Frame Damage Advice?

Hey everyone. Have been monitoring a spot of frame rust on my ‘96 for the last couple years (started as something tiny when i bought it in 2020) and I noticed today that it has recently turned into a crack. I took some pictures of the underside and i am gagging. I inspected the rest of the frame and everything else looks perfectly fine. Wondering what my options are - theres next to nothing else wrong with the truck - how concerned should I be at this point?

FWIW I do have full coverage insurance due to icy Montana roads, so if anything does happen in the short term, I should be alright financially.




Update: I contacted a welding shop and they quoted me 8-12 hours for a full reinforcement kit at $150/hr. Yikes.

 

If you have rust like that in one spot, might have it just as bad in others. Safe-T caps are often recommended. I guess it could be worse, but I would be concerned about the structural integrity of that frame.

On a different note, what does full coverage have to do with your frame? Insurance covers you against damage in an accident or freak of nature incident (if you have comprehensive). If your frame collapses, insurance is not covering it. And it is your responsibility to maintain a road worthy vehicle if driving on public roads.

 

Mmm, a safe t cap might patch that. But yeah that labor cost is gonna hurt either way. My welder did my work for half that but that’s cuz he’s my brother. The end of that crossmember might be sus and you may have to check eBay for a replacement if the end is busted. Visual check isn’t enough to say if it’s rusted elsewhere or not. You need to tap it with a hammer and see. Don’t wait though, it could break and you don’t really know what may happen when that happens. Insurance doesn’t save lives.

 

I wish more people thought like that.

 

Why you never addressed that problem when you first noticed it you could be in good shape.

At that price your getting one Hell of a Deal!! If what your saying is correct.

Suck that up ASAP!! My last quote was $4500.00 plus any added extra parts fuel and Brake lines Fuel pump bracket ETC.

 

Looks to me like the bed is holding the frame together. One good pothole and the rear end isn't going to be pointing North-South anymore. I would park it until it's fixed. Safety caps will probably fix it but I can guarantee you that the other side is in the same shape. Everywhere there is a reinforcing plate on the inside of the C-channel, the moisture is held and they rot from the inside out.

 

These frames rust from the inside out. What you see is nowhere near as bad as it is inside which is why that small hole suddenly turned into a big split/crack in just a couple years.

 

Based on what looks like stuff slathered on the frame in the first pic, I'd say the previous owner was hiding the problem that was already well underway.

A ball peen, large probe and a phone mounted borescope looking in the chassis will be revealing.

Finding a truck with bent up sheet metal, failed paint, haggard interior and wheezy motor (ie cheap) and a good frame to swap in could be your saving play here.