Cutting rear framerail

[SpeedBall]

Hello, I plan on narrowing framerails to hopefully fit a 10" wheel under the car.

Question is if I cut the frame rail and save the outer portion to be re-welded in place. Is the car ok to drive to the shop to weld up the frame without the frame beeing boxed? (Would think it would be ok as long as im not racing the car, but better to ask now then find out the hard way later)

Any extra reinforcement that should be done besides re boxing the frame? I am also putting in a wolfe swaybar so that should help make the rear pretty solid.
I already have a roll bar as the car runs mid 10's

 

[10secBu]

When you cut the outer skin of the frame out to gain more tire clearance, your removing the structural strength, so I'd say No, it's not alright to drive the car to a shop to have it welded back in. You may be OK, but I would not want to risk an possible trubles with twisting the frame during the drive. Once you have the outer skin welded back in, it's just as stong as before you touched it (or pretty darn close).

Idealy, you want to not move the car at all after the frame has been cut. You also want to keep very close eye on the trunk and door gaps as they will be a tell tale sign that something has moved either during the cutting or warpage during welding...weld the frame with short 1 to 1 1/2" long weld beads and skip around allowing the area to completely cool before coming back to that spot. It's a good idea to also skip from side-to-side during welding...don't forget to look at your door/trunk gaps several times as you progress with the welding. Take some breaks while welding and look things over real well...don't rush it.

good luck
Todd

 

[SPEEDSTAR]

How much of the frame rail can be cut away , and it still be strong enough, and also would it help to weld a length of tubing in between the two rails after they are cut and rewelded?

thanks JEFF

 

[Louie L.]

I pondered the same when i did mine. But as you will see as soon as you start removing that outter skin the frame starts to move around. The back will start to want to drop, ever so slightly but still it does. You was to Secure the car ad do the job from begining to end with out moving the car.The piece you cut out can be used but you have to make sure when you are removing it you do it accordingly. I used heavier much thicker steel to box mine in with.

Speedstar,
The tubing could be done but as youll find things start to get narrow back there fast. In the front of the frame rail youll have some space, but the back towards the tail pipe is where its at.You gain the most space here. The Stock Frame rail sweeps out wards,towards the tire, its your job to sweep the new skin inwards to gain space. . This area gets super narrow even if only notching the rail to the mid(weld) point on the rail.

 

[J Banning]

I'm not a professional welder, but if I were doing it I wouldn't even take the car off of the jackstands between cutting the frame and rewelding it. I wouldn't want any chance of it flexing, twisting, etc.

-Banning.

 

[SpeedBall]

Thanks guys for the replies...