SHE'S Ripping apart!!!!!!! (Click bait, I knew it was coming)

My Tacoma has all the damage in the front metal, relocated the battery to the passenger side to try to slow down the damage. That had to go back to the driver side when the mount point over there tore clean off the fender.



I also have developed the crack at the top of the rear doors that apparently also comes with the territory.


When the upper radiator support finally tore all the way through, bought a replacement and sandwiched chunks of it on top of the broken one. That has held for a good long time.


Just for fun, the trail fix looked like this:


Gonna watch this thread looking for more permanent fix ideas.

 

Unsurprisingly a crack formed under my 65 lb battery, right where I did some tubbing. Welded it back together and added some 14 gauge squares to try and help hold it together. We’ll see how long it lasts.

 

TIG welded yes? What filler rod did you use?

Next amount that I have to TIG, I am going to take q-tips dipped in muriatic acid to the area, after sanding.

 

No, just mig. That’s why it’s not the prettiest.

 

So ER70-6?

 

I don’t remember, whatever is in the welder. It’s .030

 

Keep us posted. I welded mine up this time last year and it’s already busted through. Didn’t use filler material like you did though.

 

I'm hoping that's the key to this working. I forgot to mention I also used a sliver of 14 gauge on the back of the crack (where I could) as a backing material.

 

I've heard of drift stitches, but these need a name all their own. Betty White Rocking that Frankenstein look.

 

Yeah idk even what you would call this. I just kinda stared at the crack for awhile trying to figure out what to do and this is what I came up with. I'm hoping it'll help the crack from pulling outward again.

 

And no issues on your passenger side? Both of mine cracked so I sort of ruled out the primary cause being the bigger battery and chalked it up to wheeling.

 

This only started from where I tubbed. At that time, I was even worse at welding sheet metal so the joint wasn't super strong. I didn't think much of it until a crack formed and spread into virgin sheet metal. No issues on the passenger side where I tubbed in the same spot.

 

I think even if it cracks, it'll never break so bad that one would have to be worried about it. That is, unless you are jumping your junk across puddles or dunes. My little blue turd has been flexed out more than a 16 year old Olympic gymnast and keeps on trucking, minimal damage.

 

I think / hope you’re right. I’ll probably fix mine one more time similar to how @EatSleepTacos did. After that, let it ride. I don’t have the skills or motivation to build a whole cage setup. If that really becomes necessary then I figure I’ve got bigger problems.

 

Here's to hoping! I figure there can't be much worse damage once it cracks to the worst part, at some point I'm relying on Toyota's fine soy wiring harness to hold up the fender LOL. I'll get an english wheel and make a fender tube and tie into the frame/cab if things get hairy.

 

Found my cracked on both sides in January. Had the cracks stitch welded and plates welded over. Maybe 700 miles of easy rocky/washboard dirt roads and 10ish rock crawling trips in Utah and Colorado since.

And found a new crack on passenger that just decided to go around the welded plate.

For off road trucks, these trucks fall apart when you off road.

 

TIG brazed the yellow circled areas back together. Not that easy. Need to braze on the added sheet metal tomorrow.

 

Do you think the areas you cut out for plumbing weakened the radiator support much?

 

Absolutely. Including the heavier radiator. . That's why I am plating those areas.