Should a sprint frame sit level on a concrete floor? Or is it normal to teeter on flat ground?


Thanks

Yes, it should sit level (unless it is a raised rail car, then it will lean to left). However, you will never find a cement floor that doesn't have some dips and high spots, so don't judge a car by that. If you really need to know, take it Tony Beaber or someone else that has a frame jig or table that you know is flat. Even then, if there is a weld on the bottom of the car that stands up a little high, or a nerf bar spud slightly angled down-the car might still rock a little.

Above is true, it would depend on just how much it rocks, not many fresh out of the welding process will sit absolutley flat, if it's on a real flat surface, and it rocks corner to corner some, even as much as an inch or so, I wouldn't worry much about it, that may just be from the welding stress. Now, if it rocks fore and aft like a rocking chair, that might be time for concern. I probably wouldn't worry about it, unless you know it's been hit hard, or diamond some, it might be time for concern. Bob

The other guys who posted are correct. What I do, however, is check to see if the torsion tubes are parallel to each other. I put the chassis on jack stands and shim until the rear torsion tubes are dead-level. I then check the front torsion tubes and the motor plate mounts. If they aren't dead-level then the chassis has some twist in it. This isn't necessarily a problem as long as I can decipher how much twist is there. I then make set-up adjustments to compensate for the twist.

I also check the rear tube-to-motor plate distance on both sides, and the front tube to motor plate distance to check for diamonding(sp?). I then mark dead center of the chassis on the rear tubes and front of the cockpit in the motor plate area. I pull a string through these points to the front and measure the centerline of the front part of the chassis to this line to see if the chassis is bent from the motor plate forward. Again, not necessarily a problem if you can adjust and compensate in setup.

Just what I do. Although I've not been fortunate anough to ever have a brand new chassis, I've put a few cars together for other guys and have done the same thing. I've not found a new chassis that was off by a measureable amount.

Tim Simmons

Seconded...take it to Beaber, no one does better work or is more fair on price.

If you're interested in another chassis, I have a j&j I might sell. PS, we have a mutual friend, erik.....