Opinions please!

Was looking under my '02 today and found these areas.



This is driver's rear wheel well.



Front drivers wheel well.

Is it repairable? Or should I just start a part out thread?

 

You can get replacement frame sections and have someone weld them in. @Black DOG Lila has a link

 

Jesus Christ. That’s immediately stop driving kind of shit. It probably can be fixed with Many thousands of dollars, but unless you are ready and willing to do a frame swap, I’d start parting it out

 

You're gonna need to do something.

You have a couple of frame failures. These will only get worse. Eventually, the frame will collapse.

 

A full width frame crack like that makes “eventually” pretty optimistic

 

Damn that is such a shame! So depressing to see these frames rust away like this! Sorry for your loss

 

Hey, I try to paint an optimistic picture.

Something is holding it together. That something will break......its a matter of when, not if.

 

Haul as much firewood, stacked as high as you can, as fast as you can…

 

Start a part out man! See if you can get a non-rust belt vehicle. Did you inspect before you bought it? That seems so long ago not sure if this just came about or was already there! I’d almost be reluctant to drive it!

 

1) Do you have money?
2) Can you weld?

If the answer to either one is yes... well, realistically, you need to check the complete frame, how are the spring hangers and shock mounts? Start tapping with a hammer to check the extent of the internal unseen rust.

 

I wouldn’t lay under this one to tap on it, kids may not have a daddy for thanksgiving.

 

Ok, since the consensus is I'm up Shit Creek without a shovel; what items on it are things I can part out?

 

There are ways to repair.....short of parting out.

Suggest to find a frame shop. Talk to them with the pictures. If they can make the repair, then have the truck towed to them for a QUOTE before work is started.

 

I don't have frame repair money.

 

Also, it just turned over 230k miles, needs a valve cover gasket job and the steering rack leaks.

 

Valve cover gasket is a DIY job. Steering rack could be a simple seal.

Without a repair quote on the frame......how do you know the cost?

If you part out the truck, then what are you driving?

 

holly hell, is this the first time you've looked at the frame of your truck in, like, forever? That shit doesn't happen over night. And all of that is easily visible without even having to bend over or get underneath it. Absolutely scary you drove that thing.


Sure, part out all the non rusty bits. Body panels (maybe), interior, wheels/tires. More than likely everything else metal is just as rusty and not worth trying to remove. Engine is a maybe. Even if it runs okay, guaranteed all the bolts are rusted shut.

Other option is a frame swap. But you'll end up needing to replace all the other rusty bits as well, and that usually ends up being a lot of work and money.

I wouldn't bother with frame plates, especially on that front hole. There's nothing left to weld to!

As much as I love my Tacoma, if it was in this condition, I'd drive it off a cliff and collect the insurance.

Once you get a replacement, stop parking in the ocean and maybe inspect it more than once every 2 decades, and do some serious rust prevention.