Frame Rust on a 24 year old beast

[Captain23]

My Brown Suga just turned 24 this week!

Shes got a few holes in her skeleton though

How would you fix this:

 

[Mace]

with a new frame..


How many holes like that are there??

 

[D'Animal]

I would not drive it until you fixed or replaced the frame.

I have an 86 -FJ 60 frame out of a california rig that I will sell you. I payed $200.00 from another MUD member and you can have it for the same price. I'm in central CA and will not ship it. I can get it as far north as Sacramento.

 

[Captain23]

a good few that bad, a couple more leafing, probably should have done it first thing. newbie education i guess. I've had it a year, DD for a long time, now I'm driving a diesel jetta till i can fix the truck.

D'animal i may take you up on that frame- can you send or post pics? capt.23@gmail.com
I'll figure out the shipping and get back to you.

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Gad, we have a TON of VW TDi's with FJ60/62's dont we?! Glad to know that Im in the right place...
This actually looks like a serious repair (to me)...and it aint gonna be fun.
Options include:
Frame off repair.
New frame.
Chop frame.
Forget about it and weld in some supports. Hold yer breath!

 

[Captain23]

2006 VW TDi:146hp, 242lbft, and 56mpg+.

not to hijack my own thread but i have to ask

how do you get 56+????

I've got a 91 non turbo, only get like at best 35.

And thats BJ60 up there not an FJ

yeah, i've been putting it off for a while.

 

[D'Animal]

DLS

I would not even consider repairing that frame. You can only weld in patches where you can see the holes. Most would weld in patches at the spring mounts and the tranny mounts. The rest of the frame becomes a weak link.

If it was a beater rig than that might be an option. The rig looks really clean and he uses it as a DD.

 

[Captain23]

does anyone have any suggestions for shipping?

 

[D'Animal]

Check Mudship. There are a few guys coming to the swap meet in Stockton this weekend. I know Bull from Seattle is coming down. I don't know if he is bringing a trailer full of stuff or not.

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

not to hijack my own thread but i have to ask

how do you get 56+????

I've got a 91 non turbo, only get like at best 35.

And thats BJ60 up there not an FJ

yeah, i've been putting it off for a while.

35MPG? Geez. Ive calculated on paper, on tripmeter, AND ScanGauge 2 over 65MPG numerous times using B20 with Stanadyne on level ground here in the Columbia Gorge (with no tail wind either). You driving again Satan himself or something? Ive got numerous other neighbors with TDi's who contantly get well over 45MPG all the time. Oh, and yeah we're chipped and tuned while rippin' rubber. I must also admit that we all have the DSG which might make a difference, but I wouldnt think it'd be that much.
Check out the TDiClub site sometime. Several are getting over 75MPG.

BJ/FJ. Its all a Cruiser!

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

DLS

I would not even consider repairing that frame. You can only weld in patches where you can see the holes. Most would weld in patches at the spring mounts and the tranny mounts. The rest of the frame becomes a weak link.

If it was a beater rig than that might be an option. The rig looks really clean and he uses it as a DD.

I agree with you 100%. IF he absolutely needs it repaired I would recommend a new frame. IF he cannot afford the down time you could sandwich it like a tractor truck frame repair, but it would NEVER be the same.

 

[Captain23]

35MPG? Geez. Ive calculated on paper, on tripmeter, AND ScanGauge 2 over 65MPG numerous times using B20 with Stanadyne on level ground here in the Columbia Gorge (with no tail wind either). You driving again Satan himself or something? Ive got numerous other neighbors with TDi's who contantly get well over 45MPG all the time. Oh, and yeah we're chipped and tuned while rippin' rubber. I must also admit that we all have the DSG which might make a difference, but I wouldnt think it'd be that much.
Check out the TDiClub site sometime. Several are getting over 75MPG.

im on tdi club too, not as much though
i'd had a bunch of work done by Justin at greaseworks in corvallis - the 1.9 non turbo never really amped more than 45mpg doing more than 45mph due to resistance. we tweaked it a bunch, compression is outstanding, pump timing within range, cleared the water separator, don't know what else to do, probably do the fuel filters again since i've run so much b99 lately.

BJ/FJ. Its all a Cruiser!

true that, but only one can smell like the colonel's masterpiece!

 

[DirtyLittleSecret]

im on tdi club too, not as much though
i'd had a bunch of work done by Justin at greaseworks in corvallis - the 1.9 non turbo never really amped more than 45mpg doing more than 45mph due to resistance. we tweaked it a bunch, compression is outstanding, pump timing within range, cleared the water separator, don't know what else to do, probably do the fuel filters again since i've run so much b99 lately.

BJ/FJ. Its all a Cruiser!

true that, but only one can smell like the colonel's masterpiece!

I hear you there! Im planning my own dilemma soon enough!

 

[Captain23]

Back to the topic at hand,

Now i've got a huge dilemma:

A frame swap on top of everything else might not be worth it.

I've had this rig a year, driven it with a bunch of problems, with not enough funds to do everything i wanted, so now I'm ready to get into it, get her not only up to speed, but rawkus!

Heres the problems:

*The steering is out of whack to where it drives straight pointed at 11 oclock
*the suspension is totally shot, the leafs might be ok, shocks totally rusted through
*wheel well rust, typically
*carpet pretty shot and growing grass due to holes in body, i ripped it all out
*few rusty spots on rear driver quarter/ inside a couple door frames/tailgate
*3B Engine 250+K Shes a bad smoker on startup I mean you wouldn't want to be standing
on the street for about a block in ok shape, not great
*stock tranny seems ok third sticks a bit, really sticky when its cold


Planned work:

*SOA- thought about a 2.5 lift as well but decided against it
*35/1250/15 probably ProComp not sure yet, maybe Toyos
*Front End Rebuild, bearings
*Kamar Rear Bumber with swing outs Gerry Can and Spare
*Wheel well welding/reinforcement
*Rhino Lined throughout
*Engine/Tranny tuneup


Add a frame swap and while yer at it sandblast the basin and body rust, fxxx it repaint the whole beast

that'll probably get into like 10 or 12k baseline and thats a brand new truck, but its only a 3B and is over 250K i'm not sure if its worth it.

Or should I fix it so its better than it was, do the steering, the shocks, wheel wells and rhino, patch the frame, sell it or give it to my girlfriend and start fresh with a newer FJ rust free and swap with a 13BT or a HD-T?

What do you guys think?

 

[D'Animal]

When complete, Where will you get a more capable rig for 10K?

 

[Captain23]

That doesn't include what i payed for it, already have into it, or take off from buying a newer one what I could sell it for, but you're probably right

 

[D'Animal]

Here are the frame pictures. The pictures are of the front mount for the left rear spring hanger and the back mount of the right front spring hanger.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The best part of that truck is the mechanicals, it sounds like your body and especially frame, are shot. I would look for a rust free truck with a bad or removed drivetrain and swap your stuff. Otherwise, I would not go through with what you intend. Another decent option is to sell your beast as is, and start over, being more careful about the rust issue.

Although a cheap good frame, could make the frame swap tempting.

 

[D'Animal]

Here is what the add would look like

*The steering is out of whack to where it drives straight pointed at 11 oclock
*the suspension is totally shot, the leafs might be ok, shocks totally rusted through
*wheel well rust, typically
*carpet pretty shot and growing grass due to holes in body, i ripped it all out
*few rusty spots on rear driver quarter/ inside a couple door frames/tailgate
*3B Engine 250+K Shes a bad smoker on startup I mean you wouldn't want to be standing
on the street for about a block in ok shape, not great
*stock tranny seems ok third sticks a bit, really sticky when its cold
on the street for about a block in ok shape, not great
*Needs a frame.

How do you put a price on it?

 

[Captain23]

D'animal,

Hehe farm fresh!!

yeah I don't know what to do just yet. I'm going up to portland tomorrow, check it out with the shop guy Tim at Landcruiser specialties. Figure out the best option. I've found a few fj's that seem like good candidates, hope to hear back on them soon. we'll see. Biggest problem is the downtime with summer coming up, I was hoping to have a rig to rage next month. We shall see.