Inadequate Frame on 3500 Dualies?????

[hammersley]

Has anybody heard about the issue with frame cracking and mfg's not putting flatbeds on the 3500 dualies due to the frame issue???????

 

[Bertram65]

I have heard of not being able to order a dually with bed delete but I have never heard of any frames cracking.

 

[Jgoldsberry]

Has anybody heard about the issue with frame cracking and mfg's not putting flatbeds on the 3500 dualies due to the frame issue???????

You must have been talkin to a FORD dearler... .

 

[GFritsch]

Might be talking about not being able to drill holes in the hyro-formed frame. This might lead to a crack. Could be a flat bed conversion would require drilling?

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

There is a TSB out about where and how to drill if you need to drill.

 

[John - K5AWO]

I don't believe the part about not being able to delete the box. I saw several Dodge trucks the other day without any boxes on any of them. They were on an auto-hauler heading down the road.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I don't believe the part about not being able to delete the box. I saw several Dodge trucks the other day without any boxes on any of them. They were on an auto-hauler heading down the road.

It isn't that an owner can't REMOVE the box and put on another - it's just that they supposedly can't be ORDERED without a box as you can a Ford, and maybe a GM...

 

[ata]

Chev and Ford can both be ordered without a box. I don't know about 2003 and 2004 Dodges. But up to 2002 Dodge would not warranty any frame with any kind of modification. And yes they do crack the frames between the rear spring hangers with service equipment mounted on them.

 

[Bertram65]

The '03 and up are completely different frames than the 2nd gen. When you say they crack frames are you referring to 3rd gen trucks or 2nd gen?

 

[jelag]

I just ordered an 05... . there is a bed delete on the order sheet... but you get 500 bucks off at retail and 363 or some such number off of invoice... .



I do intend to change my 04 into a flat bed... and I'm thinking of lengthing the frame 2' to allow a 10 ft flat bed to fit... .



Jim

 

[ata]

1Gen's and 2Gen's frames, 3Gen's havn't been around long enough to see yet. Don't get me wrong I'm talking about Service trucks. Some of these guys that drive them could break anything.

 

[KHogan]

Jelag is correct: there is most certainly a delete box on the order sheet for a bed delete and a DRW delete (i. e. , go to SRW) as well for credit. It was there on the '04 order sheet as well.

 

[SKargo]

You can only delete the pickup box, when ordered in conjunction with the srw group. You can't get dual rear wheels, and have the box deleted. When you click on box delete, an "r" pops up next to the SRW option, signifying a required option.

 

[Diesel Nut]

So just buy the truck with a bed and sell the bed to a dismantler when you put on the flatbed. Thats what I did. The flatbed installed to my factory bed mounts, so no drilling or welding to the frame was required. Kinda slick set up.

I'll tell ya one thing that isn't up to par on these trucks - the beds. When I converted to the flatbed my factory bed was hammered. The floor was sagging between support stringers like an 85 ford ranch truck. Yeah, I used the truck, but dang, that bed just didn't have the support. Heaviest thing I hauled was 55 gallon barrrels of pig feed, 300lbs a pop. And some hay. Suspension does great but that bed wouldn't have lasted 2 more years. No way.