Frame Damage Advice

Been lurking for a while, hoping to get some advice somewhat urgently. Anything is much appreciated. Bought this up in BC, Canada ~3 years ago, ended up bringing it over to Ontario and spending a few thousand (CAD) on repairs to get it to pass the safety there. That was about a year ago. Now that I am back out in BC am I trying to get it safetied and registered back here. Today the inspector at Canadian Tire deemed it not road worthy, not just failed the safety, I wasn't able to leave the shop with the vehicle. Need to get it towed to get repaired and get a "Structural Integrity Certificate" in addition to the regular safety.

I've been thinking about selling it for a while, its a very beautiful truck especially for its age in my opinion but obviously a busted frames a pretty big deal. Quite common on this generation it seems.

I'm not much of a mechanic myself, looking for some advice on what I should expect to pay for this kind of work? Is it even worth going forward with? Frame replacement (seems impossible to source?) vs repair? Should I just put it up as mechanic special? Seems tragic to let such a nice body go to waste.

How bad of frame damage is that? Both of those cracks are just passed the back wheels. Brief chat over the phone today after sharing the pictures with a shop said potentially a few thousand CAD could get it road worthy. If I'm looking at ~$5000 CAD max and that it would actually fix the problem not just bandaid it through a safety I'd probably want to go ahead with it.

Any advice / opinions are highly highly appreciated. I can fill my car up with gas that is about it, in over my head for sure.

 

Maybe someone else can chime in if they've done it, but can you park it for awhile until you find a donor frame from a wrecker? That might be the better than fabricating and completing the structural repair. That is definitely a few bad bumps away from shearing off.
Looks like a great truck by the way.

 

A few bad bumps from shearing off, ooffh not what I wanted to hear! Thanks for the advice. I could leave it parked for a few months or longer but was hopping to get it off my hands by then to be honest. Worried I'd just end up with the same situation after a donor, seems like even if I found a better frame it might still not be inspection worthy.

 

Why wouldn't it pass inspection with a clean frame under it?

Regardless, if you cant do the work yourself I highly doubt its going to cost less than $5k to do a frame swap.
Not sure what clean frames are going for, they're getting rarer and rarer, but its a ton of labor hours to pay out.

 

I'd sell it as is then (for parts or project truck), not sure you would recoup the money after repairs.

 

Looks totally and easily repairable if it is just those two spots. Did the inspection only note those two areas? You need products from one of these folks:

https://www.rustbuster.com/collections/95-04-tacoma

Or

https://www.autorust.com/product-category/toyota/tacoma-xtracab-4wd/

I'm not sure they ship to Canada. But look into it. Find a local welder. Those two areas should not be too much $$$. I put a sleeve on my '00 and the part was $300 and the weld was $700 USD. Yours should be cheaper per side, it is in a simpler area. Still, not $5k. That said, you need to inspect the rest of the truck frame to be sure those two areas are the extent of it. Tap around with a light hammer, or post up more photos of other frame areas.

Pretty truck -- not ready for the scrap yard yet!

 

Find a GOOD welder, yank the bed, plate it and put one on the inside of it to tie it in better then as built. Paint and fluid film or other anti corrosive coating.

 

@time623 I just mean I think I'd have a hard time getting a truly clean frame given how they are getting rarer and rarer.

@stealthmode starting to lean towards this as well, if I could get some money out of this and also have someone take it off my hands that might be a best case scenario.

@Pbfender15 inspector was being a bit of a prick tbh, wouldn't answer any of my questions and seemed more mad than anything. Said they started to hoist it up and saw the rear end sag a bit so they took it down and that was it. Didn't look at the rest of the frame or complete the rest of the safety. Because of the "flag" he put on the vehicle I need to have a certified shop guarantee the work, I do have a local welder friend who said he could probably 'fix' it enough to keep it going though.

Here are a ton more photos of the vehicle, albeit 2 years ago so certainly the rust is a bit worse but, IMO the rest of the frame looks solid. Unfortunately I seem to have pictures of just about everywhere but where the cracks were... https://photos.app.goo.gl/J2vwbPBB1T8qQaEb7

It only has 240,000 kms on it (150k miles), rest of it seems to be in pretty great shape, timing belt recently replaced, new battery & alternator etc. Not sure if this is allowed or the right place but, any idea what this might be worth still despite the frame damage as a "project" truck?

If I was to go through with a structural repair and did spend < $5k CAD to have a shop do the work, obviously depends on the quality of the work but, is that typically something that last a while?

Thanks so much for all your replies so far very helpful.

 

That definitely looks repairable.
The RustBuster patch pieces and a friend that welds would be your lowest cost option, just make sure you give them a nice bottle of whiskey for helping as minimum.

 

I hope you find a solution, That is a beautiful truck in Surfside Green.

 

Sounds like some tight regulations on safety inspection in BC. My steps would first be to determine what needed (just those two areas or something more), then find the best price at whatever type of shop is needed to satisfy the inspection. Even in highly regulated US states (like mine) the inspection only says "fail" and you go on your way to get it fixed how ever you want. I had a backyard welder do mine. Sounds like maybe that route won't work for you. So call around to find a good price.

From the pics, it does look solid otherwise, but the undercoating obscures it somewhat. Is the undercoating rubberized or (can it peel off?) or wax-based?

If you repair it (and I would -- the truck is really nice), that section should be solid for many years. Something else will rot out before that section reemerges...

Here in NE US, as a project truck it might list for $5k USD, or maybe $8k because the repair is simple and truck is otherwise nice. If it was all sorted and good to go, might go for $10k or more. On bring a trailer auctions, nice trucks with frame patches still hit $20k USD.

 

slide under and hammer test the inside of the frame rails next to the cat(s)
I'm willing to bet there are more problems lurking than those cracks

 

Welcome aboard, how many miles? If you want to dump it, dump it, spot fixing those issues may get you past inspection but you can bet almost for certain the problem is worse. These box frames rust from the inside out.

If you find a donor truck of course you'd have to deeply rust check it, and I agree if the donors are from your area it may be a challenge. If you were closer I'd take it off your hands . . . for about tree-fiddy.

Seriously though it would be worth it to me to find a good frame and swap it out, but then I'd do most of the work myself.

 

went through your pics, looks very nice otherwise this rear section

even the Canadian specs! which to some is RARE lol

 

About your question lasting awhile, if you decide to keep it. I would personally feel 100% OK driving it until 400 km. Assuming the rest of the frame is sound.
If it gets repaired, and done right assuming someone is willing too, it will actually be stiffer in that location.

I wouldn't be hauling max payloads every day on it, but for daily driving no doubt a great ride. A head turner for sure.


PS. Depedning where your at in BC Ive found the roads there are alot friendly to undercarriages than AB! So drive it till the wheels fall off buddy!