deuce frame attachment

[BFR]

I am going to be building a headache rack to go bewtween the bed and cab of my deuce. I feel pretty good about welding mounts to the bed itself, but welding/drilling the frame makes me uneasy. any thoughts, or sugestions?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Yeah, you shoulda told me a few weeks before the GA rally. I still had the L shaped plates that bolted to the frame to support the factor headache rack. They went to the chipper during my scrapping binge. Speaking of which, another binge is coming on.

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

The way we set up drag plates on my Son's Jeep was to make two 1/2 CRS very big plates and use grade 8 bolts to tie them to each side of the frame pinching the frame between them.

All holes were above and below the frame and we put additional heavy pipe in the frame to also be pinched between these two plates all of the welding was done to the plates and the drag plates are thus attached. I wish I was home I would shoot you a picture of this but it worked very well with no welding or drilling on the frame

 

[wreckerman893]

It is not a good idea to burn holes or weld to a frame rail.
It buggers the temper of the metal.
If you have to have a hole use a BF drill, preferably a slow one with a new, sharp bit.
It will take a while but can save a lot of grief over frame failure.

 

[gimpyrobb]

They have very reasonable prices at Peterbuilt of Cincinnati for big U bolts and all kinds of stuff. Maybe look at a shop near you.

 

[WillWagner]

You can drill the frame rails, just don't drill, cut or weld on the flanges. Side = OK, top or bottom = not OK.

 

[Jones]

Like Kenny and David say; a plate on the opposite side of the bracket will reinforce any bolt hole you drill through the frame. In the case of a single hole, large diameter washers under the head and nut are best. If you're setting up a pattern of holes then a plate with the same pattern works as well. If you can afford one, or know someone who has one, a magnetic base drill is the only way to go for BIG holes. I did the baby HEMTT's cab and front skid plate mounts and the spring perch mounts with one set up for roto bits and it sure made life worth living again; especially for holes on the horizontal or up from the underside.
TIP: If backing up a bolt and nut with flat washers, use self-locking nuts. If you use lock washers, you're only locking the nut or bolt to the washer, not the frame. Lock washers are fine if you're using a backing plate with several holes as it won't spin on you like a washer will.

 

[acetomatoco]

Most of the commercial headache racks I have seen are U bolted around the frame section with no welding or cutting of the frames needed...check out some at the local truckstops...Petes, Navis, Western Stars etc.

 

[BFR]

Re: RE: deuce frame attachment

Yeah, you shoulda told me a few weeks before the GA rally.

I had resigned myself to not having a rack as it is temporary, but a good bit of free steel just found it's way to me.

 

[spicergear]

RE: Re: RE: deuce frame attachment

I had to drill 24, 5/8" holes thru my frame when I mounted the M977 crane and outriggers. I took two drill sizes before I got to the 5/8" drill bit. That way I only needed to use a BF drill for the last size hole. I only broke one drill bit when the BF snagged and popped off a 5/8" bit. You will not enjoy the time you spend doing that. ...in any way. ...really. ...I wouldn't kid you about that.

 

[BobS]

RE: Re: RE: deuce frame attachment

http://www.toolfetch.com/Category--Magnetic_Drills_Cutters--4270-21.shtml

These are the same frame drills used in most shops that modify truck frames. The cutters are also available (they are not really drill bits-they are a modified end mill and cut much better) for a price (IIRC last ones I bought were about 28.00 each).

Best regards,

Bob

 

[Blythewoodjoe]

RE: Re: RE: deuce frame attachment

What's a BF drill? I have drilled lots of frame but never used anything but a standard 1/2" drill motor and my big old butt.

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: Re: RE: deuce frame attachment

"BF" = big frigging?

 

[rmgill]

I didn't have too much trouble drilling the frame for my second fuel tank's mounting arms. 8 bolt holes with a titanium coated bit cut pretty quick, even with a battery powered drill. Just make sure that what is behind isn't going to be cut by the drill bit when it gets through (electrical wires being the most delicate).

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

I have a BF drill, it is a #3 MT with a 1 inch pipe handle opposite the long switch handle which has a paddle switch. It is older than dirt, I watched as my Father and Grandfather used it to drill holes in prestressed concrete beams on our farm. All I know is it sounds like a duece when running (the whine) and if it catches a bid on a spur it will turn me around if I can hold on. The thing only spins at about 150 RPM but it has never ever slowed down drilling through anything. When I get home I will post a picture of it but that won't be till 2008

 

[nickd]

David's type of drill is also called a widow maker in the trade for obvious reasons!

 

[ajg6989]

I used a black and decker titanium drill bit and a Craftsman 19.2 volt cordless drill to install my civilian reese hitch below the frame in the rear.

 

[gimpyrobb]

David, I have a drill just like that! It has some kind of gear reduction and will rip your hands off if you catch a snag in something. The only time mine slows down is when I let go of the trigger. Can't tell you how many times I have had to put a new cord on that sucker.

 

[mangus580]

I had a drill like that clear me right off the back corner of the M116A1..... was drilling through the deck when it caught. The spinning drill made my hand lock the trigger on its way around, tossed me from the trailer and spun until it yanked the cord out. I had bruises to prove it for a month.

 

[Armada]

I fractured my wrist on one of those once. I was boring a hole through a sill plate and it caught. I was off balance to begin with and it put me on my face and wrapped my hand around it. Man did that hurt.