Reinforcement

[badco]

Should l reinforce my frame between cab and bed (and few other key spots) or not....... the cross bracing and boxing in isnt the issue I'm struggling with the flex issue and if it needs some. Truck is 96 k1500, nv4500 trans, 14bolt 3.73s, 1500hd springs from a 02, and 35s. Frame that going under it has 4" lift and i have it braced up decent in front. If I was doing it for street and race i know what it needs but it's a driver/play/pull rig. Jus looking for few opinions.

 

[RichLo]

Short answer... yes

It sounds like you have a donor frame already and you have the ability to box it before it goes under the body? If so, do as much as you can, the 1500 frames are thinner gauge metal than the 8-lug trucks and can use as much help as you can give

 

[SUBURBAN5]

X2. I would if I had the chance just make sure you can still access stuff like fuel filter and brake lines, ect

 

[stutaeng]

Are you off-roading? It's pretty common for guys that are doing extreme off-roading to box their frames in. Heck, those guys reinforce every single thing on their rigs, probably because they have broken it at some point, LOL.

11 gauge is probably more than good enough. It's close to 1/8" in fractions. If you have a bare frame, it's very easy.

 

[sewlow]

Don't know much about what the 4x guys do to their frames to strengthen them, but I've seen what some of the drag race guys have done.
Some have boxed the frame from the rear cab mounts back to the point where the rear shackles mount. Access for the fuel filter is via a 2"-2.5" window in the middle of the plating, away from any of the plate section butt welds.
One guy has trussed his frame. Like a bridge. He claims that it's just as strong, while adding torsional rigidity without weight.
Also makes access to the fuel pump & brake lines much easier.

A 'Warren' truss.

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Modified 'Warren'. This is the style that the guy that trussed his frame used.

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[badco]

According to my mic its same gauge as buddy's 1 ton but his is way taller and better braced. Gonna use 1/4" in my opinion anything below 3/16 would be a waste of time. Frame is bare so easy access and only thing I'll have to modify is front gas tank mount. Most likely going to go between middle and back cab mount to the front leaf spring eye. Then may move both shocks to the rear / \ at the least I'm moving shock mount on dif up so it dont hang down as much and catch stuff on trails. Drive it daily or did until two weeks ago when I had a lil wreck.

 

[Schurkey]

Just keep in mind that everything you reinforce just means more stress on the pieces that aren't reinforced.

The flex will go to the area that hasn't been strengthened.

 

[RichLo]

Just keep in mind that everything you reinforce just means more stress on the pieces that aren't reinforced.

The flex will go to the area that hasn't been strengthened.

... yea, like the suspension. lol

 

[badco]

Yup thought of that too. Kinda why I'm not doing whole frame. Last frame got a sag on passenger side after getting rough with it playing in 4wd and seen lots of them same way, that's what I'm trying to avoid

 

[stutaeng]

I've seen some of these trucks driving around with bent frames. I haven't determined if they got overloaded or what. I kinda suspect they got rear-ended, but that's just my guess.

They look like the type of guys driving their vehicles until the wheels fall off, LOL.