# Beware 99 and newer 2500/3500 owners



## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Here a are some pics of my frame on my 04 3500 SRW 8.1/allison.

This appears to be happening to a lot of trucks that carry a plow. GM will warranty my repair, but only because it's a 3500, and has the pow prep pkg, if it was a 2500 they wouldn't warranty it because they say it is caused by over loading the rear of the truck Funny the frames on a 2500 and 3500 are identical Chassis cab trucks and some pickups came with a bracket welded in this area to strenghten it from the factory.
Bill


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Here's a picture of another truck cracked in the same place. Also a picture of the bracket on the chassis cabs.

Bill


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

where exactly is this crack? The pict is kind of close up - not sure what I'm looking at. How did you notice you had a cracked frame????


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## mr_udy (Feb 26, 2006)

Is that the front end were upper control arm is mounted? Is that a poor weld? What size plow were you running? Lots of plowing? Your own truck or someone else driving it? I've seen all kinds of stuff on "other peoples trucks/fleet use" so it wouldnt completely surprise me if something wacked it pretty good. Let us know where it is so I can look at mine...


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

mr_udy;387926 said:


> Is that the front end were upper control arm is mounted?


Yes that is the upper control arm mount where it attaches to the frame and thats not the first one I've seen broken like that either. I've fixed several '88-'98 OBS trucks with the same problem. And so far I've seen two of the '01-up HD's the same way. One was a '01 extended cab with an 8.2 Boss V and the other was an '04 reg cab with an 8 ft Boss straight blade with wings. Some guys might not know it but GM added a small triangle gusset to this area as extra support so I'm sure their well aware of the problem (not that they'll admit to it) The dumb part of it though is that they only seem to add the gusset to the 3500 cab and chassis and the 2500,3500 crew cabs. At least that's the only models I've found them on so far. If you look at the second pic on the right, you can see the extra triangle gusset at the connection point between the frame rail and the upper control arm mount. That's right where they alway seem to break on trucks that don't have the extra gusset. GM need's to step up to the plate and put the gussets on all the chassis's regardless of cab configuration or at the very least include them in the plow prep package.


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## Sydenstricker Landscaping (Dec 17, 2006)

How hard would it be to add that gusset in there with some steel and a welder?? Doesnt look too hard and I will do it, cause its alot better than a busted frame!!


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

mr_udy;387926 said:


> Is that the front end were upper control arm is mounted? Is that a poor weld? What size plow were you running? Lots of plowing? Your own truck or someone else driving it? I've seen all kinds of stuff on "other peoples trucks/fleet use" so it wouldnt completely surprise me if something wacked it pretty good. Let us know where it is so I can look at mine...


I'm running a 9.5 Fisher EZ-V, sidewing, and a snowex 6000 in the rear, my truck grosses 9400 lbs with both plows, full of salt and fuel, rated at 9800. The truck has 3 seasons on it, and has 33,000 miles, 1824 hours.
Thanks B&B I meet with the GM rep on the 11th, trying nail down which trucks have the gussets.

Bill
PS Here's a picture showing the location better, the top pic in my first post is rotated 90 degrees.


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## mr_udy (Feb 26, 2006)

I had a Ford guy tell me that most of the plows out there exceed GM front end weight ratings. Any truth to this (he may be biased)? He even said my 7.5" Western Pro-plow w/ Backblade would be over on my '02 2500HD with the Cast Iron Big Block. 

I might look into adding a gusset to mine...


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

The extra welded tab is very interesting.I have to check mine. I wonder if the frames are made at two different plants. 

The cracked ones must be the tymusic ones.. LOL OK I'm just kidding.

As for rear weight messing up that spot sounds weird to me too You dealer must sell more Buicks.

The amount of rust on you frame for it age is baffling. Are you plowing the along the coast line or salt water mashes were the truck get salt water/mist under it?


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Yaz
The truck was undercoated on top of the factory stuff!, needs to be pressured washed and done again this spring. Our climate and the amount of salt both in the air, and used on the roads is really hard on vehicles.

Bill


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Sydenstricker Landscaping;387986 said:


> How hard would it be to add that gusset in there with some steel and a welder?? Doesnt look too hard and I will do it, cause its alot better than a busted frame!!


 It's not too hard at all since it's basically just a triangulated gusset and it's not in a hard location to work with. I think it'd be a smart idea for anybody that's gonna run one of the heavier plows on one of these trucks.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

mr_udy;388040 said:


> I had a Ford guy tell me that most of the plows out there exceed GM front end weight ratings. Any truth to this?


If the truck has the 4800 lb. front axle rating then I'd say "some" but not "most".


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## jhook (Jan 24, 2004)

I have had both a 04 and an 05 2500HD open up in the same spot - have posted pics not too long ago in this forum. I am very interested to hear more about this extra bracket. Anyone got pics or more ideas regarding this problem? 

Edit: Sorry, I didn't see the first pic of the bracket. Looks like a good idea.


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## Absolut (Mar 25, 2011)

I guess I am not he only one I have a 2005 2500 GMC sierra with the durmax and a 3500 1 ton 6 liter both broken in the same place 04 has 76000 the 05 138000 both broke this year I also own a 1996 GMC 2500 sierra with 140000 frames good no problems make you wonder and GMC said it no there problem That Just B.S. the covering there you now whats Last GM product I will ever own and Have to others


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Wait.....GM Truck frames can crack/snap from the weight of a plow?

I'd hope someone would come up with a fix for that


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## Woodenshoe (Oct 30, 2010)

:laughing::laughing:​


plowguy43;1271919 said:


> Wait.....GM Truck frames can crack/snap from the weight of a plow?
> 
> I'd hope someone would come up with a fix for that


:laughing::laughing:​


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## ticki2 (Jan 10, 2006)

plowguy43;1271919 said:


> Wait.....GM Truck frames can crack/snap from the weight of a plow?
> 
> I'd hope someone would come up with a fix for that


You might want to check your Ram right behind the coil spring once in a while .


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

ticki2;1272175 said:


> You might want to check your Ram right behind the coil spring once in a while .


Nothing to worry about, but thanks.

Apparently you didn't catch that joke but its cool.


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## Hysert (Dec 16, 2009)

Hey Gents... The gussets are a must I seen three 2500s this year with no gussets crack right at the rear of the upper control arms.... My 01 2500 had them from factory my 03 3500 did not, I used some .25 inch plate cut into a triangle moreless, and about 3 inchs long welded right along the top edge to the control arm mount. I would definatly recommend the hour of labour.....


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Well my 08 3500 SRW Duramax/Allison has a cracked frame. Trouble is I used this truck a lot more in the summer and it is over the mileage, by 6K, but under the 3 years. The selling dealer was dumped by GM in the restructuring. I'm going to try and see if they will warranty this one, but I'm not holding out much hope. :crying:


Bill


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