Anyone boxed their frame?

[Tech-GeeK1500]

Within a couple of years I'd love to have my frame boxed between the rear cab mount area to the past the front shackles for the rear axle. Anything has to be better, these trucks have a lot of flex in the middle between the bed and cab. I don't ever intend to do anything hardcore with the truck, more or less peace of mind in knowing it has a strong mid section and wont sag over time, plus better ride quality. I'd assume this shouldn't cause any problem, but i am a little worried that any frame flex would crack welds on the boxing job.

Also, for anyone wondering an easy way to protect the inside of the frame against corrosion after boxing it, I found this product earlier this summer and its phenomenal: Eastwood Internal Frame Coating (comes in green of black color). It's a little pricey at about $20 a can, but it's the best solution I've used for interior frame treatment. Each spray can comes with a long flexible tube and a brass fitting at the end to spray the product in all directions. It's a little runny at first so its gets everywhere, but it sets up like paint. I sprayed some on a rusty piece of mild steel I had laying around, after I let it sit and cure over a couple days, I used my scraper and removed the coating and voila, clean metal underneath. It's got zinc and phosphoric and tannic acid to eat through the rust. Don't mean to sound like an Eastwood salesman, I just really recommend it for anyone trying to find a solution. http://www.eastwood.com/internal-frame-coating-aerosol-black-14oz.html

 

[sewlow]

JurgenS... Very nice work!

 

[891Ton]

If you don't plan on doing anything crazy with your truck then don't bother doing it. The frame is a very good frame and plenty strong for most normal to average wheeling use. You can stiffen it a lot by adding additional crossmembers. My trucks frame got cut off right behind the cab and I hammer it on rocks so it needed to be stiffened.

 

[Tech-GeeK1500]

891Ton, I've read through your build thread before, your truck looks absolutely amazing. Very jealous of your fab skills. May I ask how you tied the rear cage section with the front of the truck? I'm assuming the cage carries on through the cab but how far are the tubes carried through?

 

[891Ton]

Hey thanks. I'll try to shw you some pics. It's fully exo caged. Welded to frame all the way around

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Hope that gives u an idea. It's all welded to the frame and sliders that are welded to frame.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

Here just a few of my frame.

 

[Supercharged111]

My desire to do this is to kill squeaks/rattles and make it ride a little nicer. I'm sure you've all driven newer trucks and noticed how different they feel with that stronger frame. That's the effect I'm after, I'm not that worried about breaking the truck (unless I throw a slide in in the bed when I pull my trailer). So Draggin, did you get that effect?

 

[891Ton]

To get that feel it's not in the frame. It's in the suspension. If you freshened up your tie rods ball joints, shocks, torsion bars, and leaf spring bushings, you would get that feel. It's NOT the frame. Also ditch your steering shaft for an xj shaft (look for write up on here somewhere) and it will tighten that steering slop feel. Another help would be replace your tired rubber body mounts with poly mounts and that will make a world of difference

 

[DRAGGIN95]

My truck is bagged and rides really well anyway and did before the frame boxing, I did mine to stop frame flex with 500 hp on tap, and to stop frame flex, which it absolutely did.

 

[Tech-GeeK1500]

Well regardless of reasoning, your guys' frames are absolutely beef. Nearly pornographic in fact. Very nice work, both of you! Thanks for posting up some fresh pictures.