Pulling Oil Pan - Page 2 - Diesel Forum

Georgiaredneck12002 · 10-28-2009, 09:59 PM

i think ill be better off doing it that way. would you have to weld it back or could you weld braces on it and bolt it in?

speeddemon31176 · 10-28-2009, 10:29 PM

I'm thinking that if you cut out the cross member far enough back to allow oil pan removal and then made plates of say 1/4 inch steel to weld to each open end of both the crossmember and the parts of the crossmember that is still on the truck and then clamped it in place and drilled say six holes per side and used grade 8 bolts and bolted it back together then you wouldn't have to weld it back together and would be able to drop it again in the future if need be. What do you guys think?

Garbage_Mechanic · 10-28-2009, 10:55 PM

I think the first set of photos shows it that way but then he welded it too. I'm pretty confident (30 years experience with big rig frame repair and yellow iron too) that it wouldn't work loose. I would use frame bolts which are grade 8 self locking with flanged heads on the bolt and nut. I will probably do it some time, if I need my pan off, or if I have the engine out. Really nice to be able to check bottom end or fix leak now and then.....

speeddemon31176 · 10-28-2009, 11:31 PM

Good call on the photos. I didn't notice the plates the first time around. Good idea about frame bolts too. I forgot all about them. I haven't worked on a big truck in quite some time. The place I worked at, we used to modify(shorten,lenghten) frames of trucks all the time depending on what we were installing(dump bodies,garbage bodies,etc.). I am going to talk to my buddy who has a welding shop tomorrow and set it up with him to do it there in the next week or so. I will take plenty of pictures of course and do a small write up on how/what we did and what materials were used. I want to do it now before the snow flys here so I'm not stuck doing it then which is how murphy works with me.

Garbage_Mechanic · 10-28-2009, 11:57 PM

Sounds like my frame experience, except I have to live with it afterword for 5-10 years. I have been working on garbage trucks for 30 years, 20 years as maintenance manager. We did exactly the same thing but all on our own trucks. In the early years we couldn't afford new trucks so we extended, doubled or trippled and reinforced frames. In fact we still have one 1978 roll off truck that I built the frame on around 1985, started as a light tractor and ended up as a heavy haul rolloff. Having to do over what breaks is a fast teacher!

I'm sure a properly fitted bolt in center section will be just fine. Nearly all of the trash truck chassis come with bolt together 5 piece crossmembers now, they never come loose.

speeddemon31176 · 10-29-2009, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garbage_Mechanic

Sounds like my frame experience, except I have to live with it afterword for 5-10 years. I have been working on garbage trucks for 30 years, 20 years as maintenance manager. We did exactly the same thing but all on our own trucks. In the early years we couldn't afford new trucks so we extended, doubled or trippled and reinforced frames. In fact we still have one 1978 roll off truck that I built the frame on around 1985, started as a light tractor and ended up as a heavy haul rolloff. Having to do over what breaks is a fast teacher!

I'm sure a properly fitted bolt in center section will be just fine. Nearly all of the trash truck chassis come with bolt together 5 piece crossmembers now, they never come loose.

You get the plate system I am referring to then. With plates welded cross dimentionally to the sections and bolting together like a rig does.

stang65fst · 10-29-2009, 11:55 PM

My truck is not where I can view it easily right now. Where does the 2wd front suspension go? It isn't attached anywhere in the center of the crossmember is it? I looked for pictures but can't find any.

speeddemon31176 · 10-30-2009, 12:40 AM

Stang65fst if you have the TTB suspension then yes the traction beams are connected to the crossmember in question however it is only two bolts to remove before removing the crossmember. If you were to cut the section of crossmember out and weld plates like I suggested and bolted it back together you would not have any issues like you may be suspecting.

stang65fst · 10-31-2009, 11:30 PM

I will report back when I get everything finished and let you all know how I did it.

stang65fst · 11-03-2009, 05:21 PM

Well I didn't pull the oil pan. I got and Auto Enginuity scanner from a friend. Thought my truck had been reflashed but it had not so it was still on 1995 software. Drove it to the Ford dealer about 45 mins away. Turned the truck off, waited 10 minutes, started it and it fired off just like normal. So as best I can figure there was A LOT of air in there. $85 later and the reflash of the computer and the truck ran quieter and smoother, than when I drove it there.

Put the scanner on it and everything checked out great. Buzz test, Contribution test, ICP everything working as normal and expected. Dumb luck I guess...but it is back up runs better than ever!