Hello everyone,
I bought this truck a few months back. It's a 99 4Runner sr5 5spd. To make a long story short, I started to get a bad feeling that the frame was rusting from the inside out. I dropped the fuel tank to find this.



My original plan was to weld reinforcement plates on and call it a day. After getting a better look at the rust, i don't think there is enough good metal to weld to. Even areas on the outside of the frame with good factory paint, i can poke a screw driver through.

The body is in really good shape (no rust), the engine runs great and the transmission is good too. Pretty much everything but the frame is in good shape.



So the question is, what do i do with this thing?
-Part it out?
-Get another frame? (if that's even possible or worth the work)
-Put the tank back in and sell it on craigslist (obviously disclosing the rust problem)

I'm trying to think about the part out value vs. selling whole vehicle. I assume the power train is probably the most desirable part.

Looking for some advice?

Thanks

P.s. Toyota isn't going to help me at all!

 

I would say it would depend on if the vehicle is paid for and if you know the vehicle has been taken care of. I always believe it's better the devil I know vs the devil I don't know. Anything can be fixed. I would get an estimate and see what can be done to strengthen the frame. Welders can come up with something to fix it or they will tell you to scrap it. My concern would be to stop the rust after getting the fix. In your part of the country I think it will always be a problem due to salt. Great looking vehicle, I would say fix and keep.

 

parting it out would get your the best money. but sell the engine first while its still running. that way you get best price. that 4runner complete you'd be lucky to get 1000 bucks. i had some rust like that too but not as bad. so i patched it. was crazy how much rust flakes/chunks were inside the frame.

 

She's a goner. Find a frame and swap the whole thing or part it out.

That runner is no longer safe to drive. Don't put your family in that thing.

 

:jessica: That is no big deal to repair if you can do the work yourself!!

If you had to pay me to repair this the proper way looking at what I see there it could go over a $ 1000.00 do it your self a few hundred $$ in materials and consumables and your time.

Your not going to find a good used frame any place close to you and shipping would be expensive.

If it was me and you can`t repair this yourself sell it complete as a parts truck as it sits.

Myself I don`t work for free so for me to part out a vehicle it is not cost effective for me . Who wants to pay $ 300.00 to have me pull a $700.00 engine.

It comes down to if you can fix this yourself!!

 

These threads are numbing. I wonder if domestic SUV/pickup frames of the same era are suffering the same early fate? If not, Toyota should be ashamed at this.

That said, I have such a long and enjoyable history with my 4Runner, that I'd probably scour the Southwest for a replacement frame if my truck had the same issues...


Andreas

 

OMG

But I would part it out though. GL with whatever you end up choosing.

 

Holy moley. That's horrible. I probably is repairable, but is it worth your labor and time? I'm so glad we don't do salt here. The sieves I saw running around in upstate NY always scared me...

'89 22RE 4x4 longbed DLX
Sent from my LG-P505 using YotaTech