Is it OK to weld closed some drilled holes in my 1960's truck frame?

[sixdogs]

My 1967 F600 Ford truck has a few 7/16" holes drilled into the top of the frame. It does not appear to be hard steel since they were easily drilled and I drilled them long ago. I have since learned not to drill holes in a truck frame. It's not a HD work truck but a farm vehicle that has limited weight on it and only has an 8' flatbed.

These holes now bother me and when the bed is off soon I wonder if it's OK to weld these holes shut? I would put a piece of 1/4" steel under to back up the weld and then MIG the hole shut. Not knowing truck frame protocol, does anyone know if this is a good idea or a bad idea?

 

[CalG]

yes, It's OK

 

[goeduck]

Why worry if you drilled them a long time ago, assuming no issues? If the holes are clean smooth there should not be any cracks and if there were, you should see them.

 

[dieselscout80]

It’s ok to drill holes in the vertical surface of a frame rail. However it is never ok to drill in the flange top or bottom of a frame rail.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Sure, weld them up, grind smooth afterward and put on some paint to prevent rusting.

 

[Deere Dude]

I would worry more about welding on the frame than a few holes. Unless there is a structural reason to weld on it I would leave it alone. But that is just my thought.

 

[Katahdin]

Copper or aluminum backing would be better to fill the hole, it won't stick to the weld puddle.

 

[Streetcar]

If the holes have not caused a problem, ignore them.welding can cause issues with stress concentration at weld site. Cracks like to start at ends of welds

 

[sixdogs]

It’s ok to drill holes in the vertical surface of a frame rail. However it is never ok to drill in the flange top or bottom of a frame rail.

I drilled a few holes in the top flange. Ford had a couple of punched factory holes so I never gave it a thought. This appears to me mild steel and won't ever haul very much but I would like to improve the situation. I know about welding and stress cracks and I thought backing with a small piece of steel would help the situation.

 

[jaxs]

I would leave it alone. There's a reason it was assembled with rivits. It is not recommended to weld on frames. The metal is specifically treated to alow flex without cracking or bending,heat will spoil that. If it bother's you,wire brush,convert rust,prime and paint.