Project Yellow: Cutting the Frame, Shortening the Truck, Welding It Back Together - 1987 GMC 7000 

Thanks for the support, and thank you for watching!

Thinking about painting it pink... what do you think?

@@FabbedFun if that's what makes you happy and reflects who you are, I say go for it!! 😏

@@davidlanoue6713 I mean red. Yeah. Red.

Going well here. How are you? Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching! Yes, it was easier than I thought. I need to double check all my welds, especially the overhead welds on the bottom of the diamond splice.

No, not at all! I'm just picking at you. It's all I had, but you are absolutely right. I do plan on getting some extra jackstands and big shop stands as well. I'm planning on it, but my wallet is hiding...

@@FabbedFun just don’t want you getting hurt. If you could find some scrap 6x6 posts from a pole barn project or something would be nice. They work great for crib blocks.

Due to crossmembers and other structure, I didn't have as much room for large plates. But that is good advice... more "covert" to put on the inside.

I did consider it... But didn't have room in the barn to be able to put the tractor up and use it to move the axle on my small concrete area. If you have the right environment to do it, I think that would be the absolute best possible way to go. Also, getting the first hole drilled lets you make a template for drilling all the other holes (make a rod with a hole as a guide at one end, a bolt at the other... slip the bolt in the old hole and the front hole should be positioned the same distance forward that you'll need) Thanks for watching... will you video your build?

I think, if I were to do it again, I would try your method. However, some of these C-series medium duty trucks have a slightly different frame shape near the leaf spring's rear mount. I didn't know if that would throw me off. Bigger trucks (and probably some newer ones) have straight frame rails. Great comment! Thanks for watching!

I have more practice with stick... and my wire welder is too small. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Find a common point that's symmetrical to each frame rail in front of and behind the cut, measure off of the first point to the second point and compare sides. It's probably better to grind the long side to clean up any "high" spots that keep the frame from coming together in an equal manner. Fortunately for me, I was only about 1/16" off and just rolled with it. No issues driving down the road straight. Well, none of my roads are straight anyway haha! Thanks for watching.

Gas 366 V8 with a factory Holley carb, 5 speed transmission (I believe it is a Clark with Reverse top left). Thanks for watching and commenting!

I was afraid I wouldn't get all the holes cut right. Frame seemed simpler to cut and weld., fish plate, weld, double frame. Moving the axle is probably more "appropriate" for most, though.

@@FabbedFun mines a tandem if we like what we see an buy, im gonna measue an rent or buy a mag drill an move, i want short for pulling my car hauler an build more western hauler bed

@@bigjim11566 I expect video and a link in the future!

@@FabbedFun back to the hunt, just drove almost 4hr to see trk an guy wasnt there, seen trk, but no one to talk to, waited trying to get him for 2.5hr

You're a bigger fan of the z cut? I've had a few say they prefer that but I knew I'd have enough redundancy that it wouldn't matter.

Legal/Illegal is not necessarily right and good/bad and wrong. But I guess that dabbles in political topics... Anyway, yeah... that's why I added a fish plate and then reinforced with bolted on sections of additional truck frame. It is a weld reinforced by another layer of overlapping steel and weld at different angles, reinforced by G8 bolts and additional steel. I think I'm okay. Beverage trucks for YEARS have been cutting out sections of frame, dropping at a 90, turning another 90, and running mild steel C-channel back to another set of 90s that connects back to the original frame. If I'm not legal, no similarly-modded beverage truck on the road is legal. They are aftermarket straight frame cuts and welds. Once I started getting a close look at professional frame mods done across the transportation industry, I realized my little GMC would be just fine. If you do it differently or better, great. You can't be too safe or too strong. Thanks for watching and commenting.

@@FabbedFun It's funny I came across your video after someone said I was doing a frame job wrong on my video lol. You can check it out if you want on my channel. I did it with a torch and a mig. Cut 21 inches out of the frame and mounted the box all in one day. Your truck will likely be fine, its just proper form to always do it on a 45, even with fish plates. Cheers keep on fabbin, it looks good.

Nice job and video editing. I to have gotten many comments on my "straight" cuts vs. "Z" cuts . Their comments, I believe are originated from what looks cooler. Also there is the fact that an angle cut and weld will have more surface area (length) than a straight one. However, I personally have always done straight cuts and never experienced any trouble whatsoever. I have also done and seen done by others, frame splicing with no fish plating at all on trucks that regularly gross 100,000 lbs. If the weld is good, done with the proper rod and processes and attention payed to dynamic truck loading characteristics, the straight cut is a great choice all the way around. But I will say that an angle cut is mighty pretty, kinda like chrome stacks! Good luck with your build.

@@turbo1438 where I live it is law. Period. Not allowed straight frame cuts because it is stronger on a 45. Period end of story.

@@EliteTruckRepairs I don't care