Rust hole in frame, dangerous?

[joecool85]

If your crossmember is rotted to hell and there is a hole in the frame (on a 2000), let me tell you... the vehicle is well on it's way to the scrapyard. It doesn't matter how nice the rest of the vehicle looks or runs.

You can put new crossmembers in, new mounts... that stuff is reasonable. Holes in frames? Speaking from someone who just went over his frame and por15'd it... mine was not even remotely close to what you describe... and it's a 1994 and I live in the great white north!

You can buy a very good condition 4x4 out of California, Arizona, Texas etc and take it home with you. You'll be paying way less than what you are indicating. You don't need to buy as new as you are saying.

You can have a blown engine and rusty body parts. The essential part is the chassis, and if you intent to own this ranger you have long term, you are nuts. Sorry to break the bad news to you...

I had a Nissan Kingcab, same problem frame rot... from the inside of the channels. Nothing you could do about it. I sold it for scrap and moved on. Not worth the money to fix, or the anxiety.

It sucks, but there no logic to spending money to fix it beyond the safety factor to get you to the point you can buy a new vehicle.

Funny, 3 years ago I replaced one of the more rearward subframe sections because parts of it were missing entirely. Then 2 years ago my buddy welded a small patch on the frame where the rear shock connects because it had a small tear. Truck has been fine since. Now sure, I doubt I'll get another 10 years out of it. But I'd be surprised if I didn't get at least another 2 years or hell, with luck maybe 4-5 more.

I guess you'd have to see it in person maybe? Here in Maine you have a yearly inspection and the truck has never failed, and they check the frame out pretty closely.

 

[joecool85]

Well, I picked up a 2' section of 6" 8.2lb c-channel. We are going to cut off the top flange, weld it to the bottom flange (to make it flat since it is a taper), then weld that L onto the truck. The rust hole will be roughly in the middle of this new L and the new metal will cover all of the thin section on the frame. The end of the c-channel will be cut with 45 degree angles "fish plate" style so there won't be any vertical welds on the frame. The crossmember and skid plate will bolt to the bottom flange of this new metal.

 

[joecool85]

Got it patched. Ended up using 1/8" sheet rather than the c-channel. Came out pretty well. I'll get pics up (probably) at some point.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Glad you got it fixed...and I thought you would, too.
I'd like to see pics.

Richard

 

[joecool85]

Glad you got it fixed...and I thought you would, too.
I'd like to see pics.

Richard

If I get the chance I will snap a shot or three of it. We're selling it though, signing the papers on a 2003 Subaru Forester tomorrow and driving it home Saturday. Anyone interested in a 2000 Ford Ranger? It's got all the fun stuff (Supercab, stepside, 4x4, 5spd, XLT, offroad package, towing package...a/c) and yeah, the 3.0, so not ALL the fun stuff haha. It's a great truck though, just getting a bit rusty and when the wife said we should get something else I wanted to do it before she changed her mind. In a year or two we will be selling her car and she'll get the Forester and I'll get another truck - so it's a win/win! I sure will miss the Ranger though, had it for the past 4 1/2 years and it's been a killer rig.

 

[Jshep94]

fixing hole on truck frame

Alright guys I new to this site an all so here goes nothing...I was removing my rear drivers side shock mount the other day an it when I finally got it to come off it put a hole in the frame I already got the new dorman mount for it just trying to see what you guys think I should do to fix it? should I buy some 1/4" flat steel plate an weld on both sides or drill new holes an bolt it up any advice would be great

 

[Tedybear]

Alright guys I new to this site an all so here goes nothing...I was removing my rear drivers side shock mount the other day an it when I finally got it to come off it put a hole in the frame I already got the new dorman mount for it just trying to see what you guys think I should do to fix it? should I buy some 1/4" flat steel plate an weld on both sides or drill new holes an bolt it up any advice would be great

Something like that I would strongly urge taking it to a frame repair shop (yellow pages). That is very repairable! But it needs to be done 100% correct to retain your spring alignment (so the truck won't "Dog Track" down the highway) Plus the repair has to extend far enough front-hole-back to ensure it will hold up.

Pretty sure our explorer will have the same problem in a few years, as our frame is crusty as he&&... NY and it's heavy use of road salt.. We have several body shops and frame repair shops just for this reason. Rust remediation.....

G/L with it!!

S-

 

[Andy D]

OK. My repair required drilling out rivets that I replaced with short 3/8 bolts and hard ware. Before I started, I used a come along to maintain the wheel base. I started with a piece of steel that was thick but soft enough . to form cold with clamps and hammers. I unbolted the radius arms and front end stuff bolted onto the frame. I slipped my fish plate as far forward as I could . The piece runs back to the front of the tank. The brake line couldn't handle disruption and leaked. Thus began the most complete replacement of a brake system that worked fine. But I digress. I have yet to continue back toward the bumper. That will require a bed-ectomy. Maybe if I do that I'll get it welded.

 

[Jshep94]

ok tedybear thanks for the input I'm going see how bad there going to charger me at a shop..ya Illinois rust is a b**** also but the rest of the frame is solid i working on taking my bed off also i got 3 of the 6 bed bolts to turn an the other 3 are rounded it looks like someone might have attempt it before i owned it not sure i guess ima have to grind them off

 

[Mark_88]

Grinding them off works but they go into C-clips on the frame and they cannot be removed easily with the bolt cut. You can soak them in PB Blaster or other fluid that usually breaks down the rust and allows them to be removed...

I would count on having to replace the C-clips and they are easy to get...I would advise against using bolts and nuts mainly because it is hard to hold the nut while you tighten them...and then you need to go under to pop off the grips or whatever you were holding them with...and impossible to get at the one behind the gas tank.

PB Blaster is what I found worked best...soak them good and leave them overnight...should come off with channel locks or similar. You can also get new bolts...but I recommend Grade 8...the ones with 6 slashes on the head...

EDIT: And I would have to add that you may want to anticipate the fuel tank straps are in rough shape...and I recommend changing them while you have the box off...as well as grinding the rest of the frame and putting on POR-15 or other rust inhibitor...if you plan on keeping the truck a few years.

 

[Andy D]

The bed bolts have an internal Torx. clean out ALL the scrap in the hole with a small screwdrvr. Next carefully tap the face with a ball peen hammer , the little end. This will move all the metal back towards the hole. C.arefully tap the torx bit back in until it bottoms

 

[ford4thot]

If you have that much rust on the frame then your bed bolts are gone

I was lucky and found a nice clean set from Vegas for $30. But even brand new ones are $60 and well worth it. The new set comes with the clips and bolts with the washers attached to the bolts. It is a safety issue, just buy new bolts and clips

 

[Jshep94]

ya I been soaking them all for a few days before going to work in the morning. ya I planning on replacing the hoses when I got the box off. like I said also it looks like some one attempted it before cause the top of some of the bolts are rounded when starting but I haven't tried heat yet or ima try grinding across an use a big screwdriver

ford4 did your bolts break or you cut them?

 

[Mark_88]

I had three of mine snap off...but I was able to get a huge pry bar on the end of my socket wrench. It's actually better when they break because once you get the box off it's easy to work on the frame.

I put my box on the frame just over two years ago and used clean (not new) bolts...they were rusted by the time I had to remove the box last fall but they came out much easier...so a good idea when putting it back together is to put something on the threads to protect them if possible...

 

[ford4thot]

ya I been soaking them all for a few days before going to work in the morning. ya I planning on replacing the hoses when I got the box off. like I said also it looks like some one attempted it before cause the top of some of the bolts are rounded when starting but I haven't tried heat yet or ima try grinding across an use a big screwdriver

ford4 did your bolts break or you cut them?

I apologize, I am just now seeing this. I removed the bed liner material from the heads of the bolts, and when I unscrewed them, four out of six simply broke. But they could have broken in a wreck, or when I was hauling something, so I'm glad I found this issue before it became an actual issue