sometimes i get interesting jobs.

[pmsmechanic]

My neighbor brought me his bale truck and asked me to fix it. Both frames are cracked. One is cracked all the way through and the other side had about an inch of frame that isn't cracked. I offered to change the frame but he didn't want to spend the money and I don't blame him. For what the truck is being used for a repair will do an adequate job.

The first picture in the attachments is supposed to go here.

Here I'm starting to get the frame lined up.







This is what i did to pull everything into place.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Finished product and i added a cross member as i figured the reason why the frame had cracked was because it was flexing in every time a bale was picked up.



I also added blocks between the frame and the bake deck to help support the load.

We will see in a few years how this holds. The truck isn't registered and only gets used in the fields and corrals.

 

[Mysfyt]

If those plates were all that transferred the load to the frame, that would explain why it cracked.

 

[Shield Arc]

If you still have the truck. How about adding fish plates.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I never thought of that and I like the idea. There is room if the cross brace was shortened which would be possible. Right now the plan is to keep an eye on it watch for new cracks. The deck would need to be removed again and though that's not fun it's not the worst job either. The truck is only a couple of miles from my place and I'll be seeing it once in a while.

Just curious as to why there are tabs welded in top left and bottom right on the picture of the fish plate?

 

[Shield Arc]

Just curious as to why there are tabs welded in top left and bottom right on the picture of the fish plate?

I don't know, I stole that picture off a welding forum as a really good example of a fish plate.

 

[pmsmechanic]

If those plates were all that transferred the load to the frame, that would explain why it cracked.

That is a normal Dewese method of mounting bale decks and there are a lot of decks out there mounted like that. This is not the first one I've seen cracked but there are a lot that never crack.

The decks are mounted by solidly bolting the rear of the deck to the frame and then two of these plates on each side to transfer the load to the frame.

The truck is a first generation 250 Cummins that has been converted to a dually with adapters on the rear axle. I haven't done any measuring but I wouldn't be surprised to find that a Dodge 350 has a deeper frame. I drive a 90 250 Cummins for my work and have a 91 for parts. The frame on the 91 is an inch deeper.

 

[k0ua]

I don't know, I stole that picture off a welding forum as a really good example of a fish plate.

In my opinion the tabs at the ends of the fish plate were added in order to tie in the flanges of the channel to add extra flex resistance.

 

[timster2]

I was wondering why no fish plates as well. The rounded corner diamond shape is important to prevent future cracking. Something I was taught way back when. A question for Shield Arc. What thickness fish plate in relation to the base metal would be appropriate for the chassis repair? Both sides or one side?

 

[Shield Arc]

Only time I ever did fish plates was on dirt moving equipment. That was 1/2" and 3/4" thick material. I've read where guys say for truck frames don't go over 1/4" thick. If at all possible, I would fish plate both sides.