98 4x4 bent frame sanity check.

[amalik]

It's impossible to offer a solid opinion on frame damage from a couple of pictures on the internet. The shops who have seen it in person don't want to touch it because it's more trouble than it's worth.

There is a claim inherent within this post that somehow the 'internet' is not equivlent to 'in person' or 'real life'.

I am both shocked and saddened at this revelation.

 

[gamefreakgc]

There is a claim inherent within this post that somehow the 'internet' is not equivlent to 'in person' or 'real life'.

I am both shocked and saddened at this revelation.

WAIT, THE INTERNET ISN'T REAL LIFE?

What have I been doing with myself for the last 18 years???

 

[mckennar]

1) Your brother in law is a bag of dicks for drinking and driving in a vehicle that isn't even his.

2) You seem like a nice guy. Give drunk brother-in-law keys to T4R, and also house Army buddy and his wife. I pray and hope good karma comes your way.

1. Agree.

2. Thanks. Though as a point of clarification - he wasn't drunk a few months prior to the wreck when I shipped him the truck to use temporarily. Looking back at it though, I'm pretty sure I must have been on something at the time to think I'd get it back in one piece.

Anyways, I appreciate the sentiment.

 

[Cree]

I've been looking for a dead-drivetrain, rust free 4x4 3rd gen since August of last year when this wreck happened. I literally gave up after this thing sat in my yard for 9 months and hauled it to a body shop because I haven't had any luck. I figured anything less than $6k of frame work I'd be breaking even, as that's what running 4x4 3rd gens are going for around here.

You're quasi-local (Kansas). How's the rust situation up there? It seems like any trucks I look at north of the Arkansas/Missouri state line are rust buckets at 150k miles.

It depends on where in the state they were. Just about all of them need rear bumpers. But most of the frames are clean. Ish. I actually know of a dead T4 one street over from me. I can ask if you like. It's rough, but it's got a straight frame.

 

[Gadgetguy]

I'm sure a guy with an older Toyota would love to buy it for the engine and related components to do an engine swap, maybe even the rear end.

Sorry this happened to you, that really bites!

 

[mckennar]

It depends on where in the state they were. Just about all of them need rear bumpers. But most of the frames are clean. Ish. I actually know of a dead T4 one street over from me. I can ask if you like. It's rough, but it's got a straight frame.

Rusted bumper usually means there's more rust underneath than I care to deal with. I grew up wrenching on cars in New England. Up there, "rust free" meant "no rust through" and it took 4 hours per corner to replace struts due to the amount of rust holding all of the fasteners together.

My definition of the term rust free changed drastically when I moved to the south. Here, "rust free" means "not even flash rust, sun burn or surface rust on bare metal". So I'm very spoiled, and have grown accustomed to being able to do brakes, struts, wheel bearings and axles in a single afternoon (with air tools) on most of my cars.

Anyhow, thanks for the offer. If the rear bumper is gone, it's probably too rusted for me.

 

[mckennar]

I'm sure a guy with an older Toyota would love to buy it for the engine and related components to do an engine swap, maybe even the rear end.

Sorry this happened to you, that really bites!

I've thought of this, and if the replacement 4Runner I buy doesn't need an engine/trans/t-case, then I'll probably sell the thing whole to someone who needs a drivetrain. Either way, I'll probably post it here in the classifieds.

 

[mckennar]

I was hoping you were closer. I know a guy who works in and around Conway that helped develop the sonar frame measuring system I sell. I could still try to ask the local rep in your area for a reference, but I'm sure you could find someone if you can make the time.

3rd shop said the front of both rails are "diamond" shaped and the twist actually goes all the way back to the rear bumper.

They said the rails actually look like this / / when viewed from the front of the truck. That in addition to the twist and sway, they said they're not going to touch it.

I wanted to say thanks for the info, I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to offer input!

 

[mckennar]

One of these days I'm going to figure out how to multi-quote and quit post-whoring.