[freejake3]

I'm in the process of configuring a rear bumper for my '99 Taco and noticed that a support is welded right above the rear shackle hanger in the frame. My plan was to slid another c-channel in the frame and weld the two together. Can't do it with that support in the way. Would a heavy flat bar on the outside of the frame work? Need some advice from the experts out there. Thanks in advance.

 

[rojodiablo]

Just angle cut the channel to match up to the bracing over the shackle, and weld away. Should be fine.

 

[96Toy]

Being a welder fabricator myself I would not recomend welding anything to your frame because its a week point, So run the C channel down the inside of your frame and drill 3 or 4 holes and use grade 8 nuts and bolts about 3/4 size and 1.5 inches long.

 

[tanKoma]

hes right, with the paper thin toyota frames welding with the weight of the body could possibly warp your frame, especially with sliders of which im not to keen on welding them, thats why stuff like ur hitch and etc. are bolted on

 

[sjvicker]

hes right, with the paper thin toyota frames welding with the weight of the body could possibly warp your frame, especially with sliders of which im not to keen on welding them, thats why stuff like ur hitch and etc. are bolted on

are you refering to the metal getting too hot and warping under the weight of the body? I was under the impression that welding on the frame was ok because you can do many spot welds to keep the heat down and then go through and fill in between them. I also figured that hitches were bolt on from a production standpoint, they can sell more of them if special tools such as mig's, tig's, and arc's aren't required for an install.

 

[sjvicker]

Being a welder fabricator myself I would not recomend welding anything to your frame because its a week point, So run the C channel down the inside of your frame and drill 3 or 4 holes and use grade 8 nuts and bolts about 3/4 size and 1.5 inches long.

I'm not trying to get my piece of the welding vs bolting debate here but in most cases wouldn't welding on something such as a rear bumper or a set of rock sliders cause more strength even if the welds aren't as strong as the steel that's being installed? For example, you install a set of rock sliders with some good C channel and weld completely around your frame in 3 sections, if you are saying that the welds will weaken the frame, then doesn't the sliders themselfs become a rigid part of the frame? same concept with a rear or front bumper. What's your thoughts on sliders that have a few tack welds on them (basically enough to support the slider and then maybe a person standing on them), and then are bolted to the frame?


-Spencer

 

[atwinda]

I'm in the process of configuring a rear bumper for my '99 Taco and noticed that a support is welded right above the rear shackle hanger in the frame. My plan was to slid another c-channel in the frame and weld the two together. Can't do it with that support in the way. Would a heavy flat bar on the outside of the frame work? Need some advice from the experts out there. Thanks in advance.

Demello and myself (although I am no where near the faber as Jason) use plate steel on the outside of the frame, with a tab welded on the bottom to go under the frame, and line up with one of the holes that are used to bolt a hitch on. The stock bolt locations are used. I myself, use 3/4 plate through the bumper bolted to 3/8" mounts (as described above).

 

[tanKoma]

im just saying that welding can be very risky on a vehicle, im not saying its better or worse, but once u indroduce heat to a frame with very thin walls and a big cab or what not sitting on it, im my opinion its something i dont risk doing unless i took the body off and or jigged it properly, i just prefer staying on the safe side

 

[mudferret]

im just saying that welding can be very risky on a vehicle, im not saying its better or worse, but once u indroduce heat to a frame with very thin walls and a big cab or what not sitting on it, im my opinion its something i dont risk doing unless i took the body off and or jigged it properly, i just prefer staying on the safe side

Nothing wrong with being safe, especially with our worthless frames.

But wouldn't spot welding parallel to the frame be safe enough? The bed's a lightweight, and the body can't weigh that much.

 

[tanKoma]

yeah im sure that wouldn't hurt with a pulsed mig setup or welding something at the very end, but anywhere in the middle or where the spring perches sit is risky, for instance my sliders are 2x4 rect tube with 1/2" fledge plate, welding that to the frame and getting the right penetration in the plate is not something i would do, once ur frame isnt flush anymore, chances are your alignment will be off axis