Fix or Sell with pics

[Dufussman]

Great answers guys. I knew it was a subjective question before I asked. I've already redone the two rearmost cross members and repeatedly por-15 the frame.

As sandman mentions, if I'm going to take the bed, tank etc off again to address this I'd be better off just putting in a new rear frame. Problem is the front frame is also showing enough bad rust that I'm pretty sure a crack or hole will appear after not much longer.

Unless I go all-in on this I don't think even my personal friend mechanic will inspect it (mandatory state inspections where I live). It's also becoming a true danger ranger and unsafe to drive if not already.

TLDR; Because it was a free truck and I got 50k miles and 7 years out of her, it needs a new bed, cross member, probably rear frame, and several other odds and ends to even pass inspection, there's not much to think about but selling it for what I can. I say all this in case in helps another with similar rust issues.

It's been real guys. Many thanks for the help over the years. Be well.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Id drive it

 

[bobbywalter]

frame swapping a ranger is a cake job. i would not even waste time welding on a rust belt frame post 92. the metal is garbage if it has been exposed to the rustbelt more than a few winters.

that was a calculated choice by the oems....there are tons of mint frames outside of the rustbelt that with minimal prep will last another 20 years.

 

[Dufussman]

frame swapping a ranger is a cake job. i would not even waste time welding on a rust belt frame post 92. the metal is garbage if it has been exposed to the rustbelt more than a few winters.

that was a calculated choice by the oems....there are tons of mint frames outside of the rustbelt that with minimal prep will last another 20 years.

I agree bobby. I feel like what you’re saying also applies to the front frame. It’s in pretty bad shape and the crossmember there is good evidence of that.

Unfortunately I need a bed, under cab crossmember, and rear frame. Why put the time and $ for maybe a few more years?

 

[bobbywalter]

I agree bobby. I feel like what you’re saying also applies to the front frame. It’s in pretty bad shape and the crossmember there is good evidence of that.

Unfortunately I need a bed, under cab crossmember, and rear frame. Why put the time and $ for maybe a few more years?

the whole frame. only reason to do a rear section is to get a 7 foot bed or collision damage

 

[JoshT]

I think you've got enough replies to decide on a path forward, but figured I'd throw in my 2¢ anyway.

IMO fix and keep, or take the loss and sell as is.

Depending on the condition of the body, drivetrain, and your capabilities, it is probably worth fixing and keeping.

If you plan to sell the slight increase in value from frame repairs won't be worth the time and effort invested in doing it. Might actually cost you more money in the long run.

 

[Rick W]

I’m coming late to this thread.

One thought to consider. Do you work on your cars and trucks because you like doing the work, or do you hate it and you just do it cause you know how to do it to save money? I like working on my stuff, so I’ll fix things that you’d have to be crazy to fix.

All these folks on TRS are absolutely great at all this stuff, but sometimes you need a rifle shot from a guru. Why hasn’t anybody reached out to @rusty ol ranger ? I thought he invented preserving things like this.

If that frame was down here in Georgia, I wouldn’t pee on it if it was on fire. You can pick up a whole, entirely rust-free, truck down here for less than $500. Not only would you have the clean frame, but you’d have all the parts around it if you needed to cut out a piece of the body or some better bushings or who knows what.

If you get a replacement frame, pressure wash the Dickens out of it, especially forcing high pressure around anything that’s overlapped or riveted or bolted, to get as much as the old crud off it as you can. Let it completely dry in the sun. Mix rust oleum 50-50 with mineral spirits and bathe it, use a long bristle brush like a mop (in the shade), slop the whole thing like you’re mopping a floor. Within 12 to 24 hours (don’t let the starter coat completely cure), mop it again with full strength. On both layers, concentrate on forcing it into the overlapped pieces and where there are rivets, etc.

Then, as you start bolting things to it, have a little cup of rust oleum there so you can lay down a little wherever things are going to make contact, so if they get chipped in the process, they’re already covered, but mostly so the paint will cure in place after they’re bolted together.. It’s messy, but you only have to do it once, and it lasts forever.

As always, it’s just my two cents. I always hope it helps.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I’m coming late to this thread.

One thought to consider. Do you work on your cars and trucks because you like doing the work, or do you hate it and you just do it cause you know how to do it to save money? I like working on my stuff, so I’ll fix things that you’d have to be crazy to fix.

All these folks on TRS are absolutely great at all this stuff, but sometimes you need a rifle shot from a guru. Why hasn’t anybody reached out to @rusty ol ranger ? I thought he invented preserving things like this.

If that frame was down here in Georgia, I wouldn’t pee on it if it was on fire. You can pick up a whole, entirely rust-free, truck down here for less than $500. Not only would you have the clean frame, but you’d have all the parts around it if you needed to cut out a piece of the body or some better bushings or who knows what.

If you get a replacement frame, pressure wash the Dickens out of it, especially forcing high pressure around anything that’s overlapped or riveted or bolted, to get as much as the old crud off it as you can. Let it completely dry in the sun. Mix rust oleum 50-50 with mineral spirits and bathe it, use a long bristle brush like a mop (in the shade), slop the whole thing like you’re mopping a floor. Within 12 to 24 hours (don’t let the starter coat completely cure), mop it again with full strength. On both layers, concentrate on forcing it into the overlapped pieces and where there are rivets, etc.

Then, as you start bolting things to it, have a little cup of rust oleum there so you can lay down a little wherever things are going to make contact, so if they get chipped in the process, they’re already covered, but mostly so the paint will cure in place after they’re bolted together.. It’s messy, but you only have to do it once, and it lasts forever.

As always, it’s just my two cents. I always hope it helps.

Im oddly not great at stuff like that.

Im okish at coming up with a solution...but not good at actually implementing it.

 

[RobbieD]

Im okish at coming up with a solution...but not good at actually implementing it.

Nothing wrong with that . . .

That's pretty much the definition of "genius" versus "skilled".

 

[Betty White]

Driver swap it!