Frame Rust - Is it worth salvaging?

Picked up a new-to-me 1999 Toyota Tacoma 4cyl 4wd manual with 220k miles from the original owner, who affectionally named it Hank (Why are all the Toyota trucks I buy always named Hank?). Hank has a bit of a rust problem, which I got the truck extremely cheap because of.

It runs and drives great, body is rust free, frame is solid under the cab (Passed the hammer test). When you get under the bed behind the rear cab mounts, its a different story.



Is it worth saving?

 

Nope. Look like it’s been patched prior also

 

It’s gona cost you. But i think in the hands of the right fabricator it can be fixed. I have a thread of my own frame restoration on here that I’m currently in the middle of. Just have to find the right fab guy. Those patch jobs only bide time they don’t fix anything.

 

That looks like someone has been trying to limp this thing on for awhile already.

Safe T Cap has installers that do inspections and can give you a better idea of the scope of the necessary repairs. I don't know where your located but they have a list of installers by state on the manufacturers website.
https://www.autorust.com/

 

Thanks for the insight, I reached out to a few local welders / frame guys to get an idea of pricing. Anybody have anything recent done this extensive and can give some insight as to what it should cost? In central Indiana.

I've done some welding / patches in the past and have my trusty MIG, but I think this is getting beyond what I'm comfortable doing.

 

Or, you can do all the fab and prep yourself and have a moble welder come do the heat. Looks like you have the bed off already, so you could get the sleeves, or cut any pieces and have some one come and weld. Saves $$$$ in fab work and just pay the weld is would be a few hundred probably.

 

He’s looking at thousands, not hundreds

 

You’re probly lookin at 2 grand on the low end. You spoke to fabricators tho did they not give you an idea of cost?

 

So far - I've gotten one official quote from a mobile welder for $400 to weld the patches on. Pending a few more "official" rust repair shops near me that mostly does Jeeps - but seems it will be north of a thousand. Which I'd be willing to pay - this is a pretty clean example other than the swiss cheese rear frame.

I did pick up the patches from under the cab all the way to the bumper mount. Seems like it may be the route I'll go, and this thread might turn more into a tasteful 1st gen tacoma build.. .





All the parts ready to go on...



I did pick up a "new" Tacoma of a spec I really was looking for at a steal - making me more interested in doing this myself as I'm no longer pressed for time. V6 Manual 4WD.. took a long time to find a clean one here in Indiana with no rust.

 

If you’re just patching that might be a different story. I was talking about actually repairing the frame. But I’d be super suspicious of the $400. Even if he did the patches I’d assume he’s leaving all the rest of the rust on the frame. Which will only get worse. And then all of that time and effort everybody just spent will have been for nothing (at least the way I see it). But ya I think those other quotes will be more realistic. And if you’re sub 2k for a legit frame repair without patching and they’re actually replacing steel then you’d be doing really good.

 

^^^ Disagree.
I had a welder do my Land Rover. $100/hr for 2 hrs. I did all the prep. Cut out the bad and prepped in the new.
A few hours of welding is not 2 grand.
I paid a guy $700 to sleeve my Tacoma and that included cutting out the old and welding in new SafetyCap sleeve.

 

You can disagree if you want. I’m just talking from my experience and it depends on what gets done. The work that I had done was done by a highly regarded local fabricator. Also, you still had to purchase and ship the safe t caps on top of your cost for the labor. My work was also done this last week.

I’m sure I could have gotten a cheaper quote, but I wasn’t looking for cheap work on a frame I’m trying to keep solid for the next 30 years

 

I had to have major frame repair on my second frame. I live in Massachusetts and this state loves road salt. I found a awesome place that did the frame restoration. It cost me 5800 dollars and 1350 dollars for a new rear axle. Found another spot in the passenger side front. Got that repaired too. That was 380 dollars. I would rather spend that money instead of having a car payment nowadays.

 

Having a repair done RIGHT is going to cost anyone a lot of money. tacking in a sleeve is tacky and welding a sleeve onto rusted out metal is a waste of money. They’d be in the same position and money-ahead if they drilled holes through the rotted steel and bolted the safe t caps on.

 

I’m in the exact same boat. 2003 extended cab, also green btw, and the frame is solid until the box… then not so much.
The laws here in Ontario Canafa make it almost impossible to get a safety certificate…( they won’t allow frame patces)… Your truck looks to be in really nice shape!

 

Restoration of a frame needs to be done from someone who can sandblast it and weld onto clean metal. I've seen some guys try welding to rust and it comes back to haunt them.

 

Take frame rust advise only from folks in the rust belt...