Frame Repair- To Heat or Not To Heat?

One of the Local guys had a bent horn like that years back. It was accordioned a little bit more than yours though. The chassis guy at a frame shop used 2 pieces of 1"thick by 2" wide by 4" long steel plate.

He put one piece on top and one piece on the bottom and used 3 Heavy Vulcan Machinist c clamps to draw the two plates together.

He essentially squeezed the bend right out of it using the two pieces of heavy plate and 3 big c clamps. He just kept working all three until the frame was flat and sandwiched between the 2 plates.

Then he did the bottom side the same way. It was over and done with in about an hour.

 

Hi Rick Whitson here, that is exactly what I was thinking. as an Ironworker, long retired, we would use that method a lot of times. If you have a Steel Fab shop in your area you may be able to borrow or rent a couple of what we called Boiler Clamps, and get some heave plates from them and do just what DSRT 4 is talking about. I would use a come-a-long and pull the frame end in the direction you want it to go, just a little pull on the come-a -long to help it go where you want it. I think you would be able to get it where you want it without a lot of trouble. If you box the frame don't end it square, taper the plate to points so you don't have a square box at the end of you plates that may cause the frame to break. Best of luck Rick Whitson

 

That is an excellent suggestion. Thanks!

 

No problem. Being a Manual Machinist for decades would lead me to believe that the Huge c-clamps would make short work of that gink in your frame.

Coming up with the clamps may be a chore unless you know someone in the field. Hardware store clamps aren't going to cut it. You need something you can put a big wrench on. If it was me and I didn't have access to the Boiler/Machinist c clamps I would rent two ball Joint press clamps from Autozone and use them with some plate steel as described above.. These Ball joint c clamps are made with heavy cast steel frames and are built just as tough as Boiler clamps for the most part.

I would start out putting just one long heavy plate on the top of the frame channel and just put the bottom jaw of the clamp onto the tip of the bend and start drawing it back up. Once you get it flattened out significantly then I would open the clamp back up and then put another heavy plate on the bottom side and then go at it with a few clamps until you get it flat. Then do the bottom side of the frame.

You can use a heavy bolt such as a 3/4-10 and nut to spread the frame if it is collapsed down a bit. Basically use it as a jack screw to spread the frame. Find a nut and bolt that will fit into the channel when assembled. Once it is in there then simply put a crescent on the nut to hold it and then back the bolt out of the nut with another wrench while it is inside the frame. Work you way down the frame and spread it open if it needs it. Then go at it with the clamps again to level it out.

Sounds complicated but it is just brute force. Sometimes you don't have to put the fire to metal to get it to work.. Good strong tools and some elbow grease will get it to move just as easy and won't weaken the steel if you take it nice and easy.

 

So I took your advice, using two steel plates but instead of C-clamps I just took my vise off my work bench, turned it upside down I'm using that. I just apply pressure, wait a day, apply more pressure, wait a day. So far its working so we'll see how it goes.

 

I doubt your vise would break but do be careful with anything under pressure. I learned about the Hardware store c-clamps and how they can break over the summer. When you apply pressure and they break it will fly across the room.

 

Good to know, thanks.

 

That should work as long as it's a good strong vice. Probably a little hard the the clamp thread though.
Shouldn't have to wait. Just run her on through.

 

Dbl post