Long bed to Short...

[MILLER TIME]

What is the easiest way to convert a long bed frame into a short bed...?

[Twisted Elegance]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=123624

http://67chevyc10shorty.blogspot.com/

[bigblock73]

http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/chas...lwb_to_swb.htm

[MILLER TIME]

Anyone know how much this would cost if the bed was already off and everything...?

[MILLER TIME]

And thanks for all the help as well!

[78maliburat]

I DID MINE YESTERDAY

[MILLER TIME]

What did you do just mark 14" out and cut it out? have you mounted the bed back yet?

[franky69c10]

78maliburat Nice work any pics with the bed on it yet and what did u do for the drive line and gas tanks
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[78maliburat]

My buddy has a step side bed i might use ,putting swb tank on it , about done with the motor also

[franky69c10]

Any more pics when u were cutting it down
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[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

I DID MINE YESTERDAY

I really hope that is not the finished product. I would be very concerned with the integrity of that splice.

If you want to see how it should be done take a look below-

[78maliburat]

HAHA WHATEVER

[1BadSS]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

HAHA WHATEVER

No really, that's a horrible cut. I'd be afraid to drive that truck on the street like that.

[78maliburat]

Same cut on my 96 pete lasted half million miles no issues

[Altec]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

Same cut on my 96 pete lasted half million miles no issues

The frame on a Pete is a little bigger then a chebby, and doesn't flex as much. But that doesn't mean it is right for the larger truck either...

Not trying to be mean, but N2TRUX is 100% correct. You need to spread the load over a larger area, not have any sharp edges, and brace it with soft edges diamond plates welded over the cut area. What you have is a ton of stress on a small area, and a "brace" that gives a nice point for the frame to crack. It WILL crack. Tomorrow? Probably not? The day after? Again, probably not. When a loved one is driving the truck with a bus full of nuns and handicapped children coming in the other direction? Well, only one way to find out...

The best thing you can do now is grind into the welds and really burn some metal in with a stick welder if you can. Then weld on the diamond shaped pieces like N2TRUX posted. One inside, one outside, and two pairs on the two and bottom edges can't hurt.

[78maliburat]

Originally Posted by Altec

The frame on a Pete is a little bigger then a chebby, and doesn't flex as much. But that doesn't mean it is right for the larger truck either...

Not trying to be mean, but N2TRUX is 100% correct. You need to spread the load over a larger area, not have any sharp edges, and brace it with soft edges diamond plates welded over the cut area. What you have is a ton of stress on a small area, and a "brace" that gives a nice point for the frame to crack. It WILL crack. Tomorrow? Probably not? The day after? Again, probably not. When a loved one is driving the truck with a bus full of nuns and handicapped children coming in the other direction? Well, only one way to find out...

The best thing you can do now is grind into the welds and really burn some metal in with a stick welder if you can. Then weld on the diamond shaped pieces like N2TRUX posted. One inside, one outside, and two pairs on the two and bottom edges can't hurt.

Wow dont throw handicapped into it ...never know ones disabilities ?? as for the frame any more of an angle the frames wouldnt match up frame isnt flat on the bottom crawl under one and look everone does their frames different ..didnt ask for anyones opinion just showing my way

[ozark]

[QUOTE=Altec;4566619]The frame on a Pete is a little bigger then a chebby, and doesn't flex as much. But that doesn't mean it is right for the larger truck either...

You can't be more wrong, the frame on a truck grossing 80,000 wt. flexes alot more than a chebby just driving up and down the road

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

HAHA WHATEVER

Shrug it off if you like, but that is poor construction. As for having a your "96 pete" done the same way, that scares me even more. I'm no expert on Peterbuilt frames, but I was under the impression they were heat treated and you should never drill or cut them.

It's your truck so do as you see fit. Just don't post it as an example of how a frame splice should be done and not expect to get negative feedback.

[BigBlocksRule]

[quote=ozark;4566770]

Originally Posted by Altec

The frame on a Pete is a little bigger then a chebby, and doesn't flex as much. But that doesn't mean it is right for the larger truck either...

You can't be more wrong, the frame on a truck grossing 80,000 wt. flexes alot more than a chebby just driving up and down the road

The tractor part of your rig weighs 80K?

A butt weld is the weakest, the "Z" configuration shown above is the strongest. It takes longer, but it's by far the best. The weld is much more brittle than the surrounding steel and will be the first place cracks will show up from vibration, etc.

[Altec]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

Wow dont throw handicapped into it ...never know ones disabilities ?? as for the frame any more of an angle the frames wouldnt match up frame isnt flat on the bottom crawl under one and look everone does their frames different ..didnt ask for anyones opinion just showing my way

It was a example, I hope you realize what I was getting at by that remark.

What angle? When did I say anything about angle? You should have simply did it like pictured in this thread. If the people in this thread have enough room, you do too. And I don't need to crawl under anything. I have the bed pulled off my factory SWB, and all I gotta do is take tree steps off my porch to get to it.

You didn't ask for opinions, but we don't need someone who searches for proper frame shortening on 67-72 finding this thread and thinking a vertical butt weld is proper.

Originally Posted by ozark

You can't be more wrong, the frame on a truck grossing 80,000 wt. flexes alot more than a chebby just driving up and down the road

I really hope he doesn't have 80k of weight on the frame of the tractor. honestly, I know semis flex. It isn't the weight though that is flexing them. If anything it acts to keep it planted on the ground. It is the torque. You can see twisting frames on nothing more then a HO engine... I really just glazed over the subject because I'm not here to talk about his semi. I'll let the DOT man handle that if he feels it is is needed.

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Shrug it off if you like, but that is poor construction. As for having a your "96 pete" done the same way, that scares me even more. I'm no expert on Peterbuilt frames, but I was under the impression they were heat treated and you should never drill or cut them.

It's your truck so do as you see fit. Just don't post it as an example of how a frame splice should be done and not expect to get negative feedback.

Huh, I wasn't aware the Peterbilt frame was heat treated. Good to know! Granted, I'm no HD mechanic... Does make sense to why they break the way I've seen!

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

I DID MINE YESTERDAY

Doesn't look like you even prepped the metal before you started welding, at least on the bottom fish plate. Glad I don't have to share the road with you. You should really take into consideration the feedback you have been given, after all it is to help you, not be mean to you.

[78maliburat]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Shrug it off if you like, but that is poor construction. As for having a your "96 pete" done the same way, that scares me even more. I'm no expert on Peterbuilt frames, but I was under the impression they were heat treated and you should never drill or cut them.

It's your truck so do as you see fit. Just don't post it as an example of how a frame splice should be done and not expect to get negative feedback.

No were in my post did i say this is the way it should be done please read i did it my way you do it yours ..DONT WANT A PISSING MATCH...and big truck frames arent heat treated they cut the factory the fronts are usually all the same but they cut the rears for the wheelbase specs..oh you have a nice truck theres some positive feedback right theyre

[67swb72klb]

Originally Posted by MILLER TIME

What is the easiest way to convert a long bed frame into a short bed...?

he did say EASYEST

[BigBlocksRule]

Easiest is to find a good short frame, use a hoist and swap everything across.
You guys should try doing this to an '88 - '98, those frames are hourglass shaped and a royal pain. I'm grafting a '97 1-ton 4x4 front frame clip onto a '94 cab & chassis, then shortening the frame to shortbed length and converting to dually along with 4-link. Cool thing about the cab & chassis is they have straight frame rails, a lot like the '73 - '87 trucks, much easier to work with. Frames are welded under the front of the cab, I'm grinding welds to separate them, then slipping them back together just like the factory did. It'll be a lot of work, but there will be no welds on the frame other than in the factory location.
Oh, engine will be pump gas 565, looking to burn 6 at a time

[ol'red77]

Originally Posted by 78maliburat

No were in my post did i say this is the way it should be done please read i did it my way you do it yours ..DONT WANT A PISSING MATCH...and big truck frames arent heat treated they cut the factory the fronts are usually all the same but they cut the rears for the wheelbase specs..oh you have a nice truck theres some positive feedback right theyre

I beg to differ with ya i drive an 08 peterbilt superdump with a reliance tub on it everyday at work and there is stickers on the the frame telling you not to drill or tap or weld on the frame rails at all!!!! so yours must be different