chassis help?

[powdie]

I have built a few trucks, but I have tried to shorten and lengthen frames, simply cutting and glueing never is quite enough, advice please? P.S. I would like to have a long framed cabover with a dromdeck, and also have built up a few sleepers, for conventionals, but my frames never seem to stand up,HELP!lol

[Aaronw]

What I do when I shorten or lengthen a frame is offset the cuts, maybe an inch or so. That way the weak points are not right across from each other, then I reinforce the cut area with thin pieces of styrene. Making the frame longer is a little trickier since there are twice as many weak points but the same basic method works, it just needs a little more reinforcement.

This is the frame on a 1950 Chevy pickup I lengthend about 3/4", if you look closely you can see where I boxed in the frame rails. The added section is near the muffler.

Edited October 1, 2007 by Aaronw

[mackinac359]

In addition to plastic as reinforcing inside the frame rail, you can epoxy brass into the rail from about 1/2 inch before the splice to 1/2 inch after the splice.

Tim

[crashalot2]

I put channel from plastruct or evergreen inside the frame for shortening them. to make longer do the same but add new parts of channel the same size as the frame. Also you can make new frame rails from channel .

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

What's goin' on...

A few years ago I built a GMC Astro w/ a scratchbuilt drom. I used the GMC General chassis,engine,driveline,and suspension and it worked well.

[Old Albion]

Its a pity that we cann't buy frame rail of the correct sections from plastruct or evergreen. We could just buy what ever lengths we wanted and then cut them to size. Still leaves the problems of all those bolt heads and other details. Just a thought.

[crashalot2]

Its a pity that we cann't buy frame rail of the correct sections from plastruct or evergreen. We could just buy what ever lengths we wanted and then cut them to size. Still leaves the problems of all those bolt heads and other details. Just a thought.

You can get I-beam that is the right size and remove one side so you will have channel .

[Aaronw]

You can get I-beam that is the right size and remove one side so you will have channel .

You can get C channel too, the problem I've found is frames usually are not just straight, they have bends and such making it ossible but a ral pain to make a whole frame.

I noticed AITM is selling resin truck frames now, I think I'll try one out the next time I order. It would be nice if someone would offer a chassis / running gear only kit. AMT would probably do well if they sold the Ford C or Ford Louisville that way, those kits seem to be very popular to use with resin cabs.

[crashalot2]

You can get C channel too, the problem I've found is frames usually are not just straight, they have bends and such making it ossible but a ral pain to make a whole frame.

I noticed AITM is selling resin truck frames now, I think I'll try one out the next time I order. It would be nice if someone would offer a chassis / running gear only kit. AMT would probably do well if they sold the Ford C or Ford Louisville that way, those kits seem to be very popular to use with resin cabs.

The only truck frame I can think of thats not straight is some Macks

[powdie]

thanks for the tips , I will be sure to try a few of them