Frame Repair

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boozewz

boozewz

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Nov 27, 2008
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Location
Saudi Arabia
I am looking at possibly picking up a FJ43. There seems to be some pretty shoddy frame repair job done near the right spring hangar is located. It looks in bad nick.

Is this repairable? Considering the rest of the vehicle is in OK shape save for a few rusted out floor panels, is this hacked up frame repair a deal breaker? Anyone have examples of repairing this section back to new?

Cheers



 
Almost anything is repairable, however some things need to be considered. Do it yourself if you have the skills or farm it out. If you plan on having a shop do it plan on throwing some money at it and that could be expensive.
 
boozewz said:
Yes thats what I'm concerned about sarge. By being square you mean measure her front to back?
Click to expand...


Yes.


If you have the skill set and resources to tackle this repair yourself, then I would not stress it too much, unless the frame is not square beyond the damaged sections shown in the pictures.
 
There are little bumps (rivets) on the bottom of the frame. Measure in an x pattern and both lengths should be very close
 
That severely-damaged front section of your RH chassis rail contains your chassis number (VIN).

In this country, I believe you'd have a hard time EVER getting that vehicle road-legal..

Appearances from your photo are that a different chassis has been swapped in and that someone with zero fabrication skills has then tried to weld back in the section of the original chassis that contained the documented VIN (in a deliberate attempt to deceive Authorites that the new chassis is still the original)..

Such a suspicion would be enough here to totally condemn this vehicle for eternity (and red-flag the owner for eternity too).

Even if this vehicle ends up in the hands of someone with competent fabrication skills now (who could definitely restore the vehicle to a safe condition) , I doubt that VIN stamping could ever be made to look unmolested.

So in this country at least ... I'd say this vehicle is "written-off" and should only have a parts value..

:beer:

Edit: I've ignored the obvious question here... Is this vehicle really stolen (and has someone tried to disguise this by making it look like another one of the same model).
 
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lostmarbles said:
That severely-damaged front section of your RH chassis rail contains your chassis number (VIN).

In this country, I believe you'd have a hard time EVER getting that vehicle road-legal..

Appearances from your photo are that a different chassis has been swapped in and that someone with zero fabrication skills has then tried to weld back in the section of the original chassis that contained the documented VIN (in a deliberate attempt to deceive Authorites that the new chassis is still the original)..

Such a suspicion would be enough here to totally condemn this vehicle for eternity (and red-flag the owner for eternity too).

Even if this vehicle ends up in the hands of someone with competent fabrication skills now (who could definitely restore the vehicle to a safe condition) , I doubt that VIN stamping could ever be made to look unmolested.

So in this country at least ... I'd say this vehicle is "written-off" and should only have a parts value..

:beer:
Click to expand...

What he said. If it's already in the states and your state doesn't require inspections then I'd stay away from that or make the person your buying it from fix it correctly.
 
I agree , upon further examination of that second photo - someone has scabbed a frame piece onto the chassis containing the VIN number . If it can be registered , the frame measures out square and the seller can come clean about the truck - it may be worth picking up . Depends on a lot of things , mostly what the reason was and condition of the rest of it . If the seller is a flipper , post up the vehicle's location so we can track it and prevent the idiot from passing it upon some unsuspecting buyer . About the only viable reason for doing this type of work is from a wreck , and a competent shop would never have done it that way - not to mention without documentation . Sad to say , this type of stuff happens a lot when vehicles like this become valuable collector items .

Sarge
 
personally I wouldn't touch it, even if explanation(s) are available and its documented ... who needs the bs with the dmv i.e. it just sets a "forever" flag and a potential bureaucratic nightmare, not to mention potential issues when reselling it ... find one that is clean (at least on that part of the frame) ...
 
To answer OPs question... I'd replace the front couple feet of that frame rail with steel from a 40 series frame. Some diamond shaped scab plates and extra boxing, ad it'd be stronger than new.

All that said, I'd be Leary of that being welded into a stolen vehicles frame. The legality of the. Eh ice should be closely examined.
 
I assume this is in Saudi Arabia, and understand the rules THERE are probably different than those in the USA.
If.........you can read the entire serial number off that frame section, does it match the same number on the ID plate that is riveted on the right side firewall?
Do those firewall rivets look like they may have been replaced?
With a complete serial number, the production date can be deciphered, and then verification of the components that should have been correct for that year manufacture can be done.

There are some very crappy field repairs done to many Middle East trucks. When you look VERY closely at the repair, does it look like a different frame section has been patched-in? Are there any other tell-tale repairs near that section, things that look bent like having been in an accident?

It seems to me that if someone were purposely trying to fool the authorities with a different frame number, some attempt at making it look original at least would have been done. If the welding partially covers the stamped frame number, various problems come into play.

A conversation with the local registering authorities would be instructive as to what they will and will not accept when transferring ownership of a vehicle.

Also if you are planning to eventually return to a different home country, the question becomes what will THEY accept upon importation?

Posting some more photos here will help put some knowledgeable eyes onto what you're asking.
 
Looking closely at your two photos, it appears that the frame number section is part of the frame going to the rear of the truck, making it part of the original frame.
However, it also appears that the welded patch COVERS several digits of the frame number, a real problem.

Some close-up photographs of both sides, and the top and bottom of that area would sure help here.

The seller may have a grand explanation as to what occurred, and that may jive with what you see, but in the end it is only his WORD, and the final decisions rest with the authorities--both in the KSA and where ever else you may choose to register this in the future.

Some states in the USA can issue a new VIN number under certain circumstances, but the specifics of that are likely very stringent.
 
Actually, to clarify a few things, this truck belongs to a very good friend of mine. He's not into Cruisers, but he purchased the 43 in an attempt to get into it. The mistake he made, and it turned out to be a big mistake, was he bought it sight unseen, save for a few pictures sent by the previous owner. Cash was transferred, and when he got it, being that he was super busy, he left it in his garage for nearly a year without looking at it properly.

Then one day I saw it outside a workshop I frequent and she was looking neglected, so I told him since he's not using it, send it over, I'll give it a thorough look over, and if I like what I see, I'll make an offer.

Here in KSA they check both the VIN tag on the firewall and the frame numbers. I am guessing since the ownership was already transferred to my friend, that the numbers match. I will have another look.

Will try to get some more pictures posted up so we can determine if this was merely a patch up repair or another frame section was spliced in. The biggest issue I have is the damage is before the spring perch. If it was after, then I could deal with it. But before? There's a lot of load there when the springs compress.

All the feedback has been much appreciated.
 
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Cut the crap that's on there off. Get the frame welded together and straight then do something like this. This is 4x4 labs plates. They make an awesome product.

VIN.jpg
 
I know both CO and you so I would say why bother with this one when there are so many better specimens if you just get off your butt.

If I was you, I would let him sell it to someone to get his money back. I know you will not pay what he paid for it so let him sell it to a stranger and recoup his money and you get a better vehicle to start on.

My question to you all is, if you total your 40 series in that section and fix it again. Would the law allow you to reprint the vin back onto the frame ? And if so how would you go about it in the states for example ?

Mo
 
Trollhole said:
Cut the crap that's on there off. Get the frame welded together and straight then do something like this. This is 4x4 labs plates. They make an awesome product.
Click to expand...

Now that's exquisite welding!
 
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