Torn Frame
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 16
Likes: 23
It can be welded. I worked at the factory that made Ford truck frames and Gm frames.
We didn't call it welding, more like fusion burning. Now I'm sure robots do it so its a consistent weld.
And as far as heat treating ,not a chance. Do you think they put the frame in a big furnace and took it up to 2200 degrees then slowly cooled it for 3 days.
We didn't call it welding, more like fusion burning. Now I'm sure robots do it so its a consistent weld.
And as far as heat treating ,not a chance. Do you think they put the frame in a big furnace and took it up to 2200 degrees then slowly cooled it for 3 days.
5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 3,472
Likes: 1,380
From: Damascus, MD
Insurance is not going to pay this claim there is 0 chance. Insurance is for damage caused by accidents not for parts that break. If you Bo and Luke Duke'd a river crossing and this happened then possibly insurance would cover it. But this is obvious parts failure.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 6,548
Likes: 486
From: South-central Ohio
Wow, that is interesting!!- my thought would be to check the other side! That might scare the bejesus out of you! ( can you give us a build date on your truck?- we all might want to double check ours!!)
IMO, I agree with the others- failing all else, take it to a competent weld shop, or old fashioned frame shop, weld it, reinforce it, and do the same to the other side. ( its not magical steel) Then have the alignment checked.
IMO, I agree with the others- failing all else, take it to a competent weld shop, or old fashioned frame shop, weld it, reinforce it, and do the same to the other side. ( its not magical steel) Then have the alignment checked.
5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 9,098
Likes: 3,211
From: Kentucky
The steel Ford uses is hardly "high strength", this is really just marketing BS as their own documentation indicates that it has the yield strength of normal low-carbon mild steel. They used to use 36,000psi steel for their frames, A36 steel or similar; but they started using 49,300psi steel, 1010-1030 or similar and called it high strength by comparison. Both of these mild steels can be easily welded with standard ER70S6 MIG wire which has an as welded yield strength of 65,500psi. No after weld heat treating is required, but care should be taken to reinforce the repaired area as there was obviously a defect in that area that failed.
The "high strength" steel being used on the frames has nominal thickness of 0.087" for LD frames, 0.100" for HD frames, and 0.110" for HD/HPP frames. Back when Ford used 36,000psi steel for some of the 2009-2014 frames, the nominal thickness was 0.150", and the same year 49,300psi frames were 0.100" and 0.110" nominal thickness by comparison.
I do agree that no Ford dealer will do this, but they aren't welding shops and they don't all have big collision shops where frame repair is a common practice. A Ford dealer will only replace the frame or frame section because that is the only type of repair that is officially approved by Ford. Other types of repairs really need to be looked at on a case by case basis so there's no good way to offer official guidance outside of saying "repairs are not recommended, just replace the whole frame or frame section".
The "high strength" steel being used on the frames has nominal thickness of 0.087" for LD frames, 0.100" for HD frames, and 0.110" for HD/HPP frames. Back when Ford used 36,000psi steel for some of the 2009-2014 frames, the nominal thickness was 0.150", and the same year 49,300psi frames were 0.100" and 0.110" nominal thickness by comparison.
I do agree that no Ford dealer will do this, but they aren't welding shops and they don't all have big collision shops where frame repair is a common practice. A Ford dealer will only replace the frame or frame section because that is the only type of repair that is officially approved by Ford. Other types of repairs really need to be looked at on a case by case basis so there's no good way to offer official guidance outside of saying "repairs are not recommended, just replace the whole frame or frame section".
I did a little digging and found that bracing the LCA mounts is common for Raptor owners that abuse the crap out of their trucks. Might be a good idea to seek out those that have had that done if Ford doesn't pony up for this, which as I said previously, looks like a defect. With no bending, and no sign of damage elsewhere to the suspension on that side, that crack should not exist.
Regarding the cost of getting a frame stub welded on Vs a full frame replacement, if it cost the same, there would be no stubs as they wouldn't be able to sell them. Yes, there is additional labor in cutting off the damaged section and welding on the new, but you save on labor by not having to remove components at the opposite end of the repair.
I would weld that in a heartbeat. Plate it, paint it and move on. That lower control arm appears to be wrinkled, so my guess is the truck got jumped or hit a curb or something. Have you let the nephew borrow it lately? Been there, done that. To all those saying it will hurt the trucks value...pfffft. A competent welder using Tig, I would bet the world that any "inspector" would never notice the repair. As said, a dealership bolts on new parts, so they do not have the ability. Insurance and Ford are going to tell you to pound sand.
5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 9,098
Likes: 3,211
From: Kentucky
Here's a rear assembly being lifted into the rear LCA mounts.
Last edited by Flamingtaco; Feb 12, 2021 at 05:18 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Southwest
