Frames On Big Rigs

[wild_chld81]

Can anyone help me? I want to stretch a frame on my next peterbilt build. Any info would be great. Thank you

[SpreadAxle]

Usually when the real thing is stretched, the frame is cut somewhere ahead of the drive axles, but usually it's close to the back, or even under the sleeper, depending on who's doing it. Depending on how long you make the truck, make sure the rails are reinforced, and add a crossmember in the new section. Try to make your cuts where thing like fuel tanks or frame mounted tool boxes will cover up at least one of the points where you section in the new piece of frame. I try to use a section of another truck kits frame. In other words, to stretch a kewnworth, I cut another kenworth's frame down for what I need. You can use some Evergreen/Plastruct for rails as well. I just use truck frames to be sure to have bolt details, and the exact same rail size. Good luck.

[wild_chld81]

thank you so much. all of your info is greatly appriciated.

[Rick]

Everything FlatbedKW said to do are all great guidelines for a stretch (or chop), but I usually add a piece of .010 plastic sheet cut to fit snugly to the inside of the frame rails for some added strength.

I usually make it long enough to fit between the crossmembers, so unless you are specificly looking for the splice, it is not easy to see.

Rick

[SpreadAxle]

What Rick showed in his pic is an example of the frame reinforcement I was talking about. That is a very good job as far as what you can see in the pic. This gives added strength. I always like a crossmember nearby to help keep things even, but this is a must for a really long frame especially. I don't know what the project is, but if you're like me, I lift my truck models by their frame just behind the cab, sleeper, so I deinately like to make sure that area is solid for when the truck must be handled.

[SpreadAxle]

Come to think of it, and I just remembered this, if you look at my Ford LN 8000 hot shot posts, you can see my frame, which is still unpainted. That was the long frame of the Ford Shorthauler van chopped down for a tractor. You can see the green putty spot on the rails where I rejoined the shortened sections of rail. At the time, I didn't reinforce, but it has held. It is a short farme though. Definately reinforce a stretched frame without question.