I am moving the springs on my chevy truck to under the frame. My question is, is it ok to weld on the radius of the frame. One of my buddies swears thatif you weld on the radius the frame will crack. I plan on boix part of the frame where the new hangers will be. Thanks for the help.

You can weld on it...It's best not to weld vertically on the web (the sides of the frame) but it has been done before with no ill effects. If you need to weld to the web you can weld on some sister plates that are cut at a angle so the welds arn't straight up and down and then weld to those, but I don't worry about it. It's a truck, not a spaceship. :)

Originally posted by dirtrod
It's a truck, not a spaceship. :) [/B]

cool a builder not a scientist. I second that

Originally posted by dirtrod
You can weld on it...It's best not to weld vertically on the web (the sides of the frame) but it has been done before with no ill effects. If you need to weld to the web you can weld on some sister plates that are cut at a angle so the welds arn't straight up and down and then weld to those, but I don't worry about it. It's a truck, not a spaceship. :)

Plus it is not heat treated like the big rig frames so weld away.

rich

my problem with that is that chevy frames (also dodges, and some others) flex alot... and the c twists... and when it twists, and the spring mount doesent.. in my mind it will crack.. thus this is why I think the factory put rivots in the factory spring mounts insted of welding them on . I honestly would bolt the mounts on... Factory 74-93 dodge front mounts make it easy to mount them, but doesent allow them to be all the way under the frame.. if you do it right though, I bet welding would be fine.. just think it through before you strike that arc. garrett

PW- true hot rivets can take some flexin'. Bolting it may be a good idea too.
I personally would weld them but because of the cyclic loading I also would try to distrube the stress over a appropriate distance to lesson the possibilty that the base metal would get overstressed in the weld zone. That area of the frame will flex but so does the rest of it just . If it is done properly there should not be a problem.
AS for not welding vertical on the web - look at EVERY truck & car frame and you will find these types of welds in fact you'll find lots of them body mounting points are just one location, and sometimes you'll even find that the boxing on the inside rail is often two peices welded vertically usally right near a rear spring hanger!(imports).
weldpro