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| | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 687 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 687 | Gents,
I've had my 1966 Chevrolet shortbed stepside pickup for a number of years now (6 years to be exact) and it's been wasting/rusting away under the old oak tree for the past 3 years. Well time has come to to pay her some attention.
The frame is excellent on this truck, as well as the general undercarriage. However it's always had this sag on the front passenger side. It's pronounced more towards the front corner and I'm think more the front coil spring, rather than the cab mount. Each front cab mount is a bit "squished", but they're both squished the same amount.
What's the best method for determining which is the culprit (spring or cab mount)? Or I guess it could be a combination of both.
Another thing that points me towards the coil spring is that when viewing the body lines from the rear to the front, and from the side, the sag is really noticeable at the passenger side front fender. It's relatively straight up to that point.
-ftyler | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,029 | Compare the frame height at the same point on both sides to verify that it is not the cab. A twisted frame could be the problem, as well as a sagging spring. Generally, the drivers side sags before the passenger side, so I would suspect accident damage. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | Park it on a known level surface (like an alignment rack) and start measuring to the frame to the ground at the same locations side to side. Be sure your tires are the same and are properly inflated first. If the frame is equal side to side, measure to the body,
Scott | | | | | Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1 | I would expand the list of things it could be.
Check the A-arms on each side as well as the ball joints.
Also check the cab mount brackets and not just the bushings. Could be a bend or sag from rust on the brackets them selves.
Hopefully it is not a twisted/bent frame.
Cab bushings are an easy fix.
Good luck. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,971 | Probably a broken coil spring. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 687 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 687 | Thanks for the reply guys. Baldy got it right - it is a bent frame. But I don't think all is lost, because after just now spending half an hour looking it over and everything "clicked" (I think). Here's what happened.
About 4 years ago I hit a deer (not a very large one, about 100-150 lb doe). But I hit this deer at about 55 mph. And while the 'X' brace behind the front grille took most of the impact, after looking at an old picture I took immediately after the accident, the sag is noticeable in this picture.
I measured from the ground up to the portion of the frame where the bumper mounts, and sure enough the side that sags sits about an inch and a quarter lower than the other side. Looking from the side underneath the truck surely enough the sagging side does droop lower.
It APPEARS that just the front part of the frame is bent downward - and the sag is evident on the passenger side because the front clip mounts on this portion of the frame. The effect of this bending of the frame extends to the front fender and has pushed the lower fender rearward to the point of impacting the opening and closing of the passenger side door. The passenger side front fender had bowed enough to accomodate the door opening. But I put a fresh unbent fender on yesterday and can't even get it to mount at the bottom rear, due to overlap with the door.
The good thing is that the rest of the frame (from about 4 inches from the front bumper on back) is nearly level all the way back. Just the front 3 or 4 inches of the passenger side (forward of the suspension) appears to be
My only question at this point is - Is this an easy fix at a collision shop? What should fixing something like this cost? Surely no more than $200-$250. This frame is probably 80-85% rust free - I'd hate to part with it because of something like this.
-ftyler
Oh, one more thing. If anyone's interested, I have pics of the truck post-accident. Thanks!! | | | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,703 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,703 | A decent shop with a frame Jig will not be cheap ..you will payin the hourly rate wich today is A LOT .
if they can bring her back in with a few pulls you will get off cheap ..wich i would imagine a deer hit wont take that much to pull her back in line .
Hope ya do well
Tim | | |
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