Frame Rust

Hello,

I just picked up a 1998 4Runner with 55,000 miles from an older couple. The only issue is frame rust, as usual. Any help on someone or a shop that can swap a frame? I am also looking for a frame in good shape in the NJ, PA DE area.

 

I can't help with specifics, but my first thought is that it might be more cost effective to just source a 4Runner from out west where rust is not going to be an issue.

Maybe call around to some local shops and see if they'll give you a ballpark figure, and then look at the numbers.

I don't know if this is true, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that when Toyota was replacing the frames on sequoias, that was a 10k-ish job.

 

Pictures?

 

Yeah, I would rather spend extra and buy a unit without rust so bad the frame needs replacing. Most of the forums I read state that replacing the frame costs more than expected because if the frame is that rusted, so are a lot of the things that fasten to it...so replacing the frame starts to snowball as things break during the swap.

 

Yeah, good point. That was another thing of the frame replacement, a lot of the things attached to the frame ended up being replaced as well, like brake lines, fuel lines, suspension components. Great when Toyota is covering it, not so great when it's coming out of your own pocket, haha.

When I was looking for a Sequoia, I was specifically trying to find one with a replaced frame.

 

Gotcha thanks for all the help. I will be putting the truck on the lift tomorrow to clean it up. I will take some picture and see what everyone thinks. I have founds some repair kits that look promising. So far it looks like mostly surface but I will see one I am cleaning.

 

Photos

 

If its surface rust you don't need a frame swap

 

There are some photos on another 4Runner forum (assuming it is the same person as OP) and it looks like primarily surface rust except for a couple of areas. The main problem is the few pictures posted don't show some common problem areas of the frame...like underneath the spare tire.

 

Which forum? Apparently you know about one that I don't, because I don't see it on any of the 4 that I go to. I do see where he posted the question on another one, but no pics

 

t4r.org...but they are having some massive server issues. It is painful to navigate.

 

That's where I saw the post but no photos. Maybe I didn't wait 10 minutes for it to load. That site is going down the toilet fast

 

Yeah, it's a shame because there is some incredible technical information on that site but all of it is effectively inaccessible now.

 

All seems solid after I cleaned it up today just that one mount I am worried about. What does everyone think?

 

You posted photos of before cleaning it up, and it didn't look good to me, show us photos of after
cleaning it up!!

 

I am not the person to ask but for reference my 97 west coast 4r has been driven in mn winters for the past 15 years and doesn't look anywhere near that bad. In fact a load has been lifted off my mind.

 

A poster in here commented recently that although they saw occasional snow in Texas, they still do not salt the roads there! That damn road salt!! I wonder how many places get snow, but actually don’t salt the roads? I wouldn’t have guessed that any place does that.

 

They are starting to salt them. Them did last winter (unfortunately). It does worry me that they salt them.

 

I’d stay away from this car. There is no car left.

 

They salt some of the roads here-most of the small rural county and 2-lane state roads that i drive are sanded but NOT salted, except maybe at major intersections. But the 4 lane state highways and other major through-routes that connect different regions are most definitely salted.

 

I would not want the headache and the expense but that is just me. If it were my vehicle, I would drive it until deemed structurally unsafe and then walk away.

IMHO

 

Will need to wait a few weeks not done yet and had to stop to get some things around the house.

 

Might just finish cleaning it do a Quick layer, rustoleum, and do as you said drive it till it’s done.