It's been awhile

[DeadguyLLC]

Still working on and upgrading my 1978 FJ40. Cooper SS pro 35 inch tires, rebuilt 454 GM big block V8, rebuilt heavy duty Turbo 350 tranny, Orion transfercase, Front and rear ARB lockers, cromolly axles and birfields, Holly truck avenger carb, cb, and more.
The frame is in pretty descent shape, the rig is from California originally. I was thinking about sanding and POR 15 coating it, but my mechanic friend says frames wear out, and I only have like 4-5 years left on mine. It's not warped or anything, just the original from 1978. Any opinions?

 

[Vossie]

as long as theres no rust or anything that is doing an active job f damaging your chassis, it will never wear out. maybe other makes of cars, but not these old 40's.

you should be doing things to care for it, not ignoring it in the belief that its gonna die anyway so why do anything about it.

trying not to sound like im on a soap box here, not doing a great job am i?

just cant fathom why any one would think that a frame as well made as any LC frame will "Wear out"

just me?

if its a 78, then shes already 39 years old. where does only 4-5 years come into it?

 

[pjohnson]

Get a new mechanic.
Seriously though, what is his reasoning that frames 'wear out'? And how does he know that yours only has 4 or 5 years left?
Unless your frame has significant rust/rot, it'll last longer than your mechanic's career.

There are a number of options for coating your frame. More options than POR-15. I would probably powdercoat first and then use a POR like coating in those nooks and crannys where the powdercoat can't reach (if there are any).

 

[Downey]

I think your mechanic may have taken too many drugs in high school, or he just doesn't know about army tank construction and hot riveting.

 

[Rigger]

I'm still a pretty young structural engineer; only been practicing for 27 years, but in my opinion, there is no merit to the claim that the steel frame of your truck will "wear out". It can rust for sure, but it won't wear out. The notion that the frame has 4-5 years left seems to me to be complete nonsense.

 

[pb4ugo]

What are you going to replace the frame with? Another 40 year old frame? Or in 5 years, I guess it just goes to the scrap yard? It's not like a boxed sheet metal h##P frame that rust from the inside out.

 

[White Stripe]

Well I see you are in New York aka part of the rust belt area of the USA. So for the average mechanic out their and the average vehicle and how the average vehicles out their are taken care of, the frames rust away. The issue in that part of the country is corrosives getting in between the rivets where the two frame c channels meet together. The only way to fix that is to remove the frame, seperate the two c channels, remove all the rust, galvanize and or por15 the frame, and reassemble. Or you could get a new frame from aqualu for $2k or so. If you have rust pushing the two halves apart, its days are numbered if not repaired.

 

[cjgoode]

Get a new mechanic, if your frame is good now there is no reason with some work it cannot remain in the current condition for decades to come. If it is starting to rust it can be taken care of, it is has rust issue like weak spots or cracks then your frame is bad now and I have no clue where 4 or 5 more years would come from. Its metal, so bad spots can be cut out and patched with new metal. A frame is good or bad, and if its good it can be prepped painted and kept good.

 

[DeadguyLLC]

I'm actually in PA now. Thanks for all the advice. I've been spraying fluid film on the underside in the winter to fight the road salt. The frame halves are partially separated in a small gap on one side. I think one of the pins that hold them together just broke on one side. The inside isn't all rusted out. It has some mud accumulated in it, and I was going to clean it all out and use that Eastwood internal frame coating.