Suggestions on the Strongest Way to Step Notch a Frame

Hello again Max and friends,

Anyone have some input on the strongest way to step notch a frame? It's going in an Armada which a fully boxed (roughly 2 1/2" wide O.D.) factory frame. Here's the options I'm considering, please let me know which you think is strongest or if you have another idea I'd appreciate that too.

-Create my own out of 2x4 1/4" wall steel. Make all angles at 45degrees and plate all welded surfaces (in my mind, this will be the strongest).

-Buy a 4 piece kit from someone like suicide doors out of 3/8 steel. Not sure if a round one would be strongest or not (this is what I would like to do since it'll be the nicest looking).

Building a back half or a frame under the axle isn't anything I'm interested in.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

-AaronArt of Noize

the kit that is made outta plate for sure.they are alot of welding but end up very strong.i wouldnt think you would need anything any stronger than what is put on truck frames because you arent dealing with near as much stress on the frame like a truck with a seperate bed section has.

I like box tube notched better on C-Channel frames. If your frame is fully boxed, you will have an easier time with an 8 pc kit. Anything on the market now will be plenty strong. Just make sure you fully weld it all. I think SDs are 3/16 side plates and 1/8" top and bottom caps. No need to go any thicker than that.

we build 3x3 box tubing notches for full box frames then trim the front and back of legs so they will slide down over the frame, weld them in, the box in the open part on back

The strongest notch would be a 4-piece notch out of 3/16" or 1/4" plate (depending on application) where the inside corners of the notch are radiused and the top and bottom plates are one continuous piece, not 3 seperate pieces. That does not mean that whatever you have will break, because most notches are far stronger than the rest of the frame. But the main question of this thread is the strongest way to notch a frame