1997 Frame Rehab Thread

I don't but if i come across some Ill hit you up

 

did the original owner NOT have the undercoating package done before they drove it off the lot in '97
i will have to spend the weekend on this thread

 

I have no idea about the original owner. I got it from the second owner.

Thanks for the interest in the rebuild...the short version is the truck was junk from the cab to rear bumper. A potato chip has more structural integrity than the frame did. I actually bent the frame when tying it down on the trailer to bring it home. After sourcing parts from Tour991 I was able to rebuild everything and section in a new frame from the transfer case cross member to the rear and reuse all factory parts. Since the truck was free, it was worth it. Total investment is around $2k including the new bed and everything else mentioned in the thread.

 

Awesome!!! Now fluid film the crap outta it and it should be good to go for a long time.,!

 

I got mine for my '96 here:

https://www.bushwacker.com

 

This has been a fantastic build to learn from. Good job and thank you for posting it

 

I know this is an old thread revival, but I'm about to do this same project on my truck and I want to thank you @DBowers01 for this detailed thread. Do you have any sage advice to pass on after having done it yourself? I'll be replacing the rails like you did but retaining my cross-members and hopefully just supporting the axle/drivetrain in place. My brother is a welder and he'll be doing the welding. One question I have is, did you run into any issues trying to weld the frame with the cab still in place? I don't want to remove my cab if I don't have to. Were there any problems trying to weld the topside?

 

When I chop frames to mate them I stagger the joint 90 degrees differently than you did, so there is strength to the frame when weight is on top of it. A slice in the middle on the outer side of the "C" and I take a 1 foot length splitting the center of that cut on the opposing "C" of that frame rail, repeat on the other side. Before I slide in the 12" piece I gusset inside the frame to add some more strength. You added some more bracing later on in this thread anyway, that's just what I came up with and it's always seemed to work well.

 

There was a 3" body lift on the Taco I did so I could get in there easily for welding. But, you can just remove the 4 cab mount bolts and loosen the front 2, jack it up with some wood on the cab corner and you 'll have plenty of room. I caught your thread too, I think you already cut one section and rejoined it (the unboxed frame portion) but I'd chop it differently as I mentioned above for more strength, if you still can. And where you cut your frame for shipping purposes you may be able to box in the other side with a nice wide piece of 3/16ths or .1875 plate. Your post is a month old, you may have already got to it...

 

Come to my thread and lets talk more. I will soon post my jack/support plan with pics.