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Rusted frame - Repair or scrap the truck?


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I was just told that the double frame on my '86 DM688S is rusted too bad to pass inspection.  The truck is a log truck so the middle of the frame near the loader has been oiled by leaks from the loader and looks like new but the area from just in front of the axles to behind the axles is spread by rust pretty badly.  I'm figuring that my best bet is to look for another truck to put my loader and bunks on however there are plenty of shorter trucks like dump trucks but not many as long as is needed for a log truck.  I know that trucks are stretched and shortened all the time so the know how and frame material is out there, but is it practical to either replace the frame from the middle to the rear or graft in the rear half of another truck?  The truck is shabby but the drivetrain and suspension etc seems pretty solid.  Thanks for any advice.

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Contact PG Adams in VT for a quote on new rail sections. Since it's a double frame you cut outer rails shorter than inner ones. Than you weld new sections to the inners and another pair to the outers having overlap.

Also check out this. Looks like not too far away from your place.

 

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Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012

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My 1980 DM686SX has  two 3/8th inch rails. Rust jacking is a awful. Last 8 feet of the top rail: outer rail is cracked along the transition from sidewall to flange; inner rail top flange is just rust cancer.  Nothing substantial left. And our trucks don't go out much in winter.

If yours hasn't cracked yet you might be able to save it. Pull one side of the frame out at a time, separate the rails clean and paint, then reinstall and then do the other side. It's a chore but the trucks not going anywhere anyways. Cost is roughly $1,000 in new bolts, plus one or two possibly cracked crossmembers, plus sandblasting and paint + your time.  

Edited by JoeH
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Its bad, but like ws721 said if it's a good truck and you like it it's probably cheaper to fix than to replace. Question is whether or not fixing it is worth it to you.

Some people dig out the rust by beating on the rails and vibrating them to shake the rust out, but that doesn't get the rust out at the bend in the flange. If you take it apart you may find holes in one rail or the other, or paper thin rails. All that rust came from your rails, so they're thinner than they were when they left the factory. Thinner & weaker.

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There's  actually three rails in that picture,the frame that the trunnion stand bolts to is there,it looks like hell but if it's not cracked yet and u cleaned it up and painted the chit out of it and stoped further rust it might last a good while,the top/outside rail has plenty of meat left on it or it just might be a good time to upgrade to a newer truck if you don't trust it..

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15 minutes ago, MACKS said:

There's  actually three rails in that picture,the frame that the trunnion stand bolts to is there,it looks like hell but if it's not cracked yet and u cleaned it up and painted the chit out of it and stoped further rust it might last a good while,the top/outside rail has plenty of meat left on it or it just might be a good time to upgrade to a newer truck if you don't trust it..

No, right where the nickel is is only a double frame.  Before I bought it there was a plate 6-8' long put on the outside of each frame rail that is the bolt heads you see.  The end of the trunnion stand can just be seen in the bottom right of the photo.  

KIMG0128.JPG

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That's a rusty truck,every thing is rusted,all the fittings brake cans ect,I would upgrade to a newer truck and right off the bat paint the hell out of the rails and follow up at least once a year,u must work in some harsh environment...good luck

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Apart from the rails everything else just looks like standard surface rust. Macks was thinking it had what we call an Eagle at the trunnion. It's basically a 3rd rail that goes inside the frame at the trunnion, and acts like a gusset to keep everything square. My DM686SX has it, because it has the 55k springs. But yours is an S, with the 44k cameback, which doesn't need the Eagle. (Called an Eagle because of the taper) you can see the rear of the eagle on my DM in this picture. As well as what's going to happen to your frame any day now from the rust. Only reason yours is not cracked yet is there's no stress on it from weight sitting on it.

KIMG0221~2.JPG

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