pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Do they manufacture frames or just install replacements? I have good fab quotes from PG Adams.
Well, I broke it.
- Thread starter pugslyyy
- Start date
Do they manufacture frames or just install replacements? I have good fab quotes from PG Adams.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
The plan next week is to take it to my shop and do some disassembly to get a better look at everything. Whatever route we go, things have to be taken apart.
I looked at their web site, looks like they know their craft.
You don't think you could use the original frame rails as a drill template?
http://www.pgadams.com/
You don't think you could use the original frame rails as a drill template?
http://www.pgadams.com/
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Yes, what you do is remove your frame, ship it to them, and they fab a replacement based on what you send them.
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Once you get the body off, it should look a lot easier than you think. The frame will be riveted up into the S-section. Use the back edge of the S-section as the reference point. Mark a line there on the old rail.....measure everything foreward and aft from that line.
Drill out all the rivets holding the old frame into the S-section and remove. Use sharp 3/16" and 1/2" drill bits and keep them sharp. First hit the pointed head of each rivet with a lump hammer to give a little flat, then centre punch to give yourself a starting point to drill on.....grab the best drill you have and go for it. Hours of enjoyment. Haha. Get your new rails rolled to fit neatly into the S-section. That's important. Replicate the angle of the cut at the leading edge of the rail that goes up in the S-section. Remember when you are cutting the angle that there is a left and a righthand side!!! . Measure and transfer that marked line to your new rail with the angle already cut. Fit the new rail up into the S-section using the marked line to locate it. Clamp the new rail in place and mark all your holes. Either drill them in place or remove the rail and use a drill press....not sure what gear you have but don't over think it. All measurements aft will still come off the same reference point.
Marking your suspension points ....... You only need to measure a vertical line through the front bolt holes of each bracket and measure down from the top of the rail for the first hole. Be as accurate as possible because this determines the axle location and alignment....however still get a proper front and rear wheel alignment when the job is all finished. Just use an adjustable square sitting on the rail to measure with. Bolt the suspension bracket with one bolt. Square it up and ....then drill through the bracket to get the holes accurate or mark the holes that way and drill on the press. Either way, they will be accurate. I guess you'll get new crossmembers made while you are at it. Same process for locating and drilling them.
Replace every rivet with 12mm high tensile bolts with nyloc nuts and a washer on both sides..... Or Huck rivets are nice if you can hire or borrow a gun.
This is the same process used when you stretch a Canter or move suspension points.
Safety: Be careful drilling ...some of it will be upside down so cover up. I wear welding gear and extra eye protection when I used to do this. The shwarf will be HOT . Also the front of the truck needs to be secure. Set it up on proper chassis stands at the front and bolt RHS or channel to the S-section and down to the ground as legs at the back. Chock both front wheels at the front and back. Clamp off your rear brake line up at the front too so you don't have fluid dripping everywhere before you disconnect the lines....it will be obvious where to do that.....and don't forget to bleed them again at the end of the job.
Disclaimer: In Australia, this work would need to be signed off by authorised engineer. Check out the legalities of you doing this work yourself beforehand and keep it legal.
Regards john.
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pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
As they say, the devil is in the details. You have to remember that there really is no separate body to this vehicle - the body was not made and then attached, it was built onto the chassis bit by bit. It's kind of like saying "once you unwrap all the ivy from the trellis, it will be easy to replace the trellis and then wrap the ivy back around the new one."
SkiFreak
Crazy Person
Hey... what's life without a few challenges?
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
As they say, the devil is in the details. You have to remember that there really is no separate body to this vehicle - the body was not made and then attached, it was built onto the chassis bit by bit. It's kind of like saying "once you unwrap all the ivy from the trellis, it will be easy to replace the trellis and then wrap the ivy back around the new one."
Yeah......we are talking about replacing the frame. The only way to do this is to take the body off....whether it is one body or in one piece or not.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Correct. Make all measurements from one common point.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Frame Break Update
So it turns out that I did a much more effective job breaking the frame than I thought I had.
It was obvious that the driver side frame had cracked, since we could see it had shifted up, with the poor passenger side frame rail taking the entire load.
Today I got my first look at the passenger side frame and was a bit surprised to find that it had broken completely through as well.
I'm just wondering how long I had been driving on the completely broken frame.
So it turns out that I did a much more effective job breaking the frame than I thought I had.
It was obvious that the driver side frame had cracked, since we could see it had shifted up, with the poor passenger side frame rail taking the entire load.
Today I got my first look at the passenger side frame and was a bit surprised to find that it had broken completely through as well.
I'm just wondering how long I had been driving on the completely broken frame.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Nope, no plate removed - those bolts are where the sub frame / rear fuel tank bracket attach. The driver side break is maybe 6 inches further back than the passenger side one.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Frame removal
Today was a big day - using our overhead hoist (which we had never really used, it came with the shop) worked absolutely perfectly. We put a sling around the subframe...
And gently lifted the subframe off of the broken rear frame. The bulk of the weight is at the front of the truck (cab and motor) so it actually was not a lot of weight to lift - came up very easy.
I hoisted the sub frame up and once we had clearance Ervin grabbed the rear frame/axle and rolled it out like a big 'ol wheelbarrow or something.
The rear of the truck is now sitting on 2 jack stands (just aft of where the rear axle would be) awaiting frame replacement. We're also going to clear up all the rust and check for cracks (pretty much any rust we are going to sand down to bare metal and make sure there is nothing that needs to be repaired lurking underneath)
Today was a big day - using our overhead hoist (which we had never really used, it came with the shop) worked absolutely perfectly. We put a sling around the subframe...
And gently lifted the subframe off of the broken rear frame. The bulk of the weight is at the front of the truck (cab and motor) so it actually was not a lot of weight to lift - came up very easy.
I hoisted the sub frame up and once we had clearance Ervin grabbed the rear frame/axle and rolled it out like a big 'ol wheelbarrow or something.
The rear of the truck is now sitting on 2 jack stands (just aft of where the rear axle would be) awaiting frame replacement. We're also going to clear up all the rust and check for cracks (pretty much any rust we are going to sand down to bare metal and make sure there is nothing that needs to be repaired lurking underneath)