This is absolutely fixable. I’m about to address a similar issue on mine.
If the rest of the frame is solid, it just needs a good fabricator to grind it clean and weld in a plate out of 1/8” steel.
https://preview.redd.it/sumsl2p278qb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3aa5d9e7d50840aaf9ec8a87ca4c19bd5b816207
Extremely common. You can even buy just that frame section. My buddy sent me this this morning.
I’m the same way, rest of my frame is totally fine.
https://preview.redd.it/ne8t1vidhaqb1.jpeg?width=921&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b76fc42c50cea8a643d31c113f75bf16b25cbb29
I bought these! I have a similar issue in that area. Hardest part for me logistics-wise is dropping the gas tank so I can weld them on. The few mechanics I've called won't weld these or touch the frame (NC). I haven't checked with any welders, but if they can drop the tank and weld, for a decent price, I'd much rather do that!
I just got done repairing this section of frame and I was worried about dropping the gas tank too. It ended up only taking me about an hour to drop the tank with basic tools!
Sorry for the late reply, yes as empty as possible. Mine was about a quarter full and that definitely was doable but the gas sloshing around just made it a little harder to balance on the floor jack. Again, totally doable but if you can get it to be about empty it would be super easy and light
Woof. Looks pretty bad. It might be pricy or too involved but I did find these weld on frame caps with mounts for this area [https://www.autorust.com/product/mid-rear-frame-section-art-218-r-passenger-side/](https://www.autorust.com/product/mid-rear-frame-section-art-218-r-passenger-side/)
You need one of these:
https://www.autorust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ART-218-L-web-pic.jpg
https://www.autorust.com/product/mid-rear-frame-section-art-218-l-driver-side/
that control arm bracket is obviously gone, and the biggest safety issue here. a good welder could probably patch it up but it would be super messy and if the rust is that bad there, your frame probably has a lot of other issues unfortunately
that's super weird. these frames trap water inside the frame rails and rust from the inside out, so it can be hard to tell. grab a hammer and tap around, listening to the sound. if it's a high metallic ping, its solid. if it's sort of a dull thud like cardboard, the inside is rotting away. if you are completely certain this is the only rust damage, it's probably worth repairing in my opinion. along with the rear springs at a minimum
Its wild here, that weld is absolutely trash but the rest of the frame around it looks mint. That bolt looks brand new and theres zero rust on that control arm. Usually when they are this far gone at the welds the entire thing looks bad. Honestly its probably very repairable.
I just took a good hard look around the frame and I’m guessing there had to be an error in the welding process of this bracket into the frame. The drivers side is a little surface rusty but the whole thing is solid as hell. This is the only section of the vehicles frame that is eaten away by rust
If you still have good steel to fish plate to or safety cap, anything can be fixed. In my area, the fab shops would charge up to 10k for the rear rebuild though. I opt for frame swaps if you can find one
If you’re willing to spend a fair bit of money on it and the rust isn’t absolutely cancerous either get safe t caps installed by a welder or do a frame swap but if the rust has infested the inside of the frame then do frame swap or get rid of it.
I’ve got the exact same crack in mine, although it’s not as bad as yours. The previous owner had a leak in the sunroof so he got it sealed up. I’ve got some body rust from where it leaked in the door and then down to this bracket. I’m probably going to weld it myself but I’ve been putting it off
No too bad. I've definitely. Been there before with an 02 TJ (Jeep Wrangler). Same issues with trapping water. Was able to weld in some aftermarket brackets but it's a pretty high skill task if you dont have any welding experience. Definitely worth fixing. I got another 4 years out of the frame and it was all still in tact when we sold it. No issues at all. Just decided to move on to something little newer.
I've fixed a handful of these and about to do something similar on a cheap Tacoma I picked up. Not a hard job for a decent welder as long as the rot hasn't traveled too far north or south so you can reinforce it with plate steel. In one case I had to even fab a new bracket because it was too far gone.
I finished it about a week ago. It went super smooth. Me and my friends did it with like only a tiny bit of welding experience and it wasn’t too bad at all!
Also I have know why the suspension has been rough. One of the previous owners had U-Bolts on the rear coils acting as a leveling kit. But today I noticed that the coils themselves were even seated properly and were just resting on the control arms. My buddy says it looks like they’ve been cut to fit… planned to replace them but then found the rusted out weld seam
This is absolutely fixable. I’m about to address a similar issue on mine. If the rest of the frame is solid, it just needs a good fabricator to grind it clean and weld in a plate out of 1/8” steel. https://preview.redd.it/sumsl2p278qb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3aa5d9e7d50840aaf9ec8a87ca4c19bd5b816207
I see this must be pretty common. It’s weird because it’s only at that bracket weld that the rust is this bad. The rest of my frame is solid
Extremely common. You can even buy just that frame section. My buddy sent me this this morning. I’m the same way, rest of my frame is totally fine. https://preview.redd.it/ne8t1vidhaqb1.jpeg?width=921&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b76fc42c50cea8a643d31c113f75bf16b25cbb29
I bought these! I have a similar issue in that area. Hardest part for me logistics-wise is dropping the gas tank so I can weld them on. The few mechanics I've called won't weld these or touch the frame (NC). I haven't checked with any welders, but if they can drop the tank and weld, for a decent price, I'd much rather do that!
Thankfully my issue is passenger side only.
I just got done repairing this section of frame and I was worried about dropping the gas tank too. It ended up only taking me about an hour to drop the tank with basic tools!
Wow that's awesome!!! May try this myself then. Would you recommend an empty tank?
Sorry for the late reply, yes as empty as possible. Mine was about a quarter full and that definitely was doable but the gas sloshing around just made it a little harder to balance on the floor jack. Again, totally doable but if you can get it to be about empty it would be super easy and light
Woof. Looks pretty bad. It might be pricy or too involved but I did find these weld on frame caps with mounts for this area [https://www.autorust.com/product/mid-rear-frame-section-art-218-r-passenger-side/](https://www.autorust.com/product/mid-rear-frame-section-art-218-r-passenger-side/)
You might have just saved my ass
Hell yeah. If you got means to weld I guess they’re not that much.
You need one of these: https://www.autorust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ART-218-L-web-pic.jpg https://www.autorust.com/product/mid-rear-frame-section-art-218-l-driver-side/
SAFE - T - CAPS CUSTOM MADE FRAME PATCHES , HAS A NEW CONTROL ARM MOUNT AND EVERYTHING, JUST GOT TO GET IT WELDED ON. DONT GIVE UP ON YOUR RUNNER!!!!
Well, not anally but pretty screwed
Yeah, sorry, it’s toast. You could probably “fix” it enough to get by a while, but don’t spend much money on it.
that control arm bracket is obviously gone, and the biggest safety issue here. a good welder could probably patch it up but it would be super messy and if the rust is that bad there, your frame probably has a lot of other issues unfortunately
This is the only section of the frame even remotely “bad”. Even the opposite bracket is solid. It’s just this one section
that's super weird. these frames trap water inside the frame rails and rust from the inside out, so it can be hard to tell. grab a hammer and tap around, listening to the sound. if it's a high metallic ping, its solid. if it's sort of a dull thud like cardboard, the inside is rotting away. if you are completely certain this is the only rust damage, it's probably worth repairing in my opinion. along with the rear springs at a minimum
Perfect time to cut the current brackets off and do a full weld in long arm 4 link in the rear
RIP
Its wild here, that weld is absolutely trash but the rest of the frame around it looks mint. That bolt looks brand new and theres zero rust on that control arm. Usually when they are this far gone at the welds the entire thing looks bad. Honestly its probably very repairable.
I just took a good hard look around the frame and I’m guessing there had to be an error in the welding process of this bracket into the frame. The drivers side is a little surface rusty but the whole thing is solid as hell. This is the only section of the vehicles frame that is eaten away by rust
If you still have good steel to fish plate to or safety cap, anything can be fixed. In my area, the fab shops would charge up to 10k for the rear rebuild though. I opt for frame swaps if you can find one
If you’re willing to spend a fair bit of money on it and the rust isn’t absolutely cancerous either get safe t caps installed by a welder or do a frame swap but if the rust has infested the inside of the frame then do frame swap or get rid of it.
I’ve got the exact same crack in mine, although it’s not as bad as yours. The previous owner had a leak in the sunroof so he got it sealed up. I’ve got some body rust from where it leaked in the door and then down to this bracket. I’m probably going to weld it myself but I’ve been putting it off
No too bad. I've definitely. Been there before with an 02 TJ (Jeep Wrangler). Same issues with trapping water. Was able to weld in some aftermarket brackets but it's a pretty high skill task if you dont have any welding experience. Definitely worth fixing. I got another 4 years out of the frame and it was all still in tact when we sold it. No issues at all. Just decided to move on to something little newer.
I've fixed a handful of these and about to do something similar on a cheap Tacoma I picked up. Not a hard job for a decent welder as long as the rot hasn't traveled too far north or south so you can reinforce it with plate steel. In one case I had to even fab a new bracket because it was too far gone.
Totally fixable. I have mine completely sheer off . Cost me 500 and mostly got a new passenger side frame. Situation normal now.
I have the same exact spot of rust. I’m gonna be fixing it myself this week hopefully. Wish me luck 😅🤞
Let me know how it goes. Good luck!
I finished it about a week ago. It went super smooth. Me and my friends did it with like only a tiny bit of welding experience and it wasn’t too bad at all!
Also I have know why the suspension has been rough. One of the previous owners had U-Bolts on the rear coils acting as a leveling kit. But today I noticed that the coils themselves were even seated properly and were just resting on the control arms. My buddy says it looks like they’ve been cut to fit… planned to replace them but then found the rusted out weld seam
That's fine. Surface rust. Just repaint it.
Might be wise to invest in a mig welder and some 1/8” steel.