Thread: Frame work

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I need some advice on cutting the frame. I bought a 55 Chevy truck that i'm going to do some work on. It has a 73 camaro front end on it now but it need to go forward to center the front wheel. Looks like who ever did it done a pretty good job under the truck just missed the wheel base little bit. My question is where should I cut the frame I have never done this before. It need to move bout 1 3/4 forward.

well it will definately be somewhere in front of the cab mounting points
while you are setting up to do this-----are you planning/wanting/maybe to lower/raise the stance a bit??

I would suggest maybe to get some 2 inch channel iron, cut the frame perfectly straight in some area that will be easy to weld/re inforce on and move forward the 2 inches of the channel-

Prior to doing any cutting put some referance lines on in different areas so you will have points to measure, level, etc from

Take lots of measurements and record them plus these days lots of pics-------maybe get some lazor levels( I got more than a dozen) blocks shims clamps

Plan on leaving stance where it is.

Originally Posted by 39 Chevy

it needs to go forward to center the front wheel.

We have talked about this before and decided that you really need to move the front clip forward a given amount, then step back a ways and eyeball the truck from the side. Then move the clip a little more and take another eyeball on it. Then move it again and .........

When push comes to shove, what matters is the look of the truck, not some particular measurement.
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I think it's a matter of both the above comments. One wants "the look" of the wheels being centered in the opening, but you must have measurements to be certain that the frame is kept square and the same length on each side.

Take plenty of measures and right them down. Then after you move the front clip, re-measure in the same locations and make sure the frame is the same side to side measurement ( equal distances) from before and after. Also make certain you don't push the front clip to one side more than the other.

setting wheel base without a good alignment is tuff . i go by a given point on the frame not wheelbase. set the rear centered then measure to and square up to the given point . i've had front wheels move an inch or more. i use the upper shock hole to measure to .

Issues of frame mods were the reason I bought a Hunter alignment rack-as the vehicles were getting longer-stretched suvs--the shorter older systems that used strings, etc instead of the fancy new shit became real cheap-I got one that had been in a caddy dealership that did a lot of streched limos but they upgrated to the newer system-------

It sure works nice to be able to move major components and keep the suspension correct instead of making a big move and then working your ass offf trying to correct bump steer,caster, camber , wheel base, travel--------

I have seen and read articles where some people have moved the wheels forward with offset upper & lower control arms. Is there a down side to moving the wheels this way?

any thing different than original control arm geometry will definately effect suspension travel---------

Yes there has been some installs where the stuff is reversed side to side on vehicle to effect some slight change-----( it was fairly common to reverse sides with spindles on solid beam axles so steering rods could be moved to front of axle for more oil pan clearance, etc,etc---------however , solid beam axle and independant fronts are 2 entirely different beasts---------

If you want to do this in your garage, outside under shade tree or where ever it might not be perfectly flat-------park your car where it is setting with the stance you want-measure the shock length, make up some rods/tubes/wharever that length and install to hold the suspension at that height-because as you cut and move stuff the suspension heigth/travel will change and mess up yoir project--------Then/now--jack up the car, using 3 points (triangulated) to support the rear part of the car from firewall area back--------under the front construct some type of support structure that will solidly hold it and also be movable so you can cut the frame rails and move forward that 1 3/4 inches------put plenty of referance marks and measurements from several traangulated locations and using several taken from same 2 marks to different 3rd mark record them -------abC, abD abE, abF and bcA, bcD, bcE, bcF etc

If you want to ( I do this lots) used several locations in your shop where you can set a lazor level and record on frame where line and/or mark is) You can easily make these from bags of quick set cement and bottom halfs of plastic buckets with a piece of alum or steel plate as a surface for the lazor

Originally Posted by 39 Chevy

I have seen and read articles where some people have moved the wheels forward with offset upper & lower control arms. Is there a down side to moving the wheels this way?

Not sure how you would do this without re-engineering the entire clip. I would just move the clip forward on the frame and be done with it.
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did they cut and butt it or lay the clip under the frame ?

I had to move a clip on a guys car before but it was the cut and butt installation. Here are some pics of what I did.

Here was the issue with who ever done the original clip.


Here's a close up pic of how it was tied it together may give you some ideas. I cut the cut lose and removed enough metal to make it center and butted it again. The area final weld it was boxed on both sides and the diamond shaped plates reinforced over the vertical welded area. I don't believe in leaving vertical welds with no reinforcement. It could be over kill but its safer at least in my head.lol Its just one of those things I do and other may not agree.



After

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Not sure how you would do this without re-engineering the entire clip. I would just move the clip forward on the frame and be done with it.
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I am saying cut the clip whole, then move it forward, but... you must have lots of places to measure and ensure as much as you can that it stays square with the frame. Same as Jerry says.

the only places the same on a camro clip are the aframe mounts and shock mounting hole. the 2 frame rails are only close side to side. this is the reason i use the entire clip. the rear rails are the same and set the geometry right. i do use off set a arms because of the rake. otherwise it is a bear to align .
i would find a new clip to use the rails from.

most of my concern was verifying that it was good to begin with---------