I have an 81 pickup and just found a large crack going 3/4 the way around the frame just a bit in front of one of the rear leaf perches. I'm not sure if I'm going to buy another truck or another frame but if I'm getting a frame what is compatible. I know anything post 85? would need to be converted from IFS to solid. What about 2wd frames?

Thanks in advance.

 

2wd Frames would obviously have to SAS'd as well. From the looking around I've done, getting a 2wd truck to start with sometimes makes more sense, because you can find them much cheaper as everyone's looking for a 4wd and that drives the demand up. The 2wd trucks usually have much less abuse and if you already have the 4wd truck, you've got everything you need minus the SAS parts..

 

Ive heard that not many changes have been made to yota frames in from like 1980 to 1990....besides where the body mounts are...which are very easy to move

 

Or tube the rear half of your frame and make a bad ass flat bed

 

I was kinda thinking a flat bed would be kinda nice as the box was slowly rusting away as well, apparently not as quickly as the frame though. What exactly do you mean by tubing the frame? Thanks

 

why not just repair the frame instead of replacing it

 

drill a hole at each end of the crack
clean the metal with a wire wheel
weld scab plate over metal
enjoy.

 

The frame is quite rusty and there isn't really much metal thick enough to weld to asides from the top. Ive drilled some holes in the frame to check the metal and it seems quite thin in a lot of places. My friend previously welded a plate in further up the frame that didn't do much help as the welder was just blowing straight through the frame.

 

I usually just turn down the amps when that starts happening.... just a thought...