Frame Shortening

[benhall]

I picked up an 82 Crew Cab dually to do a conversion on. My question is, how difficult will it be to shorten the frame up to turn it into a short box?



Ben

 

[SRadke]

It shouldn't be a big deal. Any good welder or welding shop can do the frame work then it's down to shortening the driveline, brake lines, and fuel lines. If it has the side saddle fuel tanks that may pose a problem for you though.



-Scott

 

[jlast]

why, long box is the hardest frame to find. Looks better then the short box.



buy a short box frame or trade for one. IMHO its doesnt make sense to own a short box, buy an s10, ranger, or something.



they have those ugly ass F*** explorer truck do hickie.

 

[GOLIATHGMC]

I couldn't agree more...

Why on earth would you want to ruin a CC truck by making it shorter? I actually saw a truck like you are proposing once... on EBay... . It just looked odd. I have an '85 GMC CrewCab, and I wouldn't be without the 8 footer. Perhaps you should consider a CC S-10 or one of those FURD StupidCrew creations. But then again - I love my 21'6" CC Long bed - perhaps I am a bit biased

George

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Originally posted by SRadke

It shouldn't be a big deal. Any good welder or welding shop can do the frame work then it's down to shortening the driveline, brake lines, and fuel lines-Scott

I would not suggest welding the frame back together, most frame shops will bolt the frames when doing frame extensions due to the weakpoint formed when welding on the tempered frame rails.

I guess to each own as far as shortening a long bed CC, I wonder if you couldn't just look for a suburban frame to put the cab on? I saw a few of these in use for loggers after they destroyed the suburban bodies, and the their crew cab trucks were driveline dead. Looked like an airport tug truck with four doors. I can see a few uses for this, but I would tend to be careful of cutting down the frame as much as you will need to do to get a short box on it, they are shorter both before and after the rear axle. This will require two seperate grafts and leave you with a really weak rear section to do anything short of light loads and gooseneck pulled