My 75 has a few rust problems...

[Greybeard]

I at first thought they were pretty bad but now I see they aren't insurmountable. >>











Lots of detail grinding and weld filler, some ORD shackle flips and new salvage yard springs for something around 4" of lift (too old and out of shape to jump into a six lift truck with the appropriate sized tires) and a 14FF and this truck is done! Now if I can only afford to do any of it. Or have the time.

[roundhouse]

That's why we paid $800 to get a rust free 77 K-10 shipped from AZ to where we live 

[bake74]

     The cab rust does not look all that bad.  Have you tried the screwdriver (or something similar) to the frame componets to see how weak they are ?

[zieg85]

No disrespect intended but I wouldn't feel safe driving that.  I know that wouldn't pass a safety inspection in any state that is mandatory.

[Greybeard]

Nope no screwdriver testing yet. I'm familiar with boxing and fishplating frames. I did my 86 Toyota frame and it held up well. I've done a few semi trucks at work. I don't do the welding however, I leave that to pro's. I did the fitting and the hours of grinding (before the days of plasma cutters), however, when I get some money (might be a few months, my bus driving jobs don't start again till next school year) I'll search for a different truck. I don't have the facilities to do a swap here at home. But plating the frame is doable. And boxing the inside too. Besides. the web of the steel doesn't do much more than hold the working members of the frame together. That would be the top and bottom straps. This is the reason the spring mounts wrap the under the bottom strap and don't simply bolt to the side of the frame. The bottom strap carries the load and the top strap keeps the frame from distorting due to sideways moment of the cantilever outside the bottom. I'm not a structural engineer (but I worked for one for 22 years) so that may not be the correct nomenclature for it but the idea is that like an I-beam the top and bottom straps are the true structural members, the web in between them holds them in position to do their jobs. The trick to welding on any structural members is don't, but if must be done weld ONLY to the structural members or longitudinally with the web, never weld 90* across a web if it can be helped. There are many exceptions to this rule however. But they must be considered carefully and the stresses the frame undergoes must be taken into consideration.

With that said, the rust under the side of the front spring hanger may look worse than is. Rust expands by about a factor of ten IIRC. So even though it looks thick if little of it has fallen off it may have only rusted a few thousandths into the steel. We'll see. There won't be any fast updates on this. If the temp goes over 80 and stays there I probably won't work on it until it cools off this fall. It's just no fun fighting the flies and daddy long legs, and mosquitoes in the yard to do anything sitting that still.   

[roundhouse]

I'd just get another one


I have a 82 longbed  parts truck
No rust on the frame and only a coupe spots on the cab

I'd almost give it away
It's gonna wind up at the crusher sooner or later

I can see repairing all that rust if it was a valuable antique or classic car but 73-87s are  not hard to find

We got a totally rust free 4WD, 4 speed , shortbed  stepside in Arizona for $1200

Cost $800 to get it shipped to us

The one you posted pics of looks dangerous to drive

 

[flips87c30]

here in upstate NY that thing is practically mint. I see 05s in worse shape daily

[bake74]

No disrespect intended but I wouldn't feel safe driving that.  I know that wouldn't pass a safety inspection in any state that is mandatory.

Nope no screwdriver testing yet. I'm familiar with boxing and fishplating frames.   

      Again, we are only trying to safety conscious here.  Welding plates over a rusted frame only delays (if you weld to a solid piece and not a piece that has rust also) the inevitable.  That the rust that is there is still going to grow and eventually eat away what ever is left of the good metal.
     

[Greybeard]

This is true bake. But until I get a good wire brushing on that spring hanger area (which is what I presume everyone is concerned with) I won't know for sure just how bad it is. I've seen some structural parts on construction vehicles worn more than halfway through with rust and still function normally for years. I may have time tomorrow to crawl under it and see how bad it is. That is the only really bad spot on the frame. I can replace the spring hangers easy enough. Besides, I'm 57 years old, no matter what I do with it it will outlive me. If I fishplate it even if it rusts the main frame out I'll be worm food before that happens. The pimply area axle the axle tunnel is not nearly as bad as it looks. The rear of the front spring hanger is the biggest of my concerns.

[bake74]

     Spring hangers are what we are concerned with.  The frame will outlast us all probably.

[Greybeard]

OH! To quote an overused 90's phrase- my bad! 

I mentioned in the first post that the plan was to use the ORD shackle flip and some stock type springs in the rear.

The amount of metal left over the front spring bolt is adequate for the street. Not for mud running or burnouts maybe. Which  I did last evening (on my gravel road). But that's a different thread.

But truth be told, the spring itself is in much worse shape than the hangers are. Two leaves have broke and the short halves have fallen out already. I'm not expecting to drive it on the road however. I don't want to put a license on it just yet.