[burn]

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A 355nation How To presented by
burn

Project Description
C-notch your frame

Skill Level
Advanced

Project Vehicle
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Colorado
Year: 2006
Engine: 3.5L
Transmission: Auto
Power windows: No
Sun Roof: No




I started by picking up the raw material for my notch. I got 3 sheets of 1/4" thick steel. Its 6" wide X 32" long:

After taking some measurements of the frame on the Colly (along with a few educated guesses) I came up with a pattern and drew it onto the steel:

Then I got crafty with the angle-grinder and got one cut out:

Here are the measurements I used. Please note that once you start lining this up on the frame your going to have to tweak / trim them. This will just get you in the ballpark:

All 4 panels cut out:

So I'm not sure whether to consider this Phase 2 - or just the end of Phase 1... but its my thread so I'm calling it Phase 2

Anyways; tonight I got the final pieces all cut out:

Then I drilled & tapped a hole in the middle of the top plates so that I can screw the bump stops into the plate. (Once the plates are welded in; be sure to use never-seize on the bump stop threads)

And then here is the notch just placed together with the bump-stops in place:

Whelp - got home from work tonight and got right to work. Heres what we got done in about 6hrs:

Got it up on stands, removed the box. took about 30min:

got both of the bump-stop mounts cut off. OMFG what a PITA. Took about 1hr / mount:

Then after some minor trimming to the plates - traced out where they go:

And here is Chris holding the patch panels in place:

The filler panels all welded to the frame:

After grinding down the filler panels; welded the outside plate to the frame:

Then welded the inside plate to the frane:

Total time for all of the welding - about 1hr.


took about 45min to get the notch section cut out. Then about an hour to get the pieces all welded in:

And here is a shot of the piece on the inside of the frame rail. It was a PITA to weld cuz of the gas tank and all the lines along there:

Then, we fabbed up a support tab for the brake line. It was welded to the stock bump stop mount:

And here is the driver side all painted up with the new bump stop in place:

The finished passenger side:

And the notch in the bed support:

Heres a few shots of it with the box back on. Drivers side:

passenger side:

NOTE: When you are cutting / grinding / welding on your frame - make sure you cover your cab well. I used a wet bedsheet however unfortunately it was not enough. I had to spend several hours clay barring my cab to get all the fallout off of the paint. I recommend using either cardboard or even that 3M welding paper: http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...CEK3_nid=GSMMTWQGDZgs8H32N3CD4SglRJXVD6KWQ6bl.

 

[for20]

good work

 

[throwinsparksatu]

nice looks good

 

[kaelshort]

very nice(in borat voice) :thumbup:

 

[LoadedDiablo]

Great write up...I need to do mine bad.

 

[LowRadoNLa]

excellent write up....great job....:thumbup:

 

[Freewood]

What was the reason behind the notch in the bed support?

 

[pschrags]

What was the reason behind the notch in the bed support?

rear axle clearance, the pumpkin hits the bottom if you don't do that

 

[Freewood]

Thanks, I can for sures do that myself!

 

[banditz]

One thing not mentioned here...our frames are very sturdy. They have a inside wall as well as the two outside walls. So plan on taking a good minute to cut the damn thing. A sawzall works good. As does a plasma cutter...torch is ok...either way you do it, remember you have three walls to cut. On each frame rail. the inside is a pain in the ass to do. A swzall works great for getting in there...just some info...Other than that great write up!

 

[burn]

One thing not mentioned here...our frames are very sturdy. They have a inside wall as well as the two outside walls. So plan on taking a good minute to cut the damn thing. A sawzall works good. As does a plasma cutter...torch is ok...either way you do it, remember you have three walls to cut. On each frame rail. the inside is a pain in the ass to do. A swzall works great for getting in there...just some info...Other than that great write up!

cheers.

I used a sawzall with the best "unbreakable" blades I could find. Worked great but they still go dull. Took a while to get through all 3 layers and get them all square.

 

[jahrasta]

rear axle clearance, the pumpkin hits the bottom if you don't do that

i have a 6in. drop and my pumpkin still hits...what would that do in the long run? also my exaust hit the axle aswell. the exaust gets real close to my brake line, should i just cut the exaust?thanks

 

[burn]

i have a 6in. drop and my pumpkin still hits...what would that do in the long run? also my exaust hit the axle aswell. the exaust gets real close to my brake line, should i just cut the exaust?thanks

for hitting the exhaust: either do a side-exhaust, or turn-downs before the axle. for hitting the pumpkin, eventually you could damage the bed. also make sure you re-route the brake-line so it dosent get pinched.

 

[Granteed]

Well this is pretty exciting, im totally starting this tomorrow. Burn, do you happen to have any of your measurments laying around still for the plates. thanks

 

["Jeff"]

Alright not to be a dick but you left a lot of useful information out.

Like one: your measurements. Would save a lot of people time with that info.

Two: where you got your materials and how much. Bumpstops especially.

Three: what kind of drop you're running with it. Not completely necessary but if you're only running a 3" drop you don't need to do this.

Just my .02

 

[flipwork]

Do I need to remove the suspension (leafs, shocks) to release pressure before I notch? I'm wondering if it could cause twisting if I don't.

I'm going to get started with this in about 2 hrs so any advice would be appreciated!!!

 

[Freewood]

No you don't have to remove the shocks or leafs. Just the bed, your wheels and maybe disconnect the lines to your charoal canister and move them when you weld. Shield your tank good and it would be wiser to have a full tank than half or empty.

The rear section on the crew cab is short and since you are doing one side at a time, I wouldn't worry about twisting. You could prop the rear of the frame up too at the height of the truck on it's jack stands.

 

[flipwork]

My Buddy's got a lift so I probably won't prop it up. I'll just bank on the fact that it won't twist if I do one side at a time.

Get R Done. I"ll try to take pics of the process.

 

[burn]

Alright not to be a dick but you left a lot of useful information out.

Like one: your measurements. Would save a lot of people time with that info.

Two: where you got your materials and how much. Bumpstops especially.

Three: what kind of drop you're running with it. Not completely necessary but if you're only running a 3" drop you don't need to do this.

Just my .02

I had a image with measurements on it but when my web server crashed I lost that pic. The numbers are really easy so I whipped a new one up:

Here are the measurements I used. Please note that once you start lining this up on the frame your going to have to tweak / trim them. This will just get you in the ballpark. The steel is 1/4" thick plate:

Not to be a dick; but if you are planning to do this mod yourself then that means you own a welder. If you own a welder then you should know where to buy steel. If your borrowing the welder then whoever you borrowed it from should know where to get steel.

I bought the bump stops from a local performance shop. Just pick up anything. Mine are made by Energy suspension and are called "button" bump stops.


Im running a 4/5 drop. specifically in the rear is the Belltech leafs + 1" blocks. I know that only adds up to 4" but the leafs settle after a few months to be 4" (+1 the 1" blocks). Again, not to be a dick; but this is irrelevant because if you are in this thread its because you are slapping your frame and need a notch. It dosent matter what components you are using to get that low - the fact of the matter is that you are low enough to warrant the mod.

Do I need to remove the suspension (leafs, shocks) to release pressure before I notch? I'm wondering if it could cause twisting if I don't.

I'm going to get started with this in about 2 hrs so any advice would be appreciated!!!

No you dont need to. Just put your jack stands under the frame infront of the leafs - NOT under axle. The axle will hang down enough to access the frame. Then all I did was put my jack under the pumpkin and gave it like 1/2 a pump just so to take the weight off of the rear section of the frame.

 

[Freewood]

Not to be a dick, Burn, lol.