Tow Truck Frame Strenght

[flametamer]

A friend of mine has a heavy tow truck that has a full double frame. He is looking at possibly upgrading the wrecker bed/boom and we need to know how to tell if the trucks frame is strong enough. The makers of the bed spec. the frame strenght required, but we don't know how strong the existing one is. Is there any easy way to tell?

Thanks
Dt

[sbi1]

If it is a factory double frame, a dealer should be able to get the specs on it as built, that should include frame strength.

[midmosandblasting]

Providing half of it has not been cutaway due to rust by a Sandblaster.Many a airforce truck went back with frame rails 1/2 what they started due to the requirements for white work.

[digger doug]

"Providing half of it has not been cutaway due to rust by a Sandblaster"

Huh, my sandblaster applies sand,not rust.
The rust was there from before, unless you mean using
very aggresive abrasive, actually removing good material.

Only place I've seen that happen is inside a rotoblast
running steel shot.

My thought has always been, If it (the material) can't take
the test I give it with sand, it wouldn't take the load
you want to apply to it.

Your thought's please.

tnx
Doug

[flametamer]

Originally Posted by digger doug

"Providing half of it has not been cutaway due to rust by a Sandblaster"

Try it this way:
"Providing half of it has not been cutaway by a Sandblaster, due to rust."

It's not factory, done by the towing dealer that installed the bed. I told the boss to start with them to see if they have any idea.

Dt

[midmosandblasting]

What I meant was the rust that was there had eaten 1/2 through frame wall.When you got them all cleaned up they were 1/2 new thickness .Seems the AF started sending all that stuff to Iraq and Afganistan so no summer rework last couple of years.

[digger doug]

MidMo,
Now I understand, I've been accused (when running the sandblaster)
that if I blast it, it will fall apart, or be full of holes.
Like I am doing some thing that will weaken it.

I always tell them, the holes are already there, you just can't
see them because of the rust.

tnx
Doug

[midmosandblasting]

Doug do you make it a habit to remove body filler without being ask to ?

[digger doug]

"Doug do you make it a habit to remove body filler without being ask to ?"

MidMo,
I havn't come across body filler much, mostly blast structural stuff
(the frame, and such). Most sheet metal is for my self, at that
point (when I hit it) I treat it lightly, trying to leave it in place.

But when I do it for someone else (ussually just for friends)
they seem to think that I somehow weakened it by removing
any bondo at all. I figure I should rough up the bondo for paint,
and make sure the edges of bondo don't harbour any rust,
so the amount of bondo is reduced slightly when I am done.

I dunno, how do the profesionalls doo it ? (not me)

tnx
Doug

[midmosandblasting]

Know the customer.Most of my pro body men did not want it removed as then they had to deal with the problem. There were a couple of professional restorers that wanted it bare but very rare as most did not want the heat built up and the issues it caused.