What do you think of these frame welds?

[Xtremjeepn]

So I bought a Crew Cab that has been shortend to use a shortbed.



Here are pictures of the frame welds.



Thoughts? Should I do anything else to the frame?



This truck was apparently a tow rig with a superchared 454 in it and a gooseneck and it survived that.



Passenger Side.



Drivers side (these are right near the fuel tanks)

[Big91RustyBucket]

I would think you would want to do some fishplating on the sides of the frame. That kinda look's questionable , I would want to look into fishplating.

[javven]

Big91 - I'm a welding newb - but... were your concerns the large-ish area on the bottom pic - it seems to trail off to a -very- thin bead up top - an inconsistant bead width? It's better than I can do right now but.. I know better than to weld on a frame until I'm better.

I see what looks like a hole or crater or two in the top pic.

Sorry to pick on your welds xtrem - just trying to gain some knowledge...

[Big91RustyBucket]

Originally Posted by javven

Big91 - I'm a welding newb - but... were your concerns the large-ish area on the bottom pic - it seems to trail off to a -very- thin bead up top - an inconsistant bead width? It's better than I can do right now but.. I know better than to weld on a frame until I'm better.

I see what looks like a hole or crater or two in the top pic.

Sorry to pick on your welds xtrem - just trying to gain some knowledge...

What he is saying is he bought the truck this way . And is curious if he should address the issue some more.

[Xtremjeepn]

My concern is that boxing it or plating it may make it too stiff in that area and cause it to crack somewhere else. I have heard of this happening.

While the frame seems to have held up the way it is.

[NOODLES]

defiantley done wrong. vertical welding on the frame like that is asking for breakage. pull the tanks and get to fishplating that bitch. you can bolt them on too if you want. make them diamond shape if you weld, or about 1.5' long if bolting.

[NOODLES]

and solder the wires, and ditch the butt connectors.

[morgsie]

Originally Posted by NOODLES

and solder the wires, and ditch the butt connectors.

I second that motion. Don't forget the heat shrink!

[Xtremjeepn]

Painless wiring has offered me a complete harness for the truck. I don't have it yet but that will help cure all those wiring issues.

I had planned on fishplating it and can weld. I just wanted some other opinions.

[Big91RustyBucket]

So how do you come up with sponsor's like this ? I am just curious because I have always desired to do a build like this .Any Info PM me if you don't want to post it . Thanks..

[Xtremjeepn]

Have a worthwhile idea, ask, have something to offer in return.

[Big91RustyBucket]

Ok so what do you offer in return beside's doing clean-up. I mean Sticker's and such don't bother me by any means. So I would be glad to advertise part's donated , and such .

[bigyellowjimmy]

Originally Posted by Big91RustyBucket

Ok so what do you offer in return beside's doing clean-up.

I assume exposure in his build up threads, word of mouth and possibly a list of sponsors with the truck on trail rides.

[Big91RustyBucket]

I will have to look into that . It definately Peak's my intrest.

[Big91RustyBucket]

I guess I would just be interested in a truck that can be used to give back to the community.

[rocknbronco]

Fix it or it will kill ya.

[Xtremjeepn]

Originally Posted by Big91RustyBucket

I guess I would just be interested in a truck that can be used to give back to the community.

I think what I typed before came out wrong. So let me clarify and see if it helps.

I do a lot of volunteer work for several communities around me. This includes the 4 wheeling community. I am always looking for ways to give back to the community in a way that I can also enjoy.

One of my frustrations has been the image that comes with being a 4wheeler. Sometimes people just seem to think we are out there tearing up the forest. Add to that that I am constantly filling my Jeep up with other peoples junk and I can see why people think this.

So I picked up this old pickup last summer and thougth I would make it my dedicated trash tuck. I would stock it with trash bags and use it to tow my Jeep to the local trails. Part of my thought was I would paint the truck up with something like this.

This old ragged truck is much like many of our trails. At one point in
history it was very clean, shiny and in perfect working order. As with many
things, time, use and neglect have left this truck and some of our trials in
a state of disrepair. We have decided to bring some new life to this old
truck so that we can bring some new life to our old trials. We are recycling
this truck to be used specifically to clean up and restore our trials for
everyone to enjoy. This will not be limited to just off-road vehicle use,
but outdoor projects in general. This truck and our trials are maintained by
people and companies that want to see the environment preserved for our
current and future enjoyment."

I thought it would be a cool way to get a message across to the general public that some of us really do care. I also thougth that it would be a neat way to try to make a project like this "cool" so that other 4 wheelers might do something similar.

As with any old truck it needed work. I called some of the people i knew in the industry and they cared enough about what I was doing with it to help me fix the truck up. We are hoping that we can get a little press on it when it is all done to help show people that something like this can be cool.

Here is a picture of the original truck at the Annual Left Hand Canyon clean up. You can see what I started with and it was being used at that point.

While looking for parts for it recently I found a Crew cab truck with the frame in the pictures above. Since my old "clean up" truck needed body work anyway I thought the crew cab would be a geat body doner. It would be nice to haul more people out to clean up days.