Frame is bent?

Hey guys,

Time to address the elephant in the room. My 99's frame is bent, which I just recently noticed. Really upset about this. It's bent evenly right where the bed meets the cab. The gap between the cab and bed at the top of the bed is much larger than at the bottom (Will include pictures). I have absolutely no idea what happened. I believe that the frame bent before I repaired the few rust spots around the leaf spring hangars. Maybe I overloaded it? Don't know. TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN JUMPED.

I just need some advice on what to do. I bought this truck roughly a year ago and it's my daily. I've read that I could box the rear portion of the frame and shim the bed. Part of me wants to try and sell it for a few grand after I do that and buy something else. I'm just tired of driving around knowing that my frame is absolutely f*cked. I'm scared to put any weight in the bed at this point.

So here are the two options - well maybe three.

1. Box the frame. Shim bed. Drive the hell out of it. The rest of the truck is in mint condition. 0 issues whatsoever. No rust on the frame.

2.Box the frame. Shim bed. Sell it. Get as much as I can for it without scamming someone. Buy an unf*cked truck.

3. Frame swap. Anyone have an estimate on the cost of this? With labor. Only reason I'm considering this is because the rest of the truck is in great shape. 147k on the clock, almost every major suspension component replaced.

I knew going in that the truck had a bit of frame rust, but compared to any other first gen around where I live (Maryland), the frame was in good shape. Currently the frame has 0 rust and it is coated in Fluid Film.

Thanks guys. Any advice is appreciated. And no need to rip into me for buying a "pos." I knew the frame had rust. Just didnt realize it would bend!

 

1000% positive it’s the frame?

could be the bed mounts/ supports.

 

No. I'm not totally positive. But I've looked at the bed mounts and frame and haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. No kinks, no cracks in frame. Could the bed mounts have bent? Is that even possible?

 

On the bottom of the bed, the U channel stuff can break, not the frame side of the mounts, the bed side.

Best thing to do is figure out what exactly is fucked up in my opinion.

 

I'd find a trusted body shop to inspect it.

 

Also, someone gonna get mad at your title, might as well change it now.

 

Yeah I think that's my best option. Got a friend who works at a collision center so I'll talk to him about it.

 

I'll take a look at that asap.

 

It looks like the frame has broken at the front of the spring perches, but....

if you are sure it's intact, and that when you repaired the frame it wasn't mis-aligned, I would get a friend and each grab the bed at the red circled areas and lift. As someone already said, possibly your rear bed rail under the bed has rusted and collapsed.





This is the bed I pulled from one of my trucks. See those rust holes at each end of that cross member? Those are the mounting points.

 

I’ll try this but a few things:
-Bed is in great shape. Minimal rust. We will try what you said but I don’t think that’s the issue.
-I am fairly certain the frame is not broken. I’ll crawl under the truck tomorrow to confirm this. What I believe happened is it bent before the rust was repaired, so when we repaired it, it solidified the bent shape.

 

If the bed or Cab is not about to fall off.

The tires are not being torn apart in 25 miles

I would not be real excited unless everything needs to be perfect.

 

Rear alignment is good. Bend is even from side to side. I’m thinking I’ll just box the hell out of the c channel and shim the bed and call it good. I’ll get some more pictures tomorrow

 

By no means does it have to be perfect. It just has to work!

 

Now my Truck gets loaded from the rear all the time pallets of 1000 pounds or more .

I have way more difference at the Top of the Bed then bottom for 10 years now.

I would guess at least 3"

 

Sounds like we’re in the same boat! Have you boxed the c channel or just left it? I find myself hauling a ton with this truck and I don’t want to break anything (else) lol.

 

And to be clear, is the gap between your bed and cab even or not?

 

I have not touched it I do look at things when I crawl under .

I tow equipment all the time as well

 

about 3" at the top 1/4" at the bottom between the cab and Bed

 

Ok yeah man same. Mines not nearly as bad but if yours has held up that long that’s good to hear. I still may box the frame just for peace of mind

 

Mines probably 2” at top