Frame fix

[eaglescout94]

Not 4wd specific but I’m thinking in the best way for me to fix the rusted frame on my 95 ranger. The big spot is between the cab mount and the front spring hanger but I have the normal rot between the shackle mount and the end of the frame plus a hole in the top flange. This generation ranger is a 1 piece frame so no “easy” splicing on a decent rear frame. The rear frame is scaled decent, I’ll get a full pic of it to add, but the under cab and forward isn’t bad. Would my best/ easiest fix be to cut out the bad section and weld in new metal then plate over it? Or if I can find a decent rear frame chop it and splice the entire rear frame and plate the rails at the weld? A close by friend is a certified welder and I can stick whatever together enough for him to burn it in solid.

 

[JoshT]

Best fix, find a better frame. With the amount of work you are looking at it may also be the faster, cheaper, and easier option.

Splicing, either sectioning or back half, is not a bad fix if done properly. Good welding and penetration as well as reenforcing the repaired area (fish plating) are a must.

 

[2011Supercab]

Heck, if you have to splice the frame, this would be a great time to use a long bed frame and make a Supercab with a long bed

 

[eaglescout94]

Unfortunately good frames in Illinois are hard to come by, seems ever ranger I look at has rust. Not faster at all when I’d have to transfer everything over to a different frame.
xcab long bed ranger would be cool but rather have the shorter length since I’ll probably be in the woods some. Plus I already have a camper shell lined up for the short bed. If I need a big bed I’ll use the 1 ton.

 

[JoshT]

Unfortunately good frames in Illinois are hard to come by, seems ever ranger I look at has rust. Not faster at all when I’d have to transfer everything over to a different frame.

I can't help anything with finding you a frame up there, you might have to travel some to find what you need. With the location of the damage, it seems to me that you're going to have to remove most everything from the frame anyway.

Like I said, I consider swap to be the best fix, but a repair isn't bad either as long as it is done properly. Even repairing, it seems that most stuff would to have to come off to do it right.

 

[eaglescout94]

Looking at rangers in my area currently and checking with my welder to see what he thinks.
Youre right a fair amount has to come off to fix it but no where near as much as replacing the entire frame. Bed is off, gas tank will be out soon and the cab is gonna be jacked up a little to replace body mount bushings anyways.

 

[eaglescout94]

Got the gas tank out, that sucked, and beating the frame to knock out the loose rust. My welder didn’t think it would be too bad to plate and weld it but that was before you could see inside the frame. So I’ll have him look again, might pull the cab mount too to see if anything goes through the frame.
I did find a 95 close enough by with a bad auto trans I might see about getting and see what I can put together to have a solid truck. Price isn’t terrible, especially if I can get him down a little bit. End plan will be to stick with my manual trans for sure though.

 

[JoshT]

That sucks, but looking at the picturtes posted, I can;t say I'm surprised.

I'm still voting for a full frame swap. If you can't find a 4x4 frame, then cut in the straight section between the front and rear cab mounts and swap the "back half".

Just my 2 cent. I'm sure you and your welder will come up with a good plan.

 

[eaglescout94]

The truck I’m looking at he claims the frame is good, just has some dented body panels and auto trans that has 1,2 and reverse. Same engine and it runs so probably would be better off manual swapping it with mine and keeping the first truck as parts. Only asking $700 so anything less is golden.

 

[bobbywalter]

it is way easier to swap a frame on a ranger....i just am too attached to do that

 

[eaglescout94]

Luckily I have no attachment to it yet. I just want a usable truck by October. I’ll need it by end of November but October timeline gives me shakedown time.

 

[eaglescout94]

Well time for some progress of some kind. Picked up a 01 with no drivetrain in it. Frame is solid and the cab is clearly not a usable piece. So how big a pain would swapping over my sheetmetal plus drivetrain and wiring be? My cab is already just sitting on my frame since I raised it to see about fixing the rust so I’m not too far off from a cleared frame. I still have to do exhaust manifolds on the 4.0, cab off seems a lot easier to do them then

 

[don4331]

The easy part - the beds are identical.
If I remember correctly, the rear and middle cab mounts are identical. Which just leaves the front (radiator core) mount different - frames are different, you will need to weld on mounts I think...

Engine & transmission are fairly easy - exact same mounts, just a bunch of work. Front driveshaft is different - SLA vs TTB (I assume the front axle is still in the chassis). Rear driveshaft from '01 is probably better if it still exists - 1 piece, not 2. Even if it doesn't I would get a 1 piece, the frame mount for steady bearing doesn't exist in the newer frame.

For wiring, you will be using your existing '95 for pretty much everything. I think you need the harness from the cab back and '93-'00 taillights (but the '01 might work, it just won't have amber turn signals); most of the rest of the wiring moves with the cab.

 

[eaglescout94]

That’s what I figured on the bed and cab. I thought I saw the reverse, newer cab on older frame and the core support mounts were the problems.

I’ve got the axles in the newer frame and the rear 1 piece driveshaft.

I figured pretty much transfer all the wiring over, I’d planned to simplify the taillight/ trailer wiring so I don’t have a bunch of extra wires running to the rear if possible. Whatever wiring is needed for the engine/ cab goes with and any lights or accessory type wiring I figured I could make work however I need to. I’ve got several tail lights for the 95, the 01 I have a single lense.
Guess I’ll get to work on stripping the 95 down more to get the swap ready. Strip the 01 down and clean it then start the planning.

 

[eaglescout94]

Making progress as I’m able to before work. Should have the cab floor and firewall pulled off the donor frame in the next day or 2. I’ll degrease the drivetrain and frame before I mate them then do my exhaust manifolds and whatever else is gonna be easier without a cab in the way