Frame rail.

What would it cost out the door to replace both frame rails with a 330 in WBase.

 

Probably a lot. KW quoted me something like $9k a rail for blanks. Add in the labour to drill and replace on top of that.

 

there is a co in vt sells the rail punched to length 866 851 6478 P.G. Adams

 

I had mine done locally for under $1500 for the pair. I cut, drilled and installed them myself.

 

PG Adams sells rails. I'm gonna speculate you'll likely be 4-5k in rails drilled and they'll want a template to drill. Or you buy blanks for slightly less. Likely 3-4k. Add in labor for the replacement which will likely be 30-50 hours of labor at 100 an hour. Add in for incidental stuff, then drive lines if your not 330 already, then figure in the plumbing, and axle work. The list goes on. IMO I'd set aside 15-20k. It's a hug job to replace rails but very doable. Unbolt one side at a time, snag from the back and pull. I have a brand new sent of rails that will end up around 345" if I don't cut them. I've contemplated using them on mine since I'm currently 330" wheelbase.

And if your not 330", be ready to learn to drive all over again..

 

Still worth it if the rest of the truck is solid. Typically after about 20-25 years the truck is ready for a re-rail.

 

I don't know that I'd agree with that time frame. Wear and tear and how you take care of your equipment will determine a more suitable timeframe

 

Most folks in the areas that salt/calcium chloride the roads in winter don't wash the frames often enough from what I've seen. Add in 100k+ gross they're on borrowed time by 25 years. I'd imagine they'd last much longer in the south but I've never been fortunate enough to experience that lol.

 

Again I think I'd disagree. I'm in NE-Ohio and have many and known many running original rails from the 70's and 80's. Very common. I know very few guys who've done a retail due to age

 

Alot of my experience is on vocational/off road heavy haul stuff. I've never actually turned a wrench on any truck that was strictly highway spec'd so maybe that's where I'm seeing it differently.