Removing & installing new frame

[440valiant]

Well yesterday i started removing the frame on my parts car(69 dart) to put on my cuda. All's i can say is there is a lot of stinkin spot welds. Has anyone ever done this before? Tips? How do i re-align the frame on my cuda?

thanks :munky2:

 

[player1up]

wow sounds like a huge undertaking.
It would help if you have access to a FSM or a frame shop with specs for the frame measurements, if not I would say measure the "keeper" car at the respective alignment holes in relation to the rest of the frame ( key points ) and weld the new panel in exactly the same place. You don't want to line it all up and have the thing drive like it's got 4 wheel steering only to find that the shop says "the frame is straight" because you "made" the frame straight when you welded it in..
I've heard of guys adding more spot welds or welding the seams on a unibody to make them a little more rigid... but I've never seen/done it myself.

 

[pastortom1]

I can't respond very well not knowing what sections you're talking about.....Frame rails have been swapped out, but with much difficulty....usually in separate pieces such as the rear starting over the axle housing......

If you're sectioning, it will be easier and more apt to be aligned properly IF you do one surgery at a time.....ie. remove one rear section, leaving as much of the existing steel in place as possible, then weld in the new rail at critical points, leaving the trunk floors detached.....follow with the other side, then move on to other rusted sections........but again, it's all conjecture on my part since I don't know exactly what you're up to.........

Replacing framing on the unibody is a tricky business to say the least. 8)

 

[thanson_mopar]

why are you trying to replace your frame??? is rusted that bad, they make caps to weld over and replace on rusty damage if thats the problem. I would not try removing the frame parts that the factory welded on if your an ameture. It might take away rigity to your unibody if not done corretly

 

[440valiant]

why are you trying to replace your frame??? is rusted that bad, they make caps to weld over and replace on rusty damage if thats the problem. I would not try removing the frame parts that the factory welded on if your an ameture. It might take away rigity to your unibody if not done corretly

Ya its pretty rusty because pretty much anywhere on the frame i can poke a hole throught with a screwdriver. Also i think that the frame caps or the new rails just go over top of the old frame, and since im keeping the car for a while i would always regret covering up my old rusted frame.

Thanks for the input thought. :read2:

 

[thanson_mopar]

i know you might want to do it yourself for cost, but you might want a frame shop to look at your work too, the last thing you want to happen is your welds to break while your drivin your car down the road, wouldnt be a very fun ride

 

[440valiant]

i know you might want to do it yourself for cost, but you might want a frame shop to look at your work too, the last thing you want to happen is your welds to break while your drivin your car down the road, wouldnt be a very fun ride

Ya i might have to do that. A friend of mine has a welding shop and he does lots of frame work, i might have to take the dart frame and the cuda up to him for a while. 8)

 

[MOBodyman]

If you are talking about the front subframe assembly there is indeed a bunch of spot welds. I replaced the whole front section,- frame rails, inner fenders, and radiator support,- as a one piece assembly on a wrecked Jeep Liberty. It has a very similar layout as our old Mopars except the front and read subframes are connected. It was actually easy to line up. I had the body blocked level. When I slid the new assembly in place everything lined up perfectly. I didn't have to do any extra work to make it level or square but you certainly need to measure to be sure it is. To me the most frustrating part was drilling all those spot welds, first to take the damaged part off, then to prepare the donor part. Once that was done and the new part slid into place and tacked, the rest of the welding seemed like gravy. Just make sure your welds penetrate well and a few extra here and there certainly won't hurt.
Dallas
missourimopar.com

 

[440valiant]

thanks, sounds like a good idea