Steering box frame reinforcement?

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CrustyJunker

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My frame has no rot and cracked here last year. If yours is weak where it is, I wouldn't be surprised if you have some of this going on as well.

Eek. I better check mine too, didn't realize this could be a problem. Is this fatiguing an issue on both 2WD and 4WD trucks? I'm in rust country, but frame rot doesn't seem to be an issue (yet).
 

Supercharged111

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Eek. I better check mine too, didn't realize this could be a problem. Is this fatiguing an issue on both 2WD and 4WD trucks? I'm in rust country, but frame rot doesn't seem to be an issue (yet).

If you look closely, there's a little bar welded to the frame right there that grabs the frame rails and holds it from shifting. The 2wd frames are different, not sure if they have these issues based on their construction or not.
 

PlayingWithTBI

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The 2wd frames are different, not sure if they have these issues based on their construction or not.
Plus a 2WD has less weight up front which reduces torque in that area, just saying. It's always a bad idea to turn your wheels when standing still. I know you can't always do it but even just a slow roll reduces torque immensely.
 

thinger2

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The frames rust from the inside out. The sketch coating was always applied to rails that had been sitting around for weeks by people who didnt give two ***** because they had a soul sucking job.
And then it went on a flatbed rail car and sat outside in Canada or Michigan for a few weeks.
Source? I used to be married to an entire pack of Detroit GM whacks.
They were probably mentally untorqued to begin with but it just didnt help
And, just because of the design, they get packed full of crap.
The trucks, not the ex inlaws
Well maybe ....
 

CrustyJunker

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I think I'm familiar with that said bar. I'm assuming it's the one that triangulates each frame rail to that center support under the front of the engine?
 

94K3500PROJECT

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I don’t think a reinforcement is a bad idea for these trucks whether rust or otherwise
 

xjsciortino

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Little update on my digging

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xjsciortino

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I’m going to give my try at playing it on Thursday. I have a good plan of attack. The area outside the rot is still pretty strong, but I’ll still weld a good amount around it where the frame is still clean. Just sucks that even though the truck is rough, it’s way cleaner than most trucks around here that are half as old
 
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