Georgia Trail Riders Forum
SHOP TALK => Wrench Day => Topic started by: Bsrankin on February 28, 2014, 09:03:09 AM
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Ok so I'm sure everyone has seen the episode of Gearz in which Stacy David cuts that old Chevy long bed in half and makes it into a short bed, I personally have watched it about five times. I have a drastic plan for my project truck I want to take my 133" wheelbase ford and cut it down to the 105"-110" range. I originally was dead set on 105" because that's about the size of the 78-79 bronco and I figured I could just grab a driveshaft off of one of those in a scrapyard. After doing a bit of research I was told that the most you can safely cut out of a frame is around 18". Don't get me wrong a 115" wheelbase is still a vast improvement but I would really like to get this beast as tight as possible while still retaining a bit of the bed. Has anyone ever taken on a project like this before or even just bobbed a truck, any advice would be greatly appreciated. My idea for this truck is an all around trail rig that will tackle rocks, hills and mud. And yes I know the easy solution is to ditch the truck and go for a jeep, but I'm a full size ford guy all the way, and besides where's the fun in taking the easy road?
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Who told you can only cut 18" of the frame
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Sounds like a cool project.
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yeah im with alex, who told you not to go more than 18"?
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Ok so I'm sure everyone has seen the episode of Gearz in which Stacy David cuts that old Chevy long bed in half and makes it into a short bed, I personally have watched it about five times. I have a drastic plan for my project truck I want to take my 133" wheelbase ford and cut it down to the 105"-110" range. I originally was dead set on 105" because that's about the size of the 78-79 bronco and I figured I could just grab a driveshaft off of one of those in a scrapyard. After doing a bit of research I was told that the most you can safely cut out of a frame is around 18". Don't get me wrong a 115" wheelbase is still a vast improvement but I would really like to get this beast as tight as possible while still retaining a bit of the bed. Has anyone ever taken on a project like this before or even just bobbed a truck, any advice would be greatly appreciated. My idea for this truck is an all around trail rig that will tackle rocks, hills and mud. And yes I know the easy solution is to ditch the truck and go for a jeep, but I'm a full size ford guy all the way, and besides where's the fun in taking the easy road?
Hmm, interesting choice of terms considering what you want to do. Perhaps, "I'm a full size ford guy at heart, but I know a full size ford is not great on the trail guy in reality" is closer to the truth.
All messing around aside, chop chop and be sure to post some pictures.
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I personally had a mini truck some years ago. And from the cab back was a complete custom frame. And I know they make back half kits for the TJ. I am pretty sure phantom is running something in this sorts. Just saying. But like Clark said post some pics
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I wouldn't trust anyone who throws out a specific number like 18", the true answer as with everything is "it depends". Depending on how you reattached the frame or add in a new section and how much fram rail left you have to make a solid connection to will ultimately determine your number of inches. Joint design will play into it significantly as well. But I don't think you are limited to not creating the wheelbase you want, it just may take a lot more work than those who cut only 18".
I am not shortening the length of my frame but, I cut my truck both on the front and the back....does that make it 1/3? //???//
(http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp147/stf0412/90577441-6517-4C92-912D-3F8A3E04F58C_zpskewdgotn.jpg)
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Who told you can only cut 18" of the frame
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The 18" thing came from a guy who was doing something similar on a 75 f250, I think it was on the fordification forum. I may have misquoted him a bit, what he was saying was that you couldn't take more than 18" while keeping the rear axle in the same spot on the frame, which I do plan on at least until I can fork up some cash for a four link. I think I should be good to take out at least 24" with minimal trouble. Really just looking for a bit of insight this will be the biggest fab work I have ever done.
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We build rat rods on the side for folks and you can cut as much as you have material to work with. I would not do a straight cut on the frame but rather do what we call a Z cut. Find a common point to measure from on both rails. Measure 4-5 times cut once. When you put the rails back together,tack one side then tack the other side. Guy in my shop was putting rails back together one day didn't tack both sides and put a heavy bead on one side. The hotter he got the one side the wider the gap got on the other side. Also cut out some fish plates drill holes in them to lay over where you butt welded the frame rails. One for each side of each frame rail. Put them over the welded joints and weld in place. Then weld up the holes you drilled in the plates,do this on both sides of each frame rail. Use the frame rail you cut out to make the fish plates.
I don't have any pics but will find some if you want to help explain what I'm saying
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The explanation was excellent...even I could follow it.
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Thanks Clark. I know what to do but not the best when it comes to articulating the process.
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I don't have any pics but will find some if you want to help explain what I'm saying
That was an excellent explanation, pics would be much appreciated if possible. I'm trying to hold off on this until the summer when I will have an entire week off work to do this, but I have a feeling that I might get a wild hair in my butt and start cutting it up on a long weekend. About how long does this normally take y'all? I do have access to a shop with a decent amount of fab equipment and a lift so I should have everything I need, the thing I'm most nervous about is getting it perfect when I weld it back up. My idea was to find a piece of straight wood or steel about the length of the straight part of the frame and line it up off of that. Is that about what y'all do in the shop or am I way off?
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Also what do you do as far as the driveshafts? One to the reasons I was originally wanting to go to 105" was to use a bronco driveshaft but I'm thinking now that I'll just cut my existing one to the proper length.
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Pretty cheap to have one shortened at a driveline shop
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Bsrankin, Look at both your frame rails, Find a bolt,hole,notch something that is exactly the same on both frame rails and take all your measurements from the same point on both rails. Remember a 1/16th difference in measurement from side to side could and will become much larger at the end of the rail. I'm not sure I understand what your asking as far as the metal bar use.
I'll be glad to help anyway I can.
As far as time to do the job......that will depend on your skill level and the tools your using. DON"T GET IN A HURRY take your time. When doing this type fab work slow and steady is fast, hurried fast is a problem waiting to happen.
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I think I figured out where the 18" came from the driveshaft from the tranny to the transfer case is about 20" and the rear driveshaft is about three feet so it looks like most of the cutting will need to be in the trans shaft and front driveshaft to prevent a ridiculous angle in the rear shaft. I may need to marry the transfer case, I have always heard that a divorced transfer case is better for crawling but I've never been told why. I could take ~18" out and just have a stubby shaft connecting the trans and transfer case or I can just take it out altogether. Opinions?
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I haven't been on here in a long time, I just wanted to update this thread and let you know that I did go thru with it (after putting it off for a year). I did end up going with 18" because the longer I looked at it the more I realized why that was the recommended max, there's just about 18-20" of straight frame under the bed after that the frame gets narrower. Everything went fairly smooth surprisingly.
First cut I made was right behind the rear leafs, on the majority of my cuts I used this small piece of angle as a straight edge
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/d383ed82215787272142656a8e816b19.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/3dabc72e10df4db858009b8e9edbe08e.jpg)
Next I drew it all out. The plan was simple, take a 13"chunk out of the center and make two 5" steps. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/c177d609d13004d104c82fda4e36ed24.jpg)
After measuring measuring and re measuring about fifty times I made the first cut.
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/ec3bfe489aafb3843595113b30bc5698.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/480a4e313f13a7492c64c354952180fd.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/40af18405a496f25f5ce630ed7d4ad43.jpg)
We ended up needing to use a bottle back and scissor jack in order to get each frame rail to the correct height to put it back together and with minimal grinding/massaging it fit like a glove. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/5af9bb952c871bcc57afe51392239355.jpg)
Of course we once again measured a thousand times and started burning it back in. I kept all the welds short so as not to warp the frame, and moved between sides for each weld we laid down. (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/8b9a6b832ca70cbd85e30175eff59762.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/53eb5cc3a080a2ddfdafa68e5f2f5406.jpg)(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/b4a6d989539483e4f71545b0d7f4adf1.jpg)
And the before and after
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08/06/b324dd4baec7a436b88991bb1ea01f94.jpg)
I'm still not quite finished, I have to make some fish plates for the frame and I still haven't tackled the bed but I thought I'd share my progress so far.
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Great job! Glad it went as smoothly for you as it did. ... Not having any experience with altering the frame and limited welding experience, I have a few questions. When cutting the frame, did you cut steps into it because that would be stronger than a straight vertical cut? Also, when putting together the frame after cutting it, is welding it strong enough? Could you add a piece of steel over each new joint (for lack of better terms) like a bandaid make stronger? Or is that something that is not necessary and overkill??
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Thanks! And I got most of my info from Stacy David's short bed conversion and 4WORs project super dirty. The step helps spread the welds out to prevent cracking of the surrounding frame while also making it easier to line back up. And as for adding steel for bracing, that's what the fish plates are, basically a piece of steel that will lay across the welded area and welded in to add strength
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