The rusted frame dilemma....to repair or not repair, that is the question

Im sorry? If you mean the shirt sales, I had no intention of being a vendor here its just some guys wanted shirts and I offered to sell them. Ill fix whatever I need to fix, but I didn't even know there would be a problem.

 

I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express, once...

 

That's precisely what you DON'T want, lol. That's why the frames rust! The factory coating is inadequate.

But as long as you do a good job cleaning/protecting the frame at the beginning of the season, you should be good.

I guess I take back what I said earlier about the "idea" way to protect the frames. Really, it's to strip the truck down to a bare frame, do all the rust removal, then dunk the thing in a giant vat of rhino lining or something. Then you would need to ever worry about it.

 

even that isnt the answer. Rhino lining or coatings like that are the worst possible thing you can do to a frame. It literally traps moisture and water between the coating layer that dries, and the metal of the frame, causing perfect temperatures and stagnant water/moisture for the oxidation process to have an orgy with itself.

The best case scenario would be to actually be able to remove the truck from the frame annually and clean it thoroughly, touch it up with rust converter or corroseal, and then give it a good solid coat of Fluid Film.

The best reasonable thing we can do however, that almost anyone can accomplish and still get stellar results, its wash the truck thoroughly, apply fluid film in several properly applied coats, and then wash it religiously through the snow/salt season. Keep it clean is the biggest thing. A lot of guys dont even use a oil or protectant like Fluid Film, and just by washing it religiously they preserve thier trucks very well. Laziness is indeed the biggest culprit here.

 

i just wanted some of that OEM frame coating to do testing purposes on is all, with a piece of Taco frame cleaned up from the salvage yard, walk back home with a cupful of that liquid street salt solution from up the street, spread it on and see what happens over time and adjust the scientific process as needed
unless some testing like this has already been done out there, it probably has

 

Just have one custom made out of stainless steel. Mmmmmmmm stainless

 

Normally, yeah, I'd agree, that's why I said DIP it, i.e. submerge it is a giant vat. That's really the only way to get 100% (or as close to it as humanly possible) coverage. That's also assuming you'd gotten rid of ALL the rust, inside and out.

Seems like it'd just be easier to move to Arizona, lol.

But as I said several posts ago, religiously cleaning it and treating it are the best, and most reasonable options.

 

its too hot in AZ

i brake for blizzards

 

Oh yeah, no, I hate the heat. Sacramento sucks in the summer, but at least I'm less than 2 hours from any kind of terrain I want, beach, mountains, etc... As Sacramento Magazine once said, the best thing about Sacramento is... not Sacramento.

I grew up in the hills so I always laugh at all the flatlanders who can't drive in the rain, let alone snow. I'd drive up to the slops in my Accord passing people in Suburbans stuck in the ditches.

But I digress... what were we talking about?

 

i am less than 2 hours from cows and corn in all directions! CO is close but not that close, a full days drive for me.

we are trying to help Capt Awesome with what to do about his frame dilemma that the Toyota dealer sprayed some time ago and it got worse underneath it

his truck otherwise is in tip top mechanical condition

 

I visited my local Saf T Cap certified installer this week........he said you should keep this truck.....we didn't even talk about the cost....

 

I used the safety cap frame repair. Repair pieces appear to be heavier than original . I only left about 1.5 inches of old frame at top "U" of frame , so cancer was removed and inside surface edge was painted before welding then re painted trough bottom access holes after welding. I actually custom ordered the panels without the usual cut-outs for fuel tank crossmember that they show in website pictures. Maybe not as good as full frame replacement but cost effective to keep yur truck safe and should last quite some time

 

is it difficult to drop the fuel tank and then put it all back together
mine needs to come off, should i replace fuel pump while its off

 

Mine was fairly easy to remove but harder to reinstall by myself- getting filler hoses on as I raised up was slow process. Would have been easier if bed was off The design of tank mounts allow you to support tank with front bolt while you line up hoses and wires. used long extension with socket to tighten filler hose clamps. Getting them on was hardest part since you have to reach over the tank and work them on. Did not remove bed for repair as I have double cab and repair pieces I used just barely extended under bed. Plus I wanted to make sure I had the Body line at bed and cab straight, Once you cut off all but 1.5 inches of frame things get wobbly and the frame must be supported at cab mounts and rear until the new pieces are welded in. You have to remove tank to really get at weld area on that side of frame. I had a drive on ramp lift that tilts level once on it like the dealers used to use to display cars which mad job easier. Would be very hard job from the ground. I think you can replace fuel pump by removing just the bed, which is not too difficult. My truck had 117,000 miles so I did not replace pump. I guess it depends on how many miles you have.

 

i will have the bed off doing this so much easier i take it. i have 131k miles but i keep hearing the pumps go out at about 200k miles or thereabouts so probably not real necessary at the moment

 

The quality of a safety cap repair is improved by how you complete the process. Their product is high quality steel and heavier than the original. Need to have position welding skills for sure cause there is a lot of it. I think it works out best if you cut out the bottom 3/4 the of the old frame at least. Also need to really clean the area to be welded to bare metal . The less of the old frame hanging down the better because you cant weld it inside. But you can add a few holes in the side of safety cap where it laps old frame and weld it too like spot weld but with mig. You can treat it after welding because of large drain holes I had them special ordered without any cutouts to cause the metal around my crossmember mounts was rotten and I also used their crossmember mounts for that too for my 01 double cab. I think I could get another 100 k out of my truck pretty easy at 117,000 miles and it will get only moderate off road use on farm. Gotta ask yourself if is worth it with those kind of miles but you can pay (borrow) a lot to up grade to another rig

 

Good advice.

By the way, I am jealous of you. I saw in your profile:

 

Power wagons of that vintage maybe the pinnacle of simplicity and reliability in american trucks! Hard to break them out if you can keep the rust at bay.