Frame support?

[ChevelleDude71]

Does anyone know if the Spare tire holder cross member is needed to provide strength to the trucks frame? I was looking under there and that's a huge piece of metal that could be tossed for weight purposes. or couldn't I weld in a boxed alumn beam that could be lighter if that support is needed? what do you think, safe? not safe?

 

[4C FED]

Re: Fram support?

Re: Fram support?

Does anyone know if the Spare tire holder cross member is needed to provide strength to the trucks frame? I was looking under there and that's a huge piece of metal that could be tossed for weight purposes. or couldn't I weld in a boxed alumn beam that could be lighter if that support is needed? what do you think, safe? not safe?

I ditched mine & mounted my tranny cooler there instead. Didn't seem to make any difference in handling.

 

[ChevelleDude71]

Re: Fram support?

Re: Fram support?

so when you cut that out, did you just hack the rivets and pulled the whole thing out, and did you fill in the holes in the frame? Also could you shoot some pictures of your tranny cooler setup, I'm interested to see how that looks.

 

[4C FED]

Re: Frame support?

Sorry, I misread your post.
I only removed the spare & the winch for it. I didn't cut anything out.

I don't think I would cut that piece out.

 

[Syclone#892]

Re: Frame support?

Well I have thought about that piece also since its in the way of me putting my fuel cell there. To me it looks structural so there for I have not moved it yet.

Once I get my truck to work I am going to get it on the lift and take the bed off and make 2 new smaller crossmembers in front and behind that one then cut that one out so I can mount my cell.

So if your looking for weight saving I would say forget it but if your gonna add one back I would say go for it.

Good luck

 

[mattw]

Re: Frame support?

I completely agree with DaveP.. Rather than thinking about what you can remove you should be looking at where you can add crossmembers and/or box the frame.


-Matt

 

[ChevelleDude71]

Re: Frame support?

Thanks for the input guys and I completely agree, it will be staying. I'm just getting board waiting for my motor so I was looking for weight to ditch off the truck.

 

[SY2932]

Re: Frame support?

DITTO X3 The back of the frame needs to remain boxed in or else you will compromise the integrity of it. Here's a pic of the back of my old *rusty* S10 so that you can see the relationship of everything:

When I got to a fuel cell, I plan to copy this set up:

 

[Syclone#892]

Re: Frame support?

Whos truck is that with the cell? Thats exactly what I am planning on doing to my sy, they way I measured it it should just barely show the sump off under the bumper which from the rear looks awesome to me especially with the 315 tires.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Frame support?

I am personally going to weld my rear crossmember to the frame as its just held in with rivets, (like most of the crossmembers.) Al Dunstan made a chromemoly front crossmembers, I wish someone made those.

 

[SY2932]

Re: Frame support?

Whos truck is that with the cell? Thats exactly what I am planning on doing to my sy, they way I measured it it should just barely show the sump off under the bumper which from the rear looks awesome to me especially with the 315 tires.

It belongs to a guy on the s10forum who is dropping a 350 SBC into his '84 extended cab S10.

 

[warmpancakes]

Re: Frame support?

i have pics in my detroit turbo gallery of how i did mine

http://www.detroitturbo.com/gallery/internationalhouseofpancakes


pages 4-6

 

[midnightbluS10]

Re: Frame support?

Where exactly do the shocks mount? Not the stock location, it looks like.

 

[Aeroking]

Re: Frame support?

looks like the top end was just swung outta the way. a hole in the frame was probably just a nice rest spot for the stud.

 

[Grimgrak]

Re: Frame support?

Meaning that it uses stock location? I'm confused.

looks like the top end was just swung outta the way. a hole in the frame was probably just a nice rest spot for the stud.

 

[Aeroking]

Re: Frame support?

Meaning that it uses stock location? I'm confused.

without talkin to Mike. It looks like the top side of the shocks are NOT installed when the pic was taken. They are just hanging loose. And a convenient place to let them rest was a whole in the frame. Again, Mike would have to step in and assure this.

But from my perspective, the bottom of the shocks are in place, but the top are disconnected from the stock location in the picture.

 

[420]

Re: Frame support?

I know that this piece is coming out on my truck. We are planning on replacing it with a piece of chrome-moly tubing. Should save some nice weight, and keep the structure solid.