Frame problems, need help guys

hes ok, hit black ice on his way home and rolled it through the shoulder into the on-ramp. i go saturday to get it, homefully its not to bent, he gave me the whole truck as it sits, tires and all. im sure atleast 1 is messed up though... oh well. i will keep you guys updated on the swap and i will try to post pics as i go. same motor and trans as mine, so if this frame isnt to bad, and his motor runs and drives.. then i have a spare! i almost couldnt sleep im so anxious to go get it!

 

I have questions as to how exactly you get toyota to do the frame swap. I went to the dealer last night in my 98' and the guy claimed they haven't been doing that anymore. which I kinda suspect he was just trying to not have my truck sit in his shop for 6 months, as that dealer is under construction.

 

The frame replacement program was only for 01-04s and only 03s and 04s would still qualify today.

1998s were part of the buyback program that Toyota ended over 10 years ago. Sorry man you're outta luck.

 

damn. woulda been nice if I coulda got a new frame under it since its been one of the best trucks I've ever owned. guess its time to buy that frame patch kit and fire up the Hobart.

 

well guys, i got the truck today, by the time i got home to work on it, it was 5:30 and dark but i dragged out the generator and a few work lights and went to work... i got the wrecked cab and bed off the new frame. i made a couple mistakes that hopefully dont screw me over... the clutch wasnt disconected from cab all the way and broke off the bell housing.. and the main wiring harness was caught on the firewall and ripped a few wireds. i didnt think it was a big deal till i saw 5 black and red wires broke.. and as far as the clutch. i think im going to unbolt it from bellhousing on other truck, and use grade 8 bolts and just bolt it through and maybe pick up a plate like U-bolts use as a backing plate for strength. and the other harness looks the same. i think i will use my come along on good cab so i can go a few clicks and check, go a few clicks and check.. but my first cab pull wasnt to bad i have to say, oh and for the worst news... i stood back and looked down the frame. its bent to the right about an inch right behind the first bed mounts. rear end looks good, motor and trans seem to be fine. i think if i put the cab on and maybe use my tow truck winch and pull the rear of the frame back over very gently and maybe weld in an X as a frame support. the reason it bent is because someone didnt put the center bolts back in so it pivoted on the bed with just the front and rear 2 bolts. other than that i think its a win. fingers crossed. hope everything goes good tomarrow. take my time and lots of pictures. i have a removal of old cab pic but its very dark.

 

well guys, so far so good! stayed outside till 1 am at 17 degrees F, went back out at 7:30 am. busted a** all day. Ive gotten the cab and bed off bad frame, i got wiring harness out of truck with bad frame and put it in the truck with good frame. i also left the clutch cylinder hooked up and just cable tied it to the fuel lines under the good cab so hopefully when things go back together i wont have to rebleed it. i think i just need a couple bolts, coolant and brake lines to get truck running and moving. i havent gotten good cab on good frame yet, thats tomarrows project as long as the rain holds off! the frame is pretty bent. more than i tought, im just going to mount the cab and bring it to work and use the Port-a-power to help straighten it and may have to come up with another idea like use my comealong and pull frame back straight. not 100% sure yet but i dont think it will take much. fingers are crossed i should have a fully running and driving truck by mid december. then i want to pressure wash the hell out of it and oil undercoat the frame before it hits the road. i also need a windshield because its cracked about 3 inched on drivers side. but if thats the worse thing i face than i got a wicked good deal!

 

what do you guys think? the frame is popped out to the inside of frame rails right where the front bed mounts are. and its bent to the passenger side like an inch. but its enough to notice! so if i were to apply pressure towards the left with come along, and use a portapower to push that indent back.. that should work right? im on a tight budget, i have 3 body shops within 15 miles from me and all are saying close to 1000 if not more to straighten it. i know it will never be perfect but as long as its in the ball park i can live with it. any thoughts on straighten it?

 

OUCH that was a serious roll over. Hope he's okay.

 

You need some serious pulling and pushing power to straighten a frame. Biggest thing is holding the frame from moving while pulling on it.

 

well... i mean... i do drive tow truck 7 for a living... i take one home every night, so heres my idea. i have a 30 foot goose neck trailer down back, if i park the truck parallel to it and chain the truck to the trailer (to keep it from being dragged sideways) and used my winch very slowly to pull the rear over... i could see it working but then theres the what ifs

 

You might be able to make that work.

 

So i have a question regarding brakes, my brake lines look good from engine compartment back. im throwing the idea of just replacing with all brand new if seems i have to do the fronts. but what is that weird setup on the rear axle? a rod from passenger side to driverside frame with a plunger on driverside frame? what exactly is that and what does it do? why is it needed? i managed to get truck back into garage yesterday, it snowed today so im glad its in garage now! i need a new tank because both are tender and one on doner truck is rotted through on top so i think im going to buy a new one from rockauto. the other question is, on wrecked truck its in rear near gas tank, on my good cab its a different setup (alot smaller) on drivers side front inner fender by brake booster. i need to figure out the way the vacuum lines go now and fuel lines. i bought a small roll of fuel line. i downloaded some picks so hopefully i can figure it out.

 

It's a load sensing proportional valve (LSPV). It adjusts the strenght of the rear brakes proportionally to the load you are carrying in the bed of the truck. As the bed is loaded, the bed lowers, pushing the small piston into the valve, increasing brake fluid pressure to the rear brakes. If you have any problems with your rear brakes, it may be your culprit, and you can remove it and bypass it. But as long as it still works and it does not leak, you can leave it there... though if it is rusty as hell, maybe it's better you remove it, especially if you plan on redoing the brake lines

 

Hey guys im back. i havent worked on the truck in a few days, i removed the gas tank and it has a rip in it from the force of the side impact. my other tank is rotted (off the rusty frame). do they make a plastic tank? all im finding even on Rockauto is allmost 300 bucks. thats not to bad for a brand new tank with pump... but i dont have that to play with at this second. i would rather have plastic due to it will never rot but if i have to stick with metal thats fine. whats your opinion?

 

plastic aftermarket tanks for 1st gen tacomas doesn't seem to exist. I agree it would solve lots of problems related to rust....

Anyway, can you salvage the fuel pump from one of the trucks? If yes, do it, and just buy the tank. OEM pumps are better than aftermarket

Also, you can try looking for one in junk yards, but most of the time they puncture them to get the gas out...

 

Wow either those Body Shops don`t like you .

just don`t want that work .

A frame rack makes pulling frames quite easy

Not more then a hour