[andrewakessler]

Working on a 48 Chevy Pickup.

While derusting my running board brackets, I noticed they were completely out of whack. Is there a proper (or improper; I'm not picky) way to straighten the brackets, or am I better off buying new ones?

Thanks,

-A

[enjenjo]

Bolt it to the frame, and use a big cresent wrench to bend it back into shape. Make sure they are not made that way on purpose first.

[MARTINSR]

I am not sure they all should look the same. But if you bolt them to the frame and set the running board on them you will be able to figure them out. To straighten them, the more leverage the better, a long piece of pipe slipped over them you will be able to bend them like they are butter.


Brian

[andrewakessler]

MARTINSR: You're correct. There are three different bracket sizes for each side. It looks like someone bent the hell out of them a long time ago (there are ripples on some of the brackets where they bent). I'd be more concerned if they held anything other than the running boards.

I'll definitely try both the crescent wrench and the pipe to straighten them.

Thanks to both you and enjenjo for the help.

-A

[MARTINSR]

Here are a set of those brackets, they all look pretty different from one an other. A couple of these had some "ripples" in them too. I checked that against another set I have on a frame and those didn't have any so yes it appears they are not suppose to have them. I have to say it is very common for a part like that to have ripples in the metal as they were a quick stamping and not suppose to be perfect, just strong enough to hold a running board was all it was suppose to do. You can see that there is even a little twist in some of them.



But anyway, putting the running board on and making it level and all is really what matters. Are your bed and rear fenders on?

Brian

[timothale]

sometimes you can put a wood block top and bottom then use a big c clamp to hold it together then tweak on the Clamp. that way you dont bend the edge flanges. I have bent some C clamps doing this.