Need help/advice with Dodge frame repair for Hitch

[WANNAWELD]

I bought a 93 dodge 3/4ton cummins and the hitch that was on it was ripped out of the back bolts due to too much tongue weight. I think the previous owner used the the wrong hitch and just drilled more holes in the frame making it weaker? How should I go about repairing the frame so I could bolt on another hitch?

[aczeller]

if you can get your hands on some 1/4" plate, or maybe even some 3/16... either break it into a c-channel, or weld it into a box frame... make it slide in between the top and bottom legs on the already existing frame rails. tack it, then add a cross-member between the new rail pieces... tack that, make sure all is square, then run your welds. i tend to stop every once in a while to check it for square. obviously, make sure you get all the wonderful ferrous oxide/ferric oxide out of there first tho.

that's how "I" would do it anyway... there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Later,
Andy

[David R]

If you plate it, you can plug weld all those holes.

You can weld the hitch to the truck too.

David

[tanglediver]

You have some options, but you also have some decisions to make. You can buy a ready made hitch for the truck and make it work. (That would be my preference.) Or, you can make the whole thing from scratch. (That depends on your confidence and skill.)
If it were me, I would come up with a plan that does not even depend on that bad hole for strength, then you can fix the hole or forget it, either way.
For instance, extending the support forward on either inside or outside or both sides will add lots of strength. If you can fabricate well, you could come up with a bolt on system and avoid frame welds altogether. I had some challenges building a hitch for my pops '72 Chevy, the ready made hitch did not fit, so I custom fit some adapter plates to use only existing bolt holes. I don't know if those holes were factory or not either. That hitch could be welded in place for increased rigidity and strength, but I opted to avoid doing that at the time.

[zapster]

Originally Posted by David R

You can weld the hitch to the truck too.

David

Not around here anyway..
Must be bolted or they will make you drop the trailer right here and now and thats that!

Been there done that in the early '80S with the race car..

...zap!

[David R]

Zap, I will check tomorrow, I have NYS insp laws at work.

I just put a pintle in a trailer. It said on the shank "Preheat before welding". That isn't on the truck though.

David.

[WANNAWELD]

I plan on stick welding it I have 6011 or 7018 which one would be better for welding on the frame? Is the frame just mild steel?

[aczeller]

7018 will have greater strength (70K yield strength) over the 6011 (60K). the frame should just be mild steel. i do not believe that anyone started using any special grades of steel until at least 2000.

Later,
Andy

[Mondo]

Originally Posted by zapster

Not around here anyway..
Must be bolted or they will make you drop the trailer right here and now and thats that!

Been there done that in the early '80S with the race car..

...zap!

I am not challenging you, but for informational purposes, can you cite the specific law or regulation that covers this?

-Mondo

[zapster]

Originally Posted by Mondo

I am not challenging you, but for informational purposes, can you cite the specific law or regulation that covers this?

-Mondo

Nope.
Lived the adventure in real life..

It Sucked.

...zap!

[David R]

New york state inspection website. For cars and light trucks.

"Chassis/frame - check for breaks, cracks, or severe rust at the suspension attachment points. "

That is ALL it says.

I have to check for trucks at the shop. It does have a section on coupling devices.

David

[David R]

7018 has more forgiveness than 6011. 7018 is a low hydrogen (Idunno how to speel it) rod.

David

[WANNAWELD]

Ok so I finally got ready to do my project yesterday and i could not bend the lower frame back to its original position. ( The pics dont really show how far its off the bottom lip is pulled downward) There is a large gap when i put the new steel over itso, Is it ok to heat up the frame so i could bend it back it to position? Does heating up and bending weaken the steel??

[aczeller]

how exactly did you try to bend it back? i don't believe that heating it, bending it, then letting it cool naturally (not quenching it) would harm the steel enough to worry about. if you quench it, it will get hard and brittle.

if it were me, i would try blocking it with a piece of wood or other metal channel to help form it, then wrap a ratchet-strap around the old frame rail. as you tighten it, the metal should squeeze back around the "form board" or the new metal that you just put in. you could also try jacking up the frame at the end of the bend. that would put some weight pushing down, while the jack is pushing up. if you have to, "persuade it" with a 12 lb sledge

Later,
Andy

[denrep]

Hello Wannaweld,

It's okay to warm it up, you don't have much other choice.

I think that for this repair I wouldn't weld at all. I would get a chunk of frame rail from a big truck and cut one flange off, so that it's "L" shaped. I would bolt and nut the "L" to the outside of the Dodge frame, using flanged frame bolts.

Plenty of short frame scrap at truck shops. Other methods would work also.

Good Luck

[WANNAWELD]

My hammer is too small and my jack is too short I like the idea about the scrap frame but unfortunately we dont have a truck shop in the area that I know of?? I do have a oxy/act torch so i just wanted to make sure since it will be the anchor piont for a type V hitch

[aczeller]

Originally Posted by WANNAWELD

My hammer is too small and my jack is too short

AHHH... the story of my life. LMFAO...

get the jack as close as you can to the frame rail by stacking wood blocks under it. 4x4's and/or 4x6's should do the trick. just make sure it's a stable base (biggest blocks on the bottom, smallest on top).

as far as the hammer goes, a smaller one would be fine... it'll just take you longer. make sure you wear ear protection.

it would be easier if you heat the frame (as previously mentioned) and beat on it. there isn't a really good way that i can think of doing this without some sort of "heat-n-beat" involved. one tip tho, heat only the bend point (the corner). this will keep the other portion(s) of the frame strong enough to pound on, but the corner will soften a little to allow the bend.

Later,
Andy