Frame out of square

[hammerdog57]

I have a 57 swb frame that i am setting up to do a camaro clip on. I set frame level on jack stands to check frame for straightness and see if it was square. First thing i did was check frame rails with a laser chalkline. rails are within a 1/16" from rear spring mount to factory alignment hole near front axle centerline. I then put bolts in in front factory alignment holes and cross measured to rear factory alignment holes near end of frame. Coming up with a 1/4" difference in measurements. Meaning one rail is 1/8" ahead of the other. Has any one straightened one of these frames? I was planing on using the rear spring mounts with front camaro clip. I dont see any way of squaring the camaro clip to frame rails and still use rear springs. One option would be to square clip to frame rails and use four link squared to frame rails in rear. Any suggestions?

[mr48chev]

I think I would talk to who ever is the go to frame guy in your area. Not hot rod frame but the one who knows his business at getting frames straight.
That person can tell you if it is worth it to try to pull the frame to get it into perfect square.

You might want to check for square further up from the back of the frame to see if one back end of the frame is tweaked a bit behind the front hanger on the rear spring.

That said I'm pretty sure that the left rear frame rail on my truck is off a bit as it was cracked right above the axle (no C notch) and we simply lifted the bed up an welded it and reinforced it at the time. That's one reason I am building a new frame for my truck. When I measured the new frame it was within a few frog hairs of square so I should be good on that one.

[hammerdog57]

I did check on holes right behind rear spring hanger and frame is still off. Probably off from the factory since they considered 3/16" off square.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by hammerdog57

I did check on holes right behind rear spring hanger and frame is still off. Probably off from the factory since they considered 3/16" off square.

3/16 is the max out of square. This may be of help

http://www.thehollisterroadcompany.com/framesquare.html

[Steve@OldSub.com]

A friend who builds race cars for a living once told me the way to approach this is to make sure the rear axle is mounted the way you want it, usually square to the frame, and then set the front suspension square to the rear.

His point was the frame doesn't need to be perfectly square, the relationship between the axles is what matters.

Since you plan to clip this frame I think getting the rear in place the way you want it, and then setting the clip square to that rear axle would be a better plan than worrying about 1/8th or 3/16ths in the frame.

Measurement errors often compound and every measure you can make irrelevant means less chance for error. Aligning the clip based on a correctly aligned rear eliminates all but the one set of measurements.

Same race car guy also told me that on a street truck unlikely to ever exceed 100 mph 1/8th inch tolerance was going to be fine.

[OrrieG]

These frames are riveted together and by design flex and twist. I've had mine with the front and rear axles twisted in opposite directions with the front and reare bumpers out of horizontal alignment the same way. In one case I broke the weld at the bottom of the A pillar on the drivers side, I was very surprised I did not pop or break the windshield. If you are driving on the street welding them up solid is probably ok, but if you plan on driving it off-road welds will lead to cracked frames. Long haul trucks are the same way, you notice everything is bolted or riveted, not welding on the frames. Like was said, just make sure the axle/spindle center line is square and perpendicular.

[Sal's '55 Chevy]

my truck had the same problem and what they ended up doing is pulling one side of the frame back to square it up. The shop told me that the only problem i will probably have is in my fenders but if the body shop knows what they are doing they can fix all that

[Sal's '55 Chevy]

if you look closely you can see where he was able to pull on my frame from the back corner and from the opposite front corner

[hammerdog57]

You were able to pull frame square with a wire stretcher? That much slack in rivets?

[dwcsr]

If you pulled it back that easily you need to add some bracing or weld the exsiting braces.

[Sal's '55 Chevy]

idk what people call them now days but i call them came alongs and do to the design on these truck they were meant to do that twist and stuff like they said if you look on posting before. But as far as bracing or anything like that well i haven't had it go back and since i the the front clip on it that thing isn't moving they are so much more massive than the truck frame.

take a loook!!!

[cajundragger]

my frame was a diamond when I started. I smacked mine with a sledge a few times and its all good.

[hammerdog57]

Sal, thanks for the advice and pics. Looks like some nice fab work on subframe. I can see how subframe will hold everything square. Do you have any pics of subframe blending into truck frame? I am thinking of going the no limit subframe route.

[Sal's '55 Chevy]

here are the best pictures i have of my frame. sorry if they suck or can't help