replaced the rear spring mounts. Maybe more. The bed was taken off and replaced crooked on only 2 bolts. There are pieces of the spare tire carrier There is almost 6" of frame ends that have the rear bumper hanging from the bottom holes only. I haven't done anything about it , yet. As it does not affect performance, It is waay down the list of stuff to fix.

 

[harbt95]

Well the truck was to far gone. It's gonna be striped for the motor it's going in a 73 vw bug my uncles building. I now have an 03 focus


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[Mark_88]

I was under my 88 the other day trying to have a snooze and when I woke up I saw rust just under the filler neck too...

Fortunately, I found a better place to take a nap and have a 96 frame to work with that isn't quite as bad...

So...I'm going to look for that rust converter and take the 96 down to the shiny stuff before doing anything else...

 

[harbt95]

Update. 03 focus is also rotted and can't be put on a lift. That makes it not able to be inspected in New York State. Moving on to an 01 buick regal. Not rusty with the exception of a little paint peeling on the wheel arches. Hate to say it but the focus might be my last ford for a while. Not a fan of gm products but this cars been in the family since 02 so I know the car well.


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