I have rear passenger control arm rust. It was patched on the medial side of the frame, but there's still a gaping hole on the lateral side of the frame.

Repaired side:


Bad side:



The body mount is pushing down on the hole, and bending the frame inwards. As far as DIY fixes, I see 3 possibilities with varying difficulties and success odds:

1. Remove body from frame. Bend body mount back up to be parallel with the floor, weld big plate in, POR 15 frame, etc.

2. Try to bend body mount up with body on frame. Maybe put a jack under that body mount and just lift until it bends back? This is dangerous. Weld as well as possible with body attached.

3. Just weld in plate ignoring bend caused by body mount. It's not really hurting anything, but it makes it kind of a half ass job imo.



Has anyone separated the body from the frame on a 3rd gen? I've seen some lists of what is necessary on 1st gens, I assume its similar.

Who has had success welding this spot?

Nobody has a success story?

I called a weld shop, they said to bring it in and they'll give me an estimate.

Body's on these come off easy. I used to do frame jobs at a body shop. A guy that has worked on these before with a lift could have the body off the frame in a hour. No joke. My brothers 4 runner is in the shop right now getting his frame cut and welded. I had a thread I made about it last week. It's easy to fix if you have the tools. I don't have a lift right now in my shop and my brother just bought his from a Toyota dealer with frame rust real bad. They are fixing it at their cost.

How is it dangerous? You're not lifting the entire vehicle's weight on that one spot and you only have to lift enough to get the deflection out of the side of the frame rail.

How are your welding skills? Can you weld vertically and not just lay down birdcrap and peanut butter looking beads? Gotta ask as that is not an easy repair to do correctly with the body on or off.

I just think bending it back will make it weaker than it already is. Do you think I could just use a jack and jack it up til its straightened? I'd use a piece of wood with a hole drilled in it so I don't destroy that body bolt.

My welding skills are non existent. I'd either have a shop weld it or see if somebody at my dad's work would weld it. I'm going to a weld place this afternoon to see what they think about bending/welding and how much it would cost.

Bending it back isn't going to make it weaker. If anything it will be stronger once properly welded. That inner side welding could stand to be re-done as well. That's just another repair waiting to happen as it looks like they got very little penetration.

I took it to a welder today. He said he's worked on dozens of jeeps and has a lift. He said he could bend it back, remove any rusty spots and weld it up for $200. Pretty stoked. I'll post pics when Its all said and done

I like the acorns (partly eaten) in Mr. Roo's pics!

I got a kick out of that also when I first saw it. Them chipmunks are bad around here! War is on. Last year they chewed my motorcycle plug wires. And ate right through my wife's cabin filter in her highlander.

Could someone direct me to a step by step body from frame removal. Thanks

What are you doing? Fixing frame, swapping body, swapping frame?

What equipment do you have available? Overhead lift for body? Frame lift? Engine crane? Just jack stands? That part will vary according to equipment used and what you are doing. Engine and trans, rack and front diff can stay with frame or not..

List of major steps:

-Wheels
-Engine skids
-Spare tire
-Both driveshafts
-E-brake cable
-ABS sensors
-Rear diff, control arms, panhard
-Gas Tank and skid, including hoses pipes and electric
-Brake lines
-Exhaust to crossover nuts
-O2 sensors
-Steering rag joint
-power steering hoses
-Engine Mount bolts
-Front diff vac hoses and position switch connector
-Body mount bolts (Ten)

Some trucks have evap components underneath, too.

I didn't have a step-by-step. I just went and did it.


Take a look at the thread in my sig for one way to do it.

Only the basic tools and a jack. Ill use 4x4s for jack stanstands. My objective is to clean up the frame, put in new rear main seal, timing belt kit, work on some wiring, new body mounts, and maybe some other things. Figured it would be easier to do all that with body and frame separated so im not having to crawl around on the ground all day or leaning over the grill. I saw another post saying it only takes about an hour to separate the body from frame but no step by step. I imagine I can figure it out

4x4's LOL, Go buy (4) 6 ton jack stands for $100 (Harbor Freight or Amazon) before you f#ckin' kill yourself.

Ha! I've held up a 4runner with alot less but if my project falls on the right paycheck I might just make a trip to harbor freight.

I have a low profile floor jack so I use 4x4's (horizontally not vertically because they can split) to jack it up but I wouldn't lay under it without proper jack stands.