Wow....this is crazy.

[EDankievitch]

You can clearly see where the frame broke at the weld in that video.
Those carbon fiber windmill blades can be ground up and the materials recycled. Just like fiberglass boats. It’s not cheap. But it can be done.

 

[NIsaacs]

You can clearly see where the frame broke at the weld in that video.

I agree. Right at the factory pickup bed mount, so, factory weld.

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[bcbender]

Looks also like where the rear frame section is joined to the front frame sections, (I'll have to look on mine later where the lap joint is relative to the front mount but I think mine is farther forward). Either way, in Ram's defense, a pallet of shingles is 1~1.5 Tons.. so two of them could be 6000Lbs on the rear axle and that FB is longer than the std 8' bed that would've been std on a 3500. Im not saying its right or it should've broke, but there seems to be a common thread here of overloading (or potential overloading) and abuse that may not have been part of the design requirements. All the cases I've seen so far seem to appear to be fatigue failure from cyclic reversed loading of the frame. FWIW I ran many AG related crews in farming areas and the general staff we hired did not care or consider how they used (or abused) equipment... I saw and learned more about how things could be broke (on trucks, tractors, etc) working with them than on any career since,

 

[NIsaacs]

Good job on saving a still photo of the video. I couldn't figure out how. I saved yours to my desktop and zoomed in on it and it clearly has been broke for a while, about the top 25%. So, who knows what they have hauled in the past.

 

[06 Dodge]

View attachment 136426

Looks also like where the rear frame section is joined to the front frame sections, (I'll have to look on mine later where the lap joint is relative to the front mount but I think mine is farther forward). Either way, in Ram's defense, a pallet of shingles is 1~1.5 Tons.. so two of them could be 6000Lbs on the rear axle and that FB is longer than the std 8' bed that would've been std on a 3500. Im not saying its right or it should've broke, but there seems to be a common thread here of overloading (or potential overloading) and abuse that may not have been part of the design requirements. All the cases I've seen so far seem to appear to be fatigue failure from cyclic reversed loading of the frame. FWIW I ran many AG related crews in farming areas and the general staff we hired did not care or consider how they used (or abused) equipment... I saw and learned more about how things could be broke (on trucks, tractors, etc) working with them than on any career since,

At least its and easy fix . All one need to fix it is to slide a big chunk of solid steel into the hollow frame ( if possible at least 24 inches on each side of the brake) then drill some bolt holes insert HD bolts and its as good as new

 

[bcbender]

Good job on saving a still photo of the video. I couldn't figure out how. I saved yours to my desktop and zoomed in on it and it clearly has been broke for a while, about the top 25%. So, who knows what they have hauled in the past.

Yeah.. considering the team, the industry, and the likelihood that truck has had a hard life who knows was kind of my thought. Clearly a chassis cab would be a better option for that use, but they'll write it off and slide that bed onto another one by the end of the week.

 

[NIsaacs]

It can always be worse

 

[kthaxton]

Weak frame, should be covered under warranty.

 

[HookMeUp]

If you look closely at the video, there is no frame. Looks like the only thing holding the front and rear together was the bell housing.

 

[BSeyler]

If you look closely at the video, there is no frame. Looks like the only thing holding the front and rear together was the bell housing.

That's how many tractors are made. I was taught to always run the chain clear back to the drawbar when pulling like that.

 

[GAmes]

I'm wondering why there was someone there to record the event. Were they expecting something to break?

 

[AH64ID]

I'm wondering why there was someone there to record the event. Were they expecting something to break?

People record everything these days.

 

[Gearclash]

It can always be worse

You’d be surprised how many tractors have been broken in half -- and not just little putt putts such as in that video.

 

[Wiredawg]

I'll bet he had it in mid range vs low range, had the throttle maxxed, AND dumped the clutch, and he needed front end weights. Also combination of twisting torque and a nice hard bounce broke it. Compound forces in two leveraging motions. Crazy.

 

[Dl5treez]

The big wire rope from the tractor to that crane didn’t help either.

 

[kthaxton]

The big wire rope from the tractor to that crane didn’t help either.

Yeah, I bet that was the biggest contributor!

 

[NIsaacs]

 

[Topzide]

Willing to bet that the stud were over torqued and have been stretched! That why Ram had that recall on our trucks with the torque value changed for the wheel studs. Doesn't look like factory wheel. All newer vehicles require a certain torque value to keep brake rotors from warping. Aluminum wheels add to that issue! Low speed going on and finish with torque wrench to final. Those newer digital torque adapters are great, allow you to use a beaker bar! Set the torque and listen or watch lights to get to value. Loud beep on the one I have and pretty easy to hear. Able to hear it over ringing in my ears from the days long past!

 

[BigPapa]

Willing to bet that the stud were over torqued and have been stretched!

Or, maybe, they just left the lug nuts loose?

 

[NIsaacs]

Other videos appear to show the rotor still attached, so maybe a wheel bearing failure? You would think they would have heard or felt something going on.