Bad stretch job

[Rmtcinc]

First time poster here.

Where do I begin....

A little history of my experience with frame stretching. I had a truck builder working out of my shop for 6 1/2 years. Watched him stretch at least 10 frames a year. So I don't confuse anyone, he was running his own biz out of my shop while I ran my biz ( tree service ). He retired last summer.

So fast forward to present time. I bought a truck, double framed that I needed stretched. It was difficult to find anyone who would/could do a stretch job. Well I found one and hired them to do the job. Well I got the truck back today and I can't believe what I'm looking at. Now maybe what they did is acceptable but based on my experiences I highly doubt it. I will explain what they did and you tell me what you think. I needed a little over 7ft of frame added, so the builder added 3 1/2ft in front of the drivers. He used "used" rusty frame material and used outside frame for the inside frame if that makes sense. Then he added 4ft behind the drivers and only went single frame. Now let me tell you , this truck will have a rear mounted log loader on it that weighs 6000 pounds. I have the truck for the weekend so I can get hydraulic parts for the log loader mounted on it and will be taking it back to the truck builder on Monday. I already know I'm gonna tell them to cut that single frame off and do it right. When I hired them I never agreed to let them do it this way. I already know I hired the wrong company and that's my fault but I really would like your advice on how I should handle this, or if they haven't done anything wrong, tell me. Thanks for reading!

 

[bushpilot-TC]

welcome. I've got no experience or insight to this matter - but think pictures would help (even me) to understand how bad this frame lengthening is.

 

[Rmtcinc]

Some pictures

 

[blacktruck-TC]

A little hard to tell from the pics.

Judging by what I think I see, this is unacceptable in every sense of the word. Particularly if you plan to install a loader at the back. Not sure if the frame stretcher did not have a clear understanding of the application the truck would be used for or if the frame stretchee did not give him guidance on what was expected and acceptable. Either way I would not even think of installing a loader on a frame that looks like that. Your choice but unacceptable in my world.

 

[Rmtcinc]

Thank you for the response. The builder knew exactly what I was doing with the truck. He had pictures of an exact replica.

 

[Java230]

Hard to say exactly from the pics, but it doesn't look like there is much overlap on the joints either.

On the bright side, the welds look decent! I would at least have them double the rear section.

 

[Rmtcinc]

The overlap is only 8". What should it be?

 

[Java230]

The overlap is only 8". What should it be?

Im not an expert sadly, but my armchair engineer brain went eek seeing that.

I can take a look at mine, but its not a heady duty truck frame (f450). IIRC its ~1.5-2' past the weld on each side and has a 4-6 bolts each end.

 

[ChiefMechanicMark]

Having done heavy truck work for over 30 years... The best way to cut a frame is at a 45 degree angles and to use a "Fish Plate". This is a square (Or rectangle) piece of metal of at least the same thickness as the frame material. The frame after cut should have an exact same size and bend piece installed cut at the opposite angle to allow the two halves be "Butt Welded" together.(I agree his welding looks good.) Then take one of the "Fish Plates" after grinding smooth the "Butt Weld" apply it to the inside of the frame and weld it to the frame using the angles. Try not to ever weld perpendicular to the frame as this makes a weak flex point. Apply a second Fish Plate on the outside of the frame as well. If this process is followed you can do the same on the rear section to lengthen the frame. This allows for transfer of the weight to the "Butt Welded" area and since it is a 45 degree angle it is not trying to "tear" it apart it is trying to bend it. I did this on a KW COE flat bed to allow adding a drop axle in front of the drive axles as well as stretched it to allow hanging a heavy forklift off the rear to unload the cinder block the truck was hauling. The truck was in service for 10 years after the conversion and had over 1.2 million miles on it before it was scrapped when the driver retired. New kids didn't like cabovers.
The sleeve he used is a great idea however it has to be a proper fit and from what I see in the picture it is not curved properly.