Rusted Frame

If the product lasted forever, you'd never have to buy a new one.

 

Good Point! Maybe I should reconsider... Next time I will walk across the street and piss down their throats

 

Man that is a good looking truck.

Frame swap candidate for sure. They are pretty fun to do if you have the time and tools.

 

True, Like I said I've only had the truck for a year so everything else before that I didn't control.

 

Ignored for 30 years?! They bought back the early 1st gens, and extended the the frame warranty for 15 years and replace them free of charge. They've even replaced multiple frames on the same truck because of rust.

If you think rust is just a Toyota problem, I don't think you've ever actually lived in an area where they salt the roads in winter.

It's a regional problem, and replacing the relative few frames that get bad is cheaper and makes more sense than making every single frame that comes of the assembly line perfectly impervious to rust.

In the end, it is YOUR responsibility to clean the salt grime off YOUR vehicle.

Do you want Toyota to wipe your ass for you too?

 

What tools do you need, most specifically the bigger ones?

 

Impacts! Help with the body, because I'm assuming you don't have a lift to just place under it. Really just general auto mechanic tools and patience. You have to tag and mark everything. You have to lift the whole drive train out too. It's a lot of work, but a very cool experience. I'm no professional, but I've participated in a couple frame restorations in the past. If it seems like too much work, you can always get a quote from a shop and see what they say.

 

Looks better than my 02 frame lol

 

A torch, lol

I think most everything else is fairly basic hand tools.

The big thing is having a way to lift all the big heavy stuff off the frame(bed, body, engine/trans). Engine hoists, etc... I've seen dudes use ropes looped around tree branches to lift the body off. Legit shade tree mechanic style, lol.

 

Yea the rust prevention is a must with all trucks. While I do feel like Toyota rust is more commonplace, I feel like it is also over hyped in media so that could be a big reason why. You don't hear about it, you don't know it exists right? I've seen other brands rust out just as badly too. More so on Toyotas because I love Toyo trucks and care about MY Toyo trucks. Road salt is a truck eater because it basically turns the precipitation on the road to concentrated ocean water. The chemical reaction speeds up the rusting on poorly coated steel tremendously. Trucks use steel for their undercarriage as steel is stronger for their purpose which requires stronger structural integrity opposed the aluminums they use on cars which don't do such heavy hauling and off roading.

Washing the underbelly is a start, but I really think trucks that live in salty places (salt belt, near the ocean, high humidity) should be fluid filmed or other effective rust preventative applied once or twice a year. Fluid Film allows moisture to leave but doesn't allow it to penetrate it's coating effectively wicking off salt water and humid air. Give the underbelly a good wash before you reapply and this will tremendously cut down on rust.

OPs truck is a goner for someone who doesn't have the money or resources to replace the frame in my opinion. This is rust that has had the time to really set in and cause rot. I've seen people do some miracle work to frames though. It's pretty sad to see the truck in this state as I'm sure the drive train is still solid. Hopefully this isn't a truck you depend on daily and you can start setting aside for a new truck. I'd find the highest bidder on this and move on. I know a guy that found a truck with a blown engine for dirt cheap and took his engine and swapped it.

 

I live in Southern Indiana. Send me a PM (so you don't get banned for <50 posts trying to sell) if you decide to sell it. I would be interested in knowing your asking price.

 

Yeah I appreciate it I just wish I could fix it or at least had the proper tools to do so.

 

I sent you a PM on here, lmk if you get it I sent it a while ago

 

He is likely passed out by now. He’s an hour ahead of us. Lol


Apparently I’ve grabbed to many trucks lately. He wants his turn

 

You by chance selling any?

 

Currently. No. Anytime soon? Likely not. 2 of them are ready to split in half. Ones In one million pieces.

 

gotcha, all I gotta say is good luck!

 

IF you decide to tackle this project its not a terribly hard job to do. just time consuming. a lift isnt needed but makes it far easier. but @Jase has managed so far without one

 

Op where does the Truck Live?

How much do you think the truck is worth?

 

In addition to the cost of sourcing a frame, to @jbrandt 's point, you will need to replace everything that breaks during the job. Toyota happened to replace lower control arms, leaf springs and brake lines (along with some other stuff) as part of the warranty work. The biggest rust-prone part aside from the frame that you may have to contend with is the rear axle housing, which can be tricky to source both affordably and conveniently. The alternative to this would be to weld a new differential cover onto the existing housing, if this is an issue.

Also, consider that you will need another vehicle while this one is in pieces. So there's that cost, in addition to the cost of the job (and the eventual build), which can be well into the thousands. From a purely financial perspective, it may be irrational to save a 26 year old truck. We do this for the passion.