Frame issue - to repair or not?

Chop the frame
weld enough new stuff on to 4link the rear
Sas then push front wheel base far out
Have crazy short whee base truck
Nos for power
40s
Move down south where everyone like rock bouncing
Drink lots of beer

 

After several inspections, turns out that that it’s stil structurally safe and that the bend came from the heat being applied directly to the weakest spot and the liquid metal contracting. Going to either correct the angle and add fishplating frame the bumper to under the cab (cheaper option), or just live up to the rebuilt title, cut off the ass end and rebuild it with 4” boxed steel and create a flatbed with a cage for racks/rooftop tent/or an enclosed sleeping & gear space (more badass option).

Also, the pieces that were cut out obviously show rust damage along the bottom face of the frame, but from around the weak spots, the metal returns to nearly full thickness. And the internal side walls of the frame looked pretty clean wth no flaking rust issues.

One piece showed thinning up to almost the side of the frame, but it was right in the middle of the longest stitch and everything up from there was bomber.

That rear end still leaves much to be desired and the frame isn’t great, but it’s a long ways from dead. We can rebuild him! That previous strengthening plate may have actually exacerbated the frame’s natural weak point, where it comes out from under the cab and turns upward to go along under the bed. Creating a pressure point at the front and rear ends of that plate. So I’ll be getting all that fixed up one way or the other!

Someday, when I have an enclosed garage space, I'll look at swapping onto a new frame just to have a project. But until then, I’ll make it solid.

 

At the very least put a down turn in the thing so it goes straight down.

 

Yeah, when it comes time, it is just going to come out behind the right rear tire. No need to have these issues arise again in the future. I think I’m hearing a small leak in the muffler anyways. So it’s time for it to be replaced!

 

Make flat bed rock crawler !

 

Haha as much as I’d love to, it needs to be a daily driver.

 

FYI there is a frame in the classifieds for $500 right now. It's a double-cab frame, but my guess would be that adapting it to an extended cab would be more viable in the long term than trying to fabricate a solid frame out of air and iron oxide. I'm still not sure how you're arriving at the conclusion that your existing frame is structurally safe. Even if you get it patched up to where it seems "solid", you're going to be chasing alignment and drivability issues, and it's only a matter of time before the rust comes through again.

Just my $.02, but it ain't worth it, dude.

 

Hate to bring up a old thread but did you ever get your frame angle figured out?? Mine is at a similar angle now after getting the frame repaired with safe-t-caps where it wasnt like that before the repair.