Filling the frame with expanding insulating foam?

Bullitt6283

Bullitt6283

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Jun 7, 2019
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Shrewsbury, PA
To help preserve the frame, has anyone thought of keeping water/mud/etc out of the frame by filling the frame with expanding insulating foam? (Great Stuf)
When it's first applied, it seems to stick to everything.
Only downside I can think of, is that if there's a weak spot in the frame, the expanding foam might push through.
 
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You do know foam absorbs, right?

If you wanted to seal the frame off, the better way would be to weld up every hole on the frame (which still wouldn't be a good idea).
 
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Yeah, I don't think that is good idea. Foam is going to hold any moisture in the frame for long periods of time, whereas driving on a non rainy day, dries the frame interior.
 
If you used enough you could float across the mud holes instead of driving through them.

But yeah, like everyone above it won’t work. Just search for internal frame protection stuff like Eastwood’s.
 
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Your on the right path.. just maybe find sometime with less absorption
 
Hog said:
Your on the right path.. just maybe find sometime with less absorption
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It does exist. Lots of OEM hollow structures are filled with a catalyzed urethane structural foam. I know MB used it a bunch in windshield frames. It is not like normal foam in a seat, it is like a closed cell foam used in some packaging and does not absorb anything. I'll also bet that the home insulation sealing foam doesn't absorb anything either. ;)

The same type foam is used in fiberglass molded boats make them "unsinkable". That would be the stuff I would use since it is likely cheaper.
 
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GreatStuff is non-absorbent. That's why it's used to seal around intrusions in buildings (I'm a believer in sealing conditioned buildings.).

If I were to fill a cavity (such as a frame) I'd want to use a foam that is more dense than GreatStuff. What holds me back from doing so is that I still think water pressure could push water around the foam and trap it into an area that can't drain or evaporate. If I get bored I might try it on a sample and see what happens.
 
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I know from using it Great Stuff (particularly exposed to the elements) that it degrades, gets pitted, & depending on if/where you wheel it could suffer direct hits by sticks & stuff as you drag through the trails so I believe over time & not much of it you could be getting moisture and/or full on water in the frame that’ll seep around & just get stuck there because of the very thing you put in there to keep it out; & if it’s carrying salt with it that’s even worse.

Also, once you put that stuff in there it is never coming back out, you’re never getting a camera in there to inspect & if there is a failure somewhere & rust is developing you won’t know it/be able to deal with it. I’d suggest sticking with what we know works: flush that puppy out regularly after you’ve submerged it in water and/or after you’ve driven through a snow/ice storm where they’ve salted the roads. Just remember rust needs water to happen so deprive the iron of water as much as you can by keeping that frame as airy as it can be for maximum air flow to dry out as quickly as possible following any kind of water related event.
 
While we’re throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, how ‘bout a solid steel frame? or a polymer frame like a glock or a laminated wood frame like a Morgan? Or a hollow frame without any holes that stayed pressurized? The booms on my old companies humongous draglines were pressurized and if the monitors detected a crack=pressure drop they would shut down the machine. Anything sticking yet?

0CB694E4-CA7B-46E8-ADB3-62EBDCE74532.jpeg
 
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just go to eastwood.com and get their green frame sealant comes in a spray can. It coats the inside of the frame to stop rust and to prevent future rust. I wouldn't put expanding foam it will stop any airflow it won't allow it to dry out etc etc.
 
OK that surely got the propellers on top of the thinking caps going...
The foam being non-absorbent, the problem may be that over time the foam may shrink a bit, and allow water in which could not escape.
Back to the Eastwood option I think.
 
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Baltimoreed said:
While we’re throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, how ‘bout a solid steel frame? or a polymer frame like a glock or a laminated wood frame like a Morgan? Or a hollow frame without any holes that stayed pressurized? The booms on my old companies humongous draglines were pressurized and if the monitors detected a crack=pressure drop they would shut down the machine. Anything sticking yet?

View attachment 117913
Click to expand...

Or we would run pressurized fuel through the frame like the southern guys do.
 
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