Just want to get opinions on the best way to approach straightening this frame rail on a 34' Ford frame. My guess would be detach the one side of the x member, slide some box tubing inside the rail, clamp and heat alternating. Double click the image to zoom.
Hard to tell by the photo, is the driver's side just bent down some? Or is it out too? If it's out you're not going to want to detach the cross member because of work hardening and stress from the bends.
My call would be to disassemble the frame and straighten everything before you try to get anything where it needs to be. Sandblast everything! Get the side rails into a frame jig, if you don't have access to one you can do the same with some heavy steel and a ton of clamps so that the profile of the rails is dead on. Then put the crossmembers back in with the correct rivets and reinstall the X member. You can do this on a flat garage floor with acceptable results but you need to become good friends with a tape measure and plumb bob. A good machinist level helps as well. I routinely fix frames this bad or worse. It just takes patience. Check out HomemadeHardtop57's build thread.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=607501 I did this one a few weeks ago. Good luck, Feel free to PM if you get stuck.
I agree (although never having done this) that the best method would be to take it apart, straighten everything and reassemble ... problem with this system is ... what if both rails are out? Might need to either find a known good frame to work off of or someplace/someone that can supply you with all the frame measurements.
Yup, best to blow it apart and work with each individual piece and then work it into an assembly. A shop press will do all the heavy work, those frame rails are not that hard to form and shape.
All the dimensions are here on Wescotts web site http://www.wescottsauto.com/Tech/FrameDiagram1933-34.pdf
find a body shop with a chief frame rack, take the dimension but be sure you ask the cost first. also look in the parking lot see if theres any hot rods. JMO
Hey, I see several different kinds of frame damage in your example. A condition know as Mash, Twist, Diamond & some Sidesway in the frame horns are all present. I would not cut this frame apart to repair it! A couple/three hours on a frame machine & a good frame man would have this back to oem spec. This time of year frame shops in your area are probably hungry and you could probably get a fair break on repair costs. To stretch the left frame rail back to spec, alone ,will require some serious equipment. By cutting the rivets loose, and beating the rails over some channel steel ,with the use of heat ,will probably yield a rail that's now too long, and will require additional repair. Straightening those rails in a large press, with the use of heat, would work, but will require some skill, and many hours of work. Then, you have the issue of correct alignment Even with a tram gage and a good tape, you'll be in for a long,tough road back to oem spec. " Life ain't no Disney movie "
The right rail is bent out and the x member is twisted. Speedway has the dimensions in a pdf I downloaded. So the general concensus is take the frame apart, but what's the best way to shape? Clamps against the jig?
I think I'd be talking to someone in a body shop that had a frame machine first before taking it apart. I would get a good diagram with measurements first though. With nothing in the way a good frame man should be able to have it back in shape in short order and it will be money well spent. Or if the quote is too far out of the budget you can proceed to the above suggestions of taking it apart and working on the individual pieces.
^ Those cost way more than what it would cost to take it to a body shop and have someone like me straighten it on a frame rack.
I would rather do it myself, doesn't make sense to pay a frame shop on top of purchasing the frame when I can get new rails for 1k or less shipped. Or just build a custom frame for far less. I'm looking for technical responses not "I write a check for my problems, or never do anything myself" answers. thanks to the guys that contributed info.
Actually, I hadn't even thought of repro rails. I'm thinking that just might be the easiest and it gives you fresh metal to work with. Just reuse the crossmembers. If it is legal to replace the frame horn (for example) on one end of an original frame with a repro horn, why wouldn't it be "legalish" to replace the entire side rail except for the part with the VIN on it. It isn't like you are replacing a Ford stamped VIN on your frame with a Ford stamped VIN from another frame. It also isn't like you are welding in a Model A VIN into a 1932 frame (which would be obvious to those in the know at the DMV). If you are really set on repairing your frame yourself (and not using a frame shop), I still think your best bet would be to take it apart and deal with each piece on its own, using the measurements other posters have provided links to. Best of luck. (keep in mind, this is just my opinion ... I have never tried this myself before)
Thanks borntoloze I think if I can check the good rail against specs then it can come apart and I can mirror the good rail assuming it is good enough.
Bring it to a shop that specializes in frame straitening. You can not straighten one part and expect it to fit the rest of the parts as each one of them has been bent/twisted a little bit to accommodate the badly bent one. I once had a customer replace one bent rail with a new one and then wonder why nothing fit when he assembled the rest of the truck. When a rail must be replaced, the frame must be strightened BEFORE the rail is replaced.
My concern would be that most frame shops are not going to have the specs to pull the frame back to where it should be. Also, There's more happening there than just a whack to the side. There are rust and tear damage and what frame shop is going to take liability for a 75 year old frame? You need somebody with a fixture who will let you use it for 12 to 16 hrs. Old Ford frames move around pretty easily. It's getting them to stay there that's tough. Fix it yourself or look elsewhere for an alternative. Just don't toss that one 'cause it's definitly savable.
I manage a production style bodyshop 60 miles from my house and bought a bent frame for my 64 impala.although its a major pain to bring the frame to work,I don't have the proper equipment at home to make the frame straight. although its going to cost you some coin, you have to pull the damage out like it went in, what the eye can't see is what's the toughest and will affect your body and suspension alignment. if you take it appart before straightening that frame will be junk. there will be no way to resquare the crossmember,.even if the rails are straight there's still going to be a diamond in it
I wouldnt try to "bend it back" while its all assembled..it will just tweek elsewhere. I bet if you measured the squareness and level of this frame you would see it needs to come apart and have the individual pieces straightened to original bends and angles than put back how they belong. Oh, dont use heat. or maybe the picture makes it look worse then it looks to me
Find somebody with a good frame table (or build your own). Weld up some good fixtures that match the Wescott dwgs to hold the rails in place once you get 'em where you want 'em, and jack it back into shape with a porta power' a few turnbuckles and some c-clamps. Just my 2 cents...
Hey, I totally get the " I did it all myself '' bit, but when you've 40-60 hours into this repair, plus the time/money to build a jig, and it still ain't close to alignment with oem spec. please don't ask why didn't somebody tell me this is how it would go down The fact is both of the rails are bent, ditto the cross members & horns! Without a proper way to hold, measure & pull the damage into alignment, you'll be pushing a rope up hill all the way! And no, I didn't learn to straighten automobile frames by reading the internet. Good luck, you'll need it. " Life ain't no Disney movie ''
wish you was closer to al, we would hook you up on our frame bench at school for just a small donation to the program. straightning a bare frame would be a good learning opportunity.
The frame on my '33 pickup looked way worse than that one. I took mine all apart, used clamps, torch, sledge hammer, rocks, stones, whoever I had on hand and beat it back into shape. These frames don't have to be dead-on perfect to make serviceable. Get it within a 1/4" of the dimensions shown on the Wescott print, and you'll be good to go.
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