What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

I’m just spouting the theory here, I’m not a vehicle frame designer or anything like that.
I agree, catastrophic frame failure seems to be rare (other than rust issues), so the boxing kit and frame plates seems to be belt and suspenders. Boxing the frame has some other benefits as I mentioned, it’s just harder to do for most folks who haven’t stripped it all the way down like @Speedytech7
If you’re inclined to do the boxing, I’d probably go that route and leave it at that. If you’re going balls to the wall like @slander , you might look into wrapping your box plating over the top and bottom flanges to increase bending resistance, although the most efficient way to do that is to increase the depth (height) of the frame itself. Not very practical or easy though.

 

FWIW, I have that combo simply because I plated the frame years before I boxed it. Might have just boxed it if I was starting a fresh build.

Also, my frame might be slightly bent just in front of the front leaf hanger as the gap at the top of the bed is bigger than at the bottom. But who knows given how messed up my bed mounts, and probably cab mounts, are.




*I'm very much not an engineer.

 

Awesome info, Dan!

It’s been a minute since I took statics and materials, but isn’t the height the big hitter, like you mentioned? I just vaguely remember the moment of inertia for a beam having that h^3 term. But obviously, that’s not really a knob you can turn in this case unless you’re doing a custom frame section. I’m just indulging my nerdiness at this point anyway

 

This would explain why the HD versions of Chevy's trucks have 2"-3" taller frame rails

 

Yep, you nailed it. That’s why the frames on straight-frame box trucks are 12”+ tall. You can thicken the flanges as much as you want but all that added weight won’t be nearly as efficient as increasing frame depth.
You want some flex in it though, otherwise it’s going to ride like a straight frame box truck. If it’s too rigid all that stress is just going to move to the next weakest point, like bed/cab mounts, frame cross members, etc.

 

Nice! I’m not completely senile at least haha.

Mine seems to ride so much better after boxing in the frame. Like the suspension can really do it’s job now with the added rigidity. But I’m also aware that I really just moved that resonance up in frequency as well, which I can definitely feel with my poly body mounts. It’s enough to keep me away from poly mounts for the motor and drivetrain stuff and just stay with rubber for all of that.

Everything is a trade off, for sure.

 

That’s a good point, the suspension really starts to play a role here. A high quality suspension system should be able to be tuned for a very rigid frame/cage system. The stuff I design isn’t supposed to move (very much), so I’m getting out of my depth here

 

I hate your lights.

 

Gotcha. Yea that's a good point about the taller sectional frame height like that like on HD trucks.
I was thinking the only benefit to the outboard frame plate kit is that it covers further forward down the frame as the box kit does, but likely doesn't contribute much if it's already boxed for the reasons you mentioned.

 

He posted a separate thread just for you

 

I might try boxing in that last little section that the TG kits don't cover this spring.

Planning on raising my gas tank, so perfect time to hack up that crossmember anyways. Unless of course @eimkeith finishes his gas tank lift brackets soon.

 

Nice, yea the spot right where the tank is next to.
Perfect time to if you already have it out

 

I saw that. Not gonna troll it though. Got a headache already from the derps I can't muster the strength to continue.

 

It's going to happen one way or the other.

Along with clocking the tcase when installing the NWF box.

 

I bet @drr is familiar with Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/roark...gMxoC6UgQAvD_BwE#idiq=9890244&edition=2341075
A mechanical engineer’s handbook.

 

Changing my TW name, cuz...



Wait?!?! you can get paid for that????

 

I am curious as to how much cutting of the body this will require because I want to be right there with you on that type of setup. Right now I am just trying to not burn it down for giving me grief over dumb shit I have fixed before.

 

Not sure what edition they’re on now, but I have a pdf of the 7th ed from undergrad about 15 years ago.

A lot going on in this picture. What’s the cross piece that goes past the frame rails, with the heim attachment? Sway bar?

 

I have found my truck stopped breaking when I stopped driving it. I will scream into the abyss in your behalf for that leaking seal.