Drilling Holes in Frame Rail?

[Fishnfool]

Am trying to figure out the best way to mount a Racor 645 filter head pre-lift pump on my truck. Would drilling two 5/16" hole about two inches apart in the top lip of my frame rail to mount the piece of aluminum angle I'd like to use as a bracket be a bad idea?

[Inspector]

Never drill holes in the top or bottom frame rails. The web is ok as long as you don't drill into the radius. Hole diameter is also a consideration.
Denny

[DmaxMaverick]

I agree. Denny is spot-on.

[Fishnfool]

Thanks - back under the truck to figure out some other way of mounting a bracket :rolleyes:

[DennisG01]

If it helps, I installed a remote-mounted oil filter. I mounted it pretty much directly under my feet when sitting the driver's seat. It's been a while, but I believe I used a piece of 1/8" steel on the inside of the pan to help distribute the load. Been about 5 years, now.

[phantom309]

:cool:

If two 5/16ths holes, 2 inches apart,.. compromises a frame rail,.

I,d be amazed,.and i,d want pics to verify it,. and a detailed description of what the truck was doing at then time,. jeez.

Nick

[AKMark]

I agree with Nick.

Have done several custom suspensions on off road vehicles that have been abused. Drilling holes where needed.

Never seen a crack from the areas I've worked on. Just issues with the 73-88 1/2 ton frames at the steering box. But that's an area I didn't add holes to, just reinforced and repaired after the original frame failed.

[coxfmly]

I built a bracket with 2 foot pegs off of my sons BMX bike and a piece of steel. I located 2 factory drilled holes in the frame (drivers side, under drivers seat) that gave me the needed spacing for my equipment. I bolted the pegs to the frame rail and then located and marked the steel plate. Removed the pegs and bench welded the pieces together. Pegs gave me the needed stand off from the frame to install the gear....

[Fishnfool]

Thanks for the great pics!

I went back under my truck and found that midway between the fuel tank and the Lift Pump there are two holes stacked vertically in the side of the frame rail. Back at the scrap metal place I found a piece of 1/4"T x 4"W x 10.5"L aluminum plate. Going to use two 5/16" bolts with a couple of spacers to mount the plate vertically over the open side of of the frame channel and mount the Racor as high as possible to the top of the plate. Will post pics whenever I get it done.

[More Power]

Whenever possible, I prefer to re-purpose unused frame rail holes that already exist.

That said, I've needed to drill a set of four holes in the lower rails (2 each side) to reposition the transmission crossmember in two trucks after a trans swap. One of them was used to tow and haul extensively over hundreds of Ks of miles. Jim