Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

I dont have a pictures so Ill try to describe it as best as possible.

About 7" behind the tranny crossmember on the drivers side the frame looks funky. By funky I mean not this shape --> ] Its like the bottom flat part of the rail just sags.

Its not damaged, it looks like it was made that way which puzzles me.

Excuse the crudeness of this drawing but my camera isnt working.
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/3376/35863964lp3.png



Thanks for all the help,

Wes

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

yes

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

i believe this was catalytic converts? i could be wrong tho

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

That is correct . I think GM got lazy or something around 1980 or so and the driver side frame rail looks like that . Looks weak to me also but I have seen Many trucks like that . Must be some sort of crumple zone built into the frame to aid in a crash . Frank

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

Mines a 80 also and its the same way,

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

It's not that GM was lazy. If they were lazy, they wouldn't build a die to bend a straight frame.

The bend is there to give clearance the for the catalytic converter. The original GM pellet type converters were huge and got really hot. The bend was to keep that section of frame away from the cat.

My 75 Gentleman Jim has it all the way up to the 87 diesel I used to have (even though it didn't have a cat, the frame was the same as the rest...)

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

Thanks for all the quick replies everyone.

So if I ever wanted to lay frame would I have to bend that? or leave it?

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

That was a good question, and good answer, when i got mine we thought it was hit or pulled out of ditch, we had to heat it and flatin it out when we lowered it

Re: Is the frame supposed to be like this???
 

Haha I assumed the same about mine and was wondering if there was something I wasnt told about by the PO.

Thanks for all the help everyone.