Am I toast? Serious frame damage

[josiahsm02]

I bought this truck back in September 2023 and have put a ton of work in on it. The main problem was the rust. It was bad enough to rust through one of the straps holding up my gas tank, which I now have held up with carry-alongs and steel rope.

I noticed today that I think my frame split where my leaf spring's are on the drivers side.
I've been noticing that my drivers side sits lower, but I figured that was normal due to the extra weight of the gas tank over the years.

Here is a photo of the passenger side:

You can see the leaf spring is attached to the frame and its all one piece

Here is a photo of the drivers side:

You can see how the frame where the leaf springs are attached is about 3 inches higher.

So to me it looks like my frame split from rust and stress.

Is this truck done for? Everything but the frame is good on this truck, I'd hate to lose it to something like this.

I would love some advice on this. Would a body repair shop be able to fix it? I'm relatively broke.

Heres a couple more photos of the damage

you can see its even squishing my fuel hose.

 

[Uncle Gump]

That's not good...

Doing a back half frame job is possible.

Not sure but I think they make frame repair sections too. I've seen the rear section... not sure I've seen one for in front of the spring hangers.

If the rest is of the truck is worthy... you can likely repair it. Not sure you will find a shop to do it... likely gonna be DIY thing.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You can check here...

Rust Buster Frame Repair Kits For 1998 - 2003 Ford Ranger

Rust Buster is committed to keeping your Ranger out on the road for the long haul; from Frame Rails, Reinforcements and Stiffeners, we've got your back.

www.rustbuster.com

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Isnt that the fairly common area for tht 98+ trucks to rot?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Isnt that the fairly common area for tht 98+ trucks to rot?

It is in the rust belt...

 

[4.0blue98]

Mine is worse. I've patched it about as much as possible. Some day it'll get fixed but not soon. Mainly back half but my tank straps are getting sketchy too.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yup, that frame is from the Broke Period…

Fixable? Yes and no…

A lot of shops either won’t touch a frame repair or will do a half-baked job of it. Someone who will fix it correctly probably won’t be cheap.

It is entirely fixable and there’s a couple ways to handle it, from a simple weld and plate, to repair sections, to junkyard splices. I’ve done it. My green Ranger has a few plates, the entire rear half has been replaced, and the section from the front leaf spring hanger where yours broke on the drivers side up to the front gas tank crossmember under my extended cab was cut out and replaced. I’m currently putting together a build thread for my green Ranger on here, it’s in the 83-11 mini trucks section. I’m going to get the frame patch stuff in there soon.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Oh yeah, the real important question…

How bad is the rest of the frame?

If there’s a lot bad with it, you may be better off considering a frame swap. Get under there and check crossmembers and frame bits. Look for rust holes and poke and prod at it all to see how bad. These frames like to rot out around the front suspension bits, the torsion bar mounts (if equipped), the section where yours broke and that slope down towards the front of the truck from that break on both sides, and the ends of the frame rails at the rear leaf spring hanger. I have had to patch other places, but those are he usual.

 

[josiahsm02]

Thanks for your replies and advice everyone.

I've spent a lot of time scrubbing off/ painting the rust on this truck, that was a hard section to get to so I wasn't able to do much on the inside. It probably would've broke if I painted it anyway though.

The whole truck is pretty rusty, but the holes are pretty minimal and it mostly appears to be surface rust, however this makes me think it might be worse than I thought.
I don't have a garage for the time being, so I'll probably find a shop to do a half assed job until I can get my hands on a welder and the time to fix it up.
Or maybe find a frame.

Thanks y'all!

 

[rusty ol ranger]

It is in the rust belt...

So am i and neither of my 1st gens rotted the frame.

But i remember reading here i believe in 98 they thinned the metal or something. It seems from what ive seen around here the 98+ rot worse then the pre 97 trucks

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thanks for your replies and advice everyone.

I've spent a lot of time scrubbing off/ painting the rust on this truck, that was a hard section to get to so I wasn't able to do much on the inside. It probably would've broke if I painted it anyway though.

The whole truck is pretty rusty, but the holes are pretty minimal and it mostly appears to be surface rust, however this makes me think it might be worse than I thought.
I don't have a garage for the time being, so I'll probably find a shop to do a half assed job until I can get my hands on a welder and the time to fix it up.
Or maybe find a frame.

Thanks y'all!

Most of my work has been done on dirt or gravel. You don’t “need” a garage, it’s just more convenient.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So am i and neither of my 1st gens rotted the frame.

But i remember reading here i believe in 98 they thinned the metal or something. It seems from what ive seen around here the 98+ rot worse then the pre 97 trucks

I’m not so sure it’s the thickness off the frame, I suspect it’s more the quality of the steel. Thickness seems pretty similar, but 98+ was a major frame change and they definitely rot faster. Metal quality has been in the toilet for years and it just keeps getting worse.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

So am i and neither of my 1st gens rotted the frame.

But i remember reading here i believe in 98 they thinned the metal or something. It seems from what ive seen around here the 98+ rot worse then the pre 97 trucks

Yeah, its like when they figured out how to get the bodies to not rust so bad they cheaped out on the frame material.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Yeah, its like when they figured out how to get the bodies to not rust so bad they cheaped out on the frame material.

Yep.

Was just talking to my bro in law the other day about that. Hes got a 05ish chevy 2500. Body looks pretty decent for a michigan truck but as soon as he stepped up into the box the front of the box came up off the frame.

Not really a frame issue obviously...but structural. Of all the old, rotted out fords ive ever had ive never had one where the box was flopping up off the frame, lopsided, or in any other way not sound.

I see this constantly on superduties and 97+ F150's.

It also makes it very, very decieving when beater shopping.

 

[Shran]

Damn, surely that was not originally a Utah truck? Looks like it came from up north or out east? Wow.

I seem to remember that after a certain year, Rangers had a 2 piece frame. Yours looks like it simply came apart as opposed to rusting off and breaking.... and usually the hangers & shackles go long before the frame does- looks like those are original to your truck, still riveted on.

I'd be really tempted to remove the spring hanger, inspect everything there (and on the other side) and if it's just broke off, plate & weld it and call it a day.

Not really a frame issue obviously...but structural. Of all the old, rotted out fords ive ever had ive never had one where the box was flopping up off the frame, lopsided, or in any other way not sound.

I see this constantly on superduties and 97+ F150's.

My buddy down the street has one of the old 3v powered F150's, maybe an 06? that looks pretty good, there is really no rot anywhere on the body and the frame is in super shape but the box crossmembers are totally rotted off. It's like they didn't even paint them or something.

Cab mounts are another problem on Super Duties, my rust belt ones look perfect and it's been either in NE or SD its whole life but my buddy in Texas had the ones on his '14 just totally fall apart. He didn't have to pull the interior apart to get the cab bolts out like I would have but I guess the threaded mounts on his style cab are well known for ripping out or rotting off... then you're really in a pickle.