comatosellama Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Anyone ever done this? I was thinking welding all of the lift blocks on both sides together using either some quarter wall 1x2 or Dom for connecting front to rear, and then a couple crossmembers (maybe some hdpe skids). Do you think this would strengthen it enough to make up for my lack of rockers/mildly messed up floor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmoss5723 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 It's definitely been done. You can do a little and end up with a lift that is really sturdy and stiff, or you can do a lot and basically end up with a custom tube frame for the car. Whether or not it will strengthen it "enough" to make up for your car's weaknesses depends upon 3 things: just how big the problems are on your car, how extensive the frame build is, and what you consider to be "enough." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comatosellama Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 It's definitely been done. You can do a little and end up with a lift that is really sturdy and stiff, or you can do a lot and basically end up with a custom tube frame for the car. Whether or not it will strengthen it "enough" to make up for your car's weaknesses depends upon 3 things: just how big the problems are on your car, how extensive the frame build is, and what you consider to be "enough." Rockers are gone, and a small hole in the driver's side floor, but the frame rails themselves are very sturdy. I just want enough so I can feel like I'm getting the structural strength back that it lost with the rockers leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhorse001 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) Weld some 2x4 tubing where the rockers were. As long as the rust doesnt go up into the firewall area, that'll add more than factory strength back to the body, and give you some heavy duty rock sliders. Edited December 17, 2015 by crazyhorse001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 It would certainly help, whether it's as strong or not is completely debatable, but in my experience when these cars rust out, those suspension pickups fail first...so you're beefing those up considerably... I think it would be fairly crucial to extend not just from the strut/radius rod mounts, but up to the engine crossmember blocks, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3F0 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I am currently doing this exact thing. I have a ton of 2x4 frame rail I am stuffing into the frame of my RX Due to all of the rust I am dealing with. I used small stuff on the rear of the frame. My car is not even worth fixing but I am going for it. CUT EVERYTHING Then Mock up Welds are obviously not great I taught a bunch of my friends how to weld haha But who cares Weld it with terrible settings and adjust accordingly =) The path for my RX is make it stiff and ready to take abuse. See what I mean Here is my frame rail I am using I made a crazy bumper for fun I Love steel and for the side skirts I am cutting them out and putting frame rail in there too WARNING GRAPHIC I am replacing the entire bottom of the car with new steel slowly I bet ill add just under 100 pounds when I am done because of how much I cut out If you want more pics Let me know =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmoss5723 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Dang. That car is GONE. I'm not sure whether you're brave for taking that project on, or just crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3F0 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Insane is what I am haha I have done stuff like this before! Although I was much younger and did not even have my own welder. http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2200944 Did that when I was 16 and finished a year and a half later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Welding in the lift kit will do nothing to stiffen up the body issue you're having with the rockers and rails being toast. You need to do what DF3O is doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3F0 Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 Yes also I have to add it's a lot of work building frames into these cars. Lots of cutting involved. This is around the rear subframe mount. I also added frame rail into the side skirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Yes also I have to add it's a lot of work building frames into these cars. Lots of cutting involved. This is around the rear subframe mount. I also added frame rail into the side skirt. It's really not, to do it the way the OP is talking about. Doing a "body" lift, and just connecting the lift blocks. It's almost perfectly a straight shot. And it certainly will do more than nothing. Probably won't bring it back to original strength, but will help a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in Bellingham Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Hot Rodders make frames all the time from rectangular tubing, use something like 2x3 make every joint correct and welded and braced properly , use the lift kit points as brackets not really part of the frame and you will have a substantial frame, if I was doing it I would take a spare straight car flip it over and build he frame then install it on the rusted car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Yes, connecting the lift blocks front to rear will stiffen it up. Just welding the lift kit in as he asked will do nadda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Yes, connecting the lift blocks front to rear will stiffen it up. Just welding the lift kit in as he asked will do nadda. I was thinking welding all of the lift blocks on both sides together using either some quarter wall 1x2 or Dom for connecting front to rear, and then a couple crossmembers (maybe some hdpe skids). ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comatosellama Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Yes, connecting the lift blocks front to rear will stiffen it up. Just welding the lift kit in as he asked will do nadda. That's what I was meaning in the original post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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