TC bends frame of Dually - pic

[Boatycall]

I apologize if this has been posted before, I just saw this. It's not 'shopped (We have to resize pics for the forum, I have the higher-res original and looked it over pretty close). You can see obviously the frame is bent, rear bumper of camper damaged from hitting trailer tongue.

Anyone seen this before and have the back-story on it? All I have is the pic, no details. Since I haul a very heavy camper with a trailer, I'm quite concerned.

I also can't tell if this is a F350 or 450.

[Reddog1]

Raften wrote:
In light of my recent frame experience I have come to realize that if you haul heavy a frequent roll around under the truck inspection is a really good plan. Just saying

It helps to understand why the Highway Patrol has Weigh/Inspection stations. There was a time I welded/repaired truck frame that failed inspection. I am not suggesting we have this type of inspection for all vehicles, but do understand for big rigs.

It is my understanding that some states require safety inspections every year or two. I wonder if it includes the frame?

[okan-star]

The tie downs kinda look like a belly bar , it looks like its under the frame
With the extended frame trailer starting a rocking , proposing motion and with the added wt of the camper I can see how that would cause the frame to maybe fail , what I don't get is how you get a c channel to bend that much without tearing at the top flange , it seems to me it would have to distort and roll to the side and collapse to bend that much , I don't see how that could be fixed by just bending it back
Ford raptor 150 pickups had some similar bent frames in the same place that caused the same dump truck look
I guess Ford has always built in more flex into their frames for a reason
Dodges are more ridged ,
What dosent bend breaks or cracks , just different engineering I guess , I don't know which is better
I`ll be looking at my frame more often for sure

[Raften]

In light of my recent frame experience I have come to realize that if you haul heavy a frequent roll around under the truck inspection is a really good plan. Just saying

[deltabravo]

mooring product wrote:
... pretzeled Ford.

LOL

[Dave_Pete]

Agree. That is simply TOO much weight to try and lift with simple front tie downs. 😉

[Super_Dave]

bighatnohorse wrote:
Something is very wrong with the forward tie-down bracket position.
The bracket position is too far aft - not a Torklift type installation IMO.

I thought that the bracket looked about right but the camper connection was too far forward, making the connection vertical.

[ab257]

Obvious that the forward tie downs were much too tight and lifted up the front of the bed and broke it - kind of the sky-hook principle.:)

[bighatnohorse]

Something is very wrong with the forward tie-down bracket position.
The bracket position is too far aft - not a Torklift type installation IMO.

[trailgranny50]

We have an older,2004, Chevy,3500 DRW Duramax with Allison. It's been agood truck, hauled a lot and and has only needed some injector work and front end maintenance since we bought it new in December of 03. It consistently gets 15.1 MPG with the camper on. Some of the loads my masonry contractor husband has put on it have scared me but it is still sound. Everything stock and no problems wit the camper. THANK GOD!

[billtex]

geez...I still can't believe the truck frame would fail before the trailer.

It will be great to finally get the back story to all this.

It was scary enough to have me crawl under our truck last weekend with a flashlight.

Crazy stuff...

[mooring_product]

Everyone calm down...turns out the trailer has a race car with a big block and a very large Snap On tool box. Excessive tongue weight...

Please hold as I'm getting more details from the interweb. My source is from a another racer who knows of a guy, who knows a guy who owns the pretzeled Ford.

[ClassicB]

This looks as though the truck and camper rear ended something like a semi trailer and the front of the F350 got wedged under the semitrailer and the force of the F350's trailer forced a downward motion on the F350 causing the weakest part of the F350 frame to bend upward. Just a thought.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

Link for cristofori

[cristofori]

The pickup versions of the F350 and F450 frames are 6.87 X 2.36 X .264 using the 2010 model year as an example. The cab & chassis versions are heavier in both cases...the F350 is 7.50 X 2.74 X .280 and the F450 is 7.50 X 2.74 X .320 up to .600 depending on wheelbase. The badges on the body of the truck don't tell you a whole lot anymore...you have to really dig into the specs to know what you are buying...and don't bother asking the sales people...they have no idea. To really get answers...it takes a good fleet guy...and I have found that a really good source is the after market body builders. By the way...here is a link to some recent body builders info from Ford...very enlightening.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/techspec.html

[Jfet]

What is the frame cross section on that truck? My Isuzu is 2.8" x 8.5" C-channel 0.24" thickness but curious what a F350 or F450 uses.