UZJ100 Frame Rust Grade (1 Viewer)

[DTrane]

Quite bad. How long have you owned it? Could it be worse, yes, but it is still an 8 or 9. With a 10 being unsafe to drive for fear of main frame components collapsing and causing an unsafe situation.

What's your question? Are you thinking how much effort you should put into a lost cause? Are you thinking of how much work it would take to triage and hold this spot for a while? I'll say this is well past where I would ever recommend putting money in to replace axles, ABS system, rack... the bigger items.

There are still plenty of rust-free, limited-rust examples south of Virginia, down to Texas and over to Arizona and CA... if you want a long-term relationship, you may want to cut your losses and sell to someone who is interested in something just to drive until it dies, whenever that may be. If you are fine with the latter, just remember what your relationship is before throwing money at it. To me, beyond the frame issues is the fight every nut and bolt will be on every repair you ever attempt. Things will be rusted together... then you'll snap something... then you have to take off the next-bigger part to get access, but those bolts are also rusty. It is just a recipe for self-harm. You deserve better!

If you want to just triage... Navy Jelly and other products are good at converting that rust to a inert metal, which can buy some time.

Would a skilled restomod shop be able to do their magic on this one?

 

[Bripars40]

Would a skilled restomod shop be able to do their magic on this one?

Sure but for too much money. Working on a rusty cruiser is painful at best. Treat the rust and then put some 33” tires and a lift if you need to and just enjoy it being a rusty cruiser.

 

[D21FJ60]

build it out, drive it until the frame disintegrates, buy another 100 from not anywhere near you and then swap everything over

 

[DTrane]

build it out, drive it until the frame disintegrates, buy another 100 from not anywhere near you and then swap everything over

If I can remove and treat the frame as others have advised then this seems like a reasonable approach.

TY everyone

 

[DTrane]

If I can remove and treat the frame as others have advised then this seems like a reasonable approach.

TY everyone

Remove some of the rust I mean…

 

[Columbo624]

That lower ball joint looks unhappy.

 

[NE Snowman]

Here’s my take, I have a rusty 4R bought with rust knew I’d never save it. Apart from baselining just drive it, they work.

No matter what you can’t really get inside the box frame to clean and stop it, sure bandaids will buy you more time but if your looking to keep one for awhile ride this out and find a clean one later, feel free to add on fun items you can swap as well.

 

[DTrane]

Does anyone make aftermarket frames for these?

 

[needsahome]

Does anyone make aftermarket frames for these?

I have a 2007 that looks like yours. I took it in to a good shop for an estimate. The body rust estimate was 7500 but they said that they would just replace the frame. The frame itself was like 7500 and everything else was another 20k so all in 28k to replace the frame. Obviously not worth it. Have you decided to treat your frame and if so what are you doing?

 

[needsahome]

I’d say she has done you well. Do her the same and get a couple gallons of Correseal and a sixer of fluid film for inside of the frame rails and seeeennnnnndddddd it. Again, a rusty cruiser will go where any cream puff cruiser will, just maybe not as pretty.
If this isn’t the one, a buddy of mine has a California cruiser here in southern mi for sale. The ad is in the classifieds.

I am not handy regarding these types of things at all. I have a 2007 that looks similar and I replied elsewhere in the thread. I got a quote on frame replacement for 28k so that is not worth it. Can you further describe what "get a couple gallons of Correseal and a sixer of fluid film for inside of the frame rails" entails and could a non handy person do this? I will either sell it this year or do as you describe if I can manage to do it myself or find a shop near Chicago for this kind of work. Thanks in advance for any further guidance or advice.

 

[whitec13]

I am not handy regarding these types of things at all. I have a 2007 that looks similar and I replied elsewhere in the thread. I got a quote on frame replacement for 28k so that is not worth it. Can you further describe what "get a couple gallons of Correseal and a sixer of fluid film for inside of the frame rails" entails and could a non handy person do this? I will either sell it this year or do as you describe if I can manage to do it myself or find a shop near Chicago for this kind of work. Thanks in advance for any further guidance or advice.

Shoot me a PM and we can go into details, don’t want to gum the threads up with back and forth.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Does anyone make aftermarket frames for these?

Toyota still makes them but there are also quite a few pick and pull options around in the SW for a lot less.

When Toyota was doing frame replacements on Tacoma's I remember the labor was around 7k.

My $.02 looking at this thread and having worked on a few rusty vehicles, is just rock what you've got with the rusty frame vehicle and get the years out of it that you can. Then part what can be parted and move on to the next thing.