Bridge Made From Two Old Truck Frames

1996 - Volume #20, Issue #3, Page #07

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When the old stone and timber bridge over a small stream on his farm started falling apart, George Reesor, Stouffville, Ontario, found a way to build a new bridge out of a pair of truck frames and several railroad ties.
"It was fun to build and should last a long time. I spent only about $300," says Reesor, who has used the bridge for nine years. "It easily carries the weight of a 150 hp tractor and is 17 ft. wide so I can take wide equipment across it. It's better than a poured concrete bridge where I might have big problems if the bridge ever washed out or shifted. My bridge is actually a rectangular steel æbox' surrounded by stones. If it ever does wash away I can just use a tractor and chain to pull it back into position."
Reesor cut the springs and axles off two 17-ft. long 1951 Ford 1-ton truck frames. He then stood the frames on their sides, running lengthwise along each side of the creek, and welded six 8-ft. lengths of 6-in. channel iron between the two frames - one at each corner and two in the middle. The result was a 17-ft. long, 4 by 8-ft. rectangular steel frame.
He ran 4-ft. tall wire fence around the full length of each frame, then dumped rocks behind and around each frame. He placed railroad ties across the top of the frames and welded short lengths of angle iron onto the ends of the frames to keep the ties from sliding off. He used small stones to fill in the spaces between the frames and stream bank.
"The link wire fence keeps the stones from going through the truck frame and into the creek," says Reesor. "The pressure of the stones caused the link wire fence to bulge inward, ensuring that the frame is well anchored to the bank. I've seen spring flood waters pour through within a few inches of the railroad ties, but so far the bridge hasn't budged," says Reesor.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, George Reesor, 11893 McCowan Rd., Stouffville, Ontario, Canada L4A 7X5 (ph 905 640-2118).

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Bridge Made From Two Old Truck Frames FARM HOME Miscellaneous 20-3-7 When the old stone and timber bridge over a small stream on his farm started falling apart, George Reesor, Stouffville, Ontario, found a way to build a new bridge out of a pair of truck frames and several railroad ties. "It was fun to build and should last a long time. I spent only about $300," says Reesor, who has used the bridge for nine years. "It easily carries the weight of a 150 hp tractor and is 17 ft. wide so I can take wide equipment across it. It's better than a poured concrete bridge where I might have big problems if the bridge ever washed out or shifted. My bridge is actually a rectangular steel æbox' surrounded by stones. If it ever does wash away I can just use a tractor and chain to pull it back into position." Reesor cut the springs and axles off two 17-ft. long 1951 Ford 1-ton truck frames. He then stood the frames on their sides, running lengthwise along each side of the creek, and welded six 8-ft. lengths of 6-in. channel iron between the two frames - one at each corner and two in the middle. The result was a 17-ft. long, 4 by 8-ft. rectangular steel frame. He ran 4-ft. tall wire fence around the full length of each frame, then dumped rocks behind and around each frame. He placed railroad ties across the top of the frames and welded short lengths of angle iron onto the ends of the frames to keep the ties from sliding off. He used small stones to fill in the spaces between the frames and stream bank. "The link wire fence keeps the stones from going through the truck frame and into the creek," says Reesor. "The pressure of the stones caused the link wire fence to bulge inward, ensuring that the frame is well anchored to the bank. I've seen spring flood waters pour through within a few inches of the railroad ties, but so far the bridge hasn't budged," says Reesor. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, George Reesor, 11893 McCowan Rd., Stouffville, Ontario, Canada L4A 7X5 (ph 905 640-2118).

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