Welding on Frame OK???

[MRiley]

Hey all. My buddy just got one of the '07 3500 6. 7's, nice truck. But my question is this: when he took it to the shop to have the 5er hitch put in they welded the brackets to the frame!!! Is this OK? The trailer shop told him it was only the earler models and only specific spots on the frame. My shop told me that you should never weld on the new frame. Did the shop just toast his frame? He is really concerned at this point.

Thanks

MIKE

 

[WUnderwood]

weld it! no worries

 

[JHardwick]

My goose plate has been welded in for over 325,000 miles, probably 250,000 of those miles with a trailer hooked to it ... ... ..... and not all of those highway miles either.

 

[MRiley]

I remember that the 3 gen trucks had a specific No Drill and No Weld when the first came out. Did Dodge fix that or am I just way confused?

 

[JEstes]

I don't know for certain about the no weld/ no drill thing, but I would assume they were doing that for liability protection and for rust prevention. If someone drills the right sized hole in the wrong spot you can weaken the frame.

 

[nickleinonen]

there was a spec put out where you could drill & weld. . no drilling or welding on the top/bottom of the frame. in the web, you could drill & weld if you were X" from the edges. . need to find the pdf file on that...



TSB 13-001-03

 

[Grizzly]

I don't know about the 07, but my 05's Owners Guide says, NO WELDING ON FRAME.

 

[KParsons]

welding

if you know what you are doing . its not a big thing. . the frame will not fall a part, if the proper welding and drilling is done. kp

 

[JHardwick]

Biggest thing is not to burn a big ole 1/8" 7018 into the thin hydroformed frame like you used to be able to on the thicker "C" channel frame.



No auto manufacturer has ever recommended welding or drilling on their frames for obvious reasons.

 

[bighammer]

Biggest thing is not to burn a big ole 1/8" 7018 into the thin hydroformed frame like you used to be able to on the thicker "C" channel frame.

No auto manufacturer has ever recommended welding or drilling on their frames for obvious reasons.

What he's saying here is you don't want ME doing any welding on your frame.

 

[MAshley]

Is this a back yard shop or a highly reputable place? I would be surprised that you had to weld to get the hitch installed, I would think most if not all hitch manufactures have a bolt in option for there hitches. Mostly it makes it hard for you to sell it in the future and there are no bolts that you have to verify tourq on. Remember a quality weld doesn't break, the metal around the weld does... . Personally I would be pretty ****** off, but in the end if you have no issues its not a big deal , but if you do, your screwed.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

I remember that the 3 gen trucks had a specific No Drill and No Weld when the first came out. Did Dodge fix that or am I just way confused?

I don't know about the 07, but my 05's Owners Guide says, NO WELDING ON FRAME.

True! I remember somehwere reading that the steel used on the frames now that they are boxed in is different than that of the c chanel frames. I seem to remember the metal's properties change when welded and the steel becomes brittle in two temerature rings surrounding the welded area. Under several tests they had shown a section of frame that had developed stress cracks that spiraled outward from the weld's centerline. I gotta find it it was really interesting.

 

[MRiley]

Is this a back yard shop or a highly reputable place? I would think most if not all hitch manufactures have a bolt in option for there hitches.

First Thanks to all for the replys. I question the shop. I stopped going there a long time ago because of what I felt was just poor work. I have an 01 and the hitch was a bolt on. So I have to believe that there is one for the 07 as well. I agree with the others that it greatly depends on the skill of the welder but I also remember that early on in the 3rd gen life there was a no weld policy as mentioned by Grizzly. At this point by buddy is pretty bent is really wondering if the shop just screwed him and his new truck!

 

[CUMMINZ]

FIX for 07 dually Reese frame mount

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/towing-hauling-rv-forum/185972-fix-07-dually-reese-frame-mount.html

 

[kparker]

At KORE, we have probably welded a couple of miles worth of TIG and MIG beads on these trucks. We have never experienced any problems.



KP

 

[CUMMINZ]

I personally don't think we would have any problems welding on frames if done right. And it would be a real shame for one of use to do bunches of frame welding on our frame and then go into a snappy DC dealer for a broken axle or drive shaft or something minor that costs a bunch and them to deny a warranty claim because they voided our warranty on grounds of welding the frame.



CUMMINZ#@$%!

 

[MStrain]

I don't know, welding on to thick steel beams, the truck is liable to snap in half on the highway. Really though I don't see how some beads of weld can affect anything, it is probably gonna make the frame stronger.

 

[JHardwick]

I would be more afraid of improperly bolting something up and crushing the box than properly welding.

 

[CUMMINZ]

I have been in the railroad industry for 35 years. EVERY line truck I have seen that had frame problems, cracks in frame, broken frames, etc. were directly related to welds on the frame. I also doubt that placing weight on a 5er/ball hitch in the bed would result in frame failure. Placing 5k of load in the front of a pickup bed or on the rear of the bed or bumper tow hitch that was way overloaded would be the worst case. DC re-inforces their frames right behind the cab for a reason.



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[CUMMINZ]

One rule

Across Bottom flange welds should be a NoNo

Across Top flange welds are not as critical

Vertical Web welds are usually a NoNo

Horizontal Web welds are not as critical. .



And depending on whether bottom flange is in compression or tension do the rules apply.