Rust advice needed

[rd_rangerman_88]

So it's been awhile since my last post regarding that little 88 Ranger of mine. The main reason being i've been using it as is for most of the winter; hauling wood around the property it's sitting at, plowing snow, and towing vehicles out of the snow drifts in the parking lot

Unfortunately there's a rather large problem i know i'll have to fix....or should i say, a large hole.

See, when i bought this truck, it had been left standing for almost 2 years; in that time rust started to set in all over, but it really ate away at the frame in one spot. The left rear swing shackle mount is about ready to break off, and i just noticed over the weekend the rear cross-member isn't attached on that side either.

So weigh in here guys; something like that fixable, or is this truck a lost cause? I don't have any pictures of the damage right now, but i can get it next weekend.

Thanks in advance

 

[AgPete139]

If you can weld, cut, tack, and reweld. If you can't, I'd say it is a lost cause and dangerous, and to get a new one.

It's an '88, and has already seen most of it's years. You could also swap frames, but that is a lot more labor intensive than I think you are willing to do.

Are there other rangers for sale in your area? Part your current one out?

 

[rd_rangerman_88]

It's a project truck, so i can take as much time as i need...i have a dedicated set of wheels for daily driver duties.

I think i can save this one, since the top and bottom parts of the chassis in this spot aren't gone, it's just the center that is gone. Plus, this is the perfect oppurtunity for me to test my welding skills; i've accepted the fact i can't get this truck back on the road with this frame (even if i weld it up it wouldn't pass the PA state inspection, they'd be able to spot my repair from 5 miles away ).

Now if that doesn't work, i'm always up for a challenge; it would be a rolling chassis swap anyway, i wouldn't go through the struggle of swapping everything over, just the engine, tranny and t-case.

I'll take some pictures this weekend so you guys can get a better idea of what i'm dealing with; i'm planning to pull the gas tank saturday so i can cut the bed off