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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 11 hours ago
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I own a 1978 white western star with an alluminum frame and would like to stretch it. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I have been to the salvage yards and they dont have any alum frame to speak of. Does anyone know if you can even get any made? Does anyone know anyone that has any good alum rail? I know this is a rare breed and bit off more than i can chew but would like to try to go foreward with it. Any other ideas to doing this would be considered too. I am also working on a budget so breaking the bank is not an option.
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Post #54862
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 2 minutes ago
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Aluminum frames have not been very popular since the late 70's. Anything you'll find in a scrap yard is going to be plagued with electrolosys wherever steel touched the frame. Chances are, your frame is already significantly weakened by electrolosys as well. New aluminum rails will be extremely expensive. Given the cost, I'd think you'd be better to get a new set of steel rails made. The only reliable way I am aware of to splice an aluminum frame is to use steel inner channels. Joining the aluminum rails will be very challenging and requires someone who is very good at welding structural aluminum beam and channel, and I wouldn't even consider doing it if there is ever a chance of pulling a trailer or carrying a load of any kind. A frame breaking could be a catastrophic failure and get you (or worse yet others) hurt.
Dan
www.stlouisdumptrucks.com
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Post #54864
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: Yesterday @ 4:29:09 PM
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Good luck buddy i feel for you. Have you done any thinking on how you will be welding it.
glenn akers
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Post #54868
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 11 hours ago
Posts: 14,
Visits: 100
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Thanks for the info! My frame has had a steel insert at the rear for a gravel box! thereis some corrosion but not much. the frame is in real good condition otherwise. No i don't intend to haul anything with it Just trying to restore. Still in the info stage at this point. Still looking for any outfits that can even do the work on alum frames. no luck so far. Changing to steel rails will be probably my only route but also costly. Thanks again for your response
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Post #54869
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 11 hours ago
Posts: 14,
Visits: 100
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I'm still looking into outfits that will weld this for me! I found an outfit that used to do it but cause of certain regulations now they no longer can. They said they would have no problem adding to the frame with using an alum or steel insert and bolting the addition on.
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Post #54875
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 5/6/2010 11:25:21 AM
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I've been through a few junkyards and all of the aluminum frames I've seen so far have been cracked or bent pretty bad but I'll keep my eye's open for any decent ones. Where are you located?
Will Work For Truck Parts!
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Post #54876
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 11 hours ago
Posts: 14,
Visits: 100
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Hey thanks! I'm in Spruce Grove Alberta Canada. If your in the states it may be the only place to even find alum rails in good shape. It will be cheaper to ship than have new ones made. Steel or alum. I'm looking for roughly 30 ft per rail if all in good shape. Will take 20 ft in good rail to add on to my exsisting rails.
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Post #54877
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 2 hours ago
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Post #54879
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 4/24/2010 12:15:11 AM
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Post #54880
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Group: Forum User
Last Login: 5 hours ago
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I really hate to discourage you. But by the time you consider cutting prepping and making 4 welds in the frame then even if I were to do it I would put a sleave in it. Without stripping therails completely out of the truck to do the job so you can weld in the best position for aluminum first the rails should be cleaned to look like aluminum straight from the foundry,then the rails should be placed in an oven then after making the welds they must be x-rayed and ultra sound tested some sample coupons should be sent for strength and fatigue testing then returned to the oven, even after that you will have to install a sleve and bolt it in place. yes you might find some one who is a structural aluminum welder but I doubt if they will do so without a sworn statement in front of an atturney stating they are not to be held responcible if a failer occours. You can ask some on here who have stetched the frames in their trucks recently about how much it can cost to do a splice in steel rails then multiply that by 5 minimum. I have welded up several large cracks in aluminum frames and it took 5 to 10 times as long to weld them up as it would a crack in a steel rail if I did the job right that is.
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Post #54887
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