Can I "rebuild" my frame??

Not sure if anyone can help or not. I have a 2002 Tacoma and it got smacked in the left rear pushing the rear portion of the frame to the right an inch. (Right behind the rear cab mounts) i brought it to a body shop to get a quote... And about passed out. 3500-4000 to fix it. It buckled on the inside a little and top of the left rail. I've been driving it like this but it crab walks bad and is chewing the tires up like crazy. So I had an idea. Oh btw, this is a frame swapped truck and they said I'm not getting a new one. So my idea was to go to the steel yard and buy a piece of rectangular tube that fits snug over my frame and cut my frame off on both sides infront of rear cab mounts and slide the tubing over my rails and basically remake the rear end of the frame. So factory frame would be slid inside roughly 3 feet of bought tubing. Then make new rear cab mounts, new cross members and reuse the leaf spring mounts. I planned on using grade 8 thru bolts at each end and welding it to the factory frame. What's your thoughts? Would it be dangerous? If so how? Seems these frames are only 1/8.. I can get this steel for 200 bucks. I love welding and up to the task. But I don't want it to be unsafe

 

I know when the rear of my frame was getting pretty bad, I found a guy here local who had rear frame rails starting just in front of the first mount for the leaf springs then all the way back to the bumper. They came from Arizona and they are mint. I then cut the frame on both sides there and welded them in and got it safety checked and the guy said that the back of your frame is mint and the rest will have to be watched closely but the back is very solid now.
You only need to repair one side so if you could find one frame rail for the back you might be able to try doing that and be careful with your measuring so you have it lined up really good with the other side.
Just a thought that might help you out.

 

Do you or anyone else know what the frame is made of? I was told it's heat treated but I highly doubt it. These frames are pretty soft it seems. Is it mild steel?

 

1st of all, whoever hit you should pay.

To answer your question, yes you can build / rebuild a frame. No I don't recommend you doing it. Its not just cutting and hotgluing with a mig welder and its certainly not bolting metal to your frame. Honestly your options only include professional help which is $$$.

Check out this build and see how you cut off and "rebuild" a frame properly:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/01-4-door-1-ton-sas.324782/

 

If you truely up to it. Pull the cab and bed, take a bunch of measurements. Cut some slots in the frame where the bends are, hammer, bend pull, yank etc the frame back straight. Then weld in patches and reinforcements.

You should not have to cut the frame in to pieces, just a slot or two here or there to allow it to flex to where it needs to be. I have seen some fine redneck engineered frame straightening with come alongs and blocks of wood to trees. the second video, which is pulling a frame straight, I have seen work in reverse. a 4x4 strapped at both ends and a jack pushing the frame straight.

https://youtu.be/7hWWw5cyTvg

https://youtu.be/62FrpLfGY1c

 

Yeah... That guy made a beast! I'm looking to do something similar but the other way around. Where he slid his man made frame inside the truck frame, I was planning on going truck frame inside man made. The frame is 2 3/4 wide by 5.5... the steel I found would fit snug outside factory frame. And I planned on making fish plates for the angles where the frame goes up over axle. I planned on fully welding the front end of frame slid over truck frame, welding thru bolts in for extra comfort and possibly plug welding.

 

I cut the rear of my frame off behind the cab and welded a new one on. Boxed it in and added cross supports. it was not bent but rusted.

I love to weld but I would never do it again.

I leveled the truck out, took a ton of measurements and pictures.
I added tubing inside the frame welded it,
Then welded the frame
then welded safe-t-caps https://www.autorust.com/product-category/toyota/ over all of that.
then coated the frame on the inside with https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-i...Y52VdVtEGGdM-JBvBMFj1oHoGjXedawcaAsLIEALw_wcB

I had all the correct measurements before, but with he thin Tacoma frames, every little weld I made the heat would push one way or another.
I had a helluva jig system set up to hold everything together.

Can it be done, yes
Would I personally recommend it, no It would have been faster for me to swap the frame out.


If your going to do it here are the frame measurements towards the bottom is a better picture, https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-frame-dimensions.436399/ the post and picture from xcmtb83


I also uploaded a pdf

 

How confident are you that you can cut apart and rebuild the frame to the same dimensions and measurements as factory? Where would you place the odds that you will spend a lot of time and money only to have the same issues? Sone people can probably do it, others...

And if you were hit, it should be their $$$ fixing any issues, not you.

 

It was hit in a dirt pull off at a camp ground and they fled before I got back to it. I think I will see what I can do with a come along. I already tried it but will give it another shot. And if all else fails. What's everyones thought on taking my spare axle tube and making new mounts on the axle but slid to the right so the axle is in line where it's supposed to be? I know it's a hack job but I can't afford to pay to have frame fixed. If I get around to it I will try and upload pics of the damage and using a straight edge, show the bend

 

If you want to do it go for it!!

It all comes down to your skill set .

These little trucks are very easy to resection or build a whole new frame time consuming without a doubt .

Having stretched numerous Over The Road Tractors over the years

Doing the rear section is much easier then doing a Solid Axle Swap in a technical sense .

The critical part is getting the rear axle square and if need be that can be adjusted

 

well after some tedious work this morning I got it with in 1/4 inch. its hard to get it perfect without the right stuff. but its better than the inch it was out before. I noticed my right side leafs are sagging 2 1/4 inches more than the left. but my spare frame has 3 inch lift components in it so guess what im doing soon! i just need new leaf springs. anyone know where i can get a good but not kill the wallet leaf spings? i will post pics of the diy frame jig

 

I think when you straighten yout have to pull past correct because or will spring back a bit. Ive never done it so don't take my word at it...

 

Budget minded option.
https://www.generalspringkc.com/Leaf_Springs_Toyota_Tacoma_s/1929.htm