crushed frame rail fix - tool needed

[JP]

Well after a year off I finally spent some time under the heep last weekend and discovered a severly crushed frame rail under the gas tank skid. Anyone locally have a slide hammer or other type of tool I can use to pull this back out before I plate it?

Jeff

 

[SeanP]

I think that gary or crash had a powered puller, cannot remember which. Slide hammer is a lot of work with little payoff. How did you crush the frame under the gas tank skid. That must have been difficult.

SeanP

 

[JP]

Actually it was easy......me and my short cuts. I didn't have any nustserts so threw it in the night before a trip using the stock straps. Worked great until the tank shifted to one side and I took a big hit pushing the edge of the skid up into the rail.

Maybe, just maybe this time I have learned not to take short cuts.

 

[Gary E]

I have a slide hammer, how bad is the dent? I eventually ended up welding the straps to the unibody. I also have the nuserts in there.

 

[JP]

Sorry I have no pics, but its about 4 inches long and 1/2-3/4 deep. I plan on welding some angle in this section over the damage, I just don't know if I need to pull it out first or not.

 

[Gary E]

I would be tempted to just plate over it, bottome straps and add some side ones also. But in all reality I would probably just leave it alone and use nutstrips this time around.

 

[JP]

Thanks for the reply Gary. I guess I will just box it up and forget about it.