class 8 frame streching

[BBarry]

I have a 77' IH Transtar cabover. The truck has a fairly short wheelbase and 34,000 lbs rears on four spring suspension which equals lousy ride. I want to strech the frame about six feet and upgrade to 46,000lbs full locking rears with air ride.



My guest is the easiest way to go about this is to get a set of cut offs from a parts truck and splice the cut off into the IH frame complete with all the suspension and everything intact. If we can sneak the truck into the erecting shop where my friend works is there any reason we can't do this ourselves? If the frames are welded together and plated properly there should be no problems with the frame right?





Brendan

 

[Truckie]

I don't see a problem with doing what you want, but the welding of the fram won't work. From my understanding you will weaken the fram by welding on it, and the twisting and flexing will brake and crack the fram. So you will have to plate it and nut and bolt it.





MIKE

 

[truckstom]

We did it on a '69 KW a few years back. But we just added a section, cut it in half between the back of the sleeper and the front drives, separated, then added new frame rails... went from 210'' to 275'' welded plated and bolted. still runnin' the hi-way today... I wasn't there thru the whole process, but I drove that truck many miles after the "stretch"

 

[RHARVEY]

My buddy "Z" cut the frame on his Peterbilt and added a section of frame to stretch it out. What they did do was use a rosebud on a torch to heat the frame where they wanted to weld it. . The truck has been on the road a long time and has not given any problems...



Rick

 

[BBarry]

Thanks for the replys. The middle of the tractors frame is about 12 inches deep so I think I will get plenty of donor frame and notch into the original deep section lengthwise.



Truckstom did you weld plates over the joints and bolt them also or just weld the joint and then bolt the plates over the joint?

 

[truckstom]

BBarry,

They welded the frame together, then "fishplated" it with bolts.