frame replacement

sleepydad

sleepydad

Senior Member
OK!

I know it's tons of work. I'm sleepydad and I'm not scared off by crazy amounts of work.

so I have been looking for frames, they exist on the salvage market. The reason the truck has been salvaged is because it was banged up or had an engine/transmission failure, or somebody cooked meth in it.

This is a next summer long term project but I have a week I need to burn and have budgeted $500 for a frame + gas money and some over nights in fleebags. my top area's are Nebraska, Kansas, The show me state, and maybe TX.

lets assume I can find a decent one that actually looks straight and has minimal rust.

1st question:

first step would be to get it to a frame shop and have them check it. how much ballpark might this run? lets imagine I have been careful to get a decent frame that needs little to no repair. I know frame repair can be expensive but I have never paid for it myself so... asking anybody?

2nd question:

I don't have a lift and I'm not planning on getting one. Has anybody seen a mostly non sketchy way to separate a body/frame that does not destroy the body? I ended up destroying the body last time I did it.

Thank you in advance for you considerations.

<a href="https://imgur.com/yegNEJn"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yegNEJn.png" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
 
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You’d be surprised how not expensive a car lift is actually! With that said. [MENTION=10169]TheDurk[/MENTION] has done a frame swap without a lift.
 
sleepydad said:
OK!

I know it's tons of work. I'm sleepydad and I'm not scared off by crazy amounts of work.

so I have been looking for frames, they exist on the salvage market. The reason the truck has been salvaged is because it was banged up or had an engine/transmission failure, or somebody cooked meth in it.

This is a next summer long term project but I have a week I need to burn and have budgeted $500 for a frame + gas money and some over nights in fleebags. my top area's are Nebraska, Kansas, The show me state, and maybe TX.

lets assume I can find a decent one that actually looks straight and has minimal rust.

1st question:

first step would be to get it to a frame shop and have them check it. how much ballpark might this run? lets imagine I have been careful to get a decent frame that needs little to no repair. I know frame repair can be expensive but I have never paid for it myself so... asking anybody?

2nd question:

I don't have a lift and I'm not planning on getting one. Has anybody seen a mostly non sketchy way to separate a body/frame that does not destroy the body? I ended up destroying the body last time I did it.

Thank you in advance for you considerations.

<a href="https://imgur.com/yegNEJn"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yegNEJn.png" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Click to expand...

I don't own my shop anymore, but I'm still in the business sort of. Most body shops don't have measuring equipment beyond what you use at home. A tape measure and some rosary beads(hanging gauges). That said they still don't want to use up space and time on a small time job like measuring your frame. So my idea of a low budget deal would be at least 3 hours labor, I think it's $65-75 per hour around these parts, your mileage may vary. A good measuring system is computerized and requires some skill to operate, but will cost you a little more.

Cross measure it yourself, and look for kinks right behind the front suspension, the front frame horns, and the arched area over the rear axle. Flaking paint, or a painted spot should be inspected carefully.
 
[MENTION=102597]IBallEngineer[/MENTION] Sorry to hijack this thread but it is about frames. I don't know if you saw my post on What did you do to your 3rd gen today, but I'm wondering about fixing up a 2000 that hit the front wheel against a power pole. The frame rails look fine from below, it looks like the wheel got pushed back a couple inches by bending the frame brackets that hold on the control arms. Do you think it is as simple as removing the control arms and whacking the brackets straight again? Or welding a bit if required? What do you think the chances are that the frame is bent even though it looks perfectly fine?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...u-do-your-3rd-gen-today-1865.html#post3190563
 
I never measured mine. I did see it still on the truck and it was clear it was not a wreck, (I even bought both headlights) so I took a leap of faith and bought it. They took it off for me, and I had a chance to look it over again. It was pristine, not painted or anything suspicious, so I just went with it. It was a 2002, junked in 2010, so not much road time on it at all. $500 + $150 to deliver.

My guy is a reputable junker; I've been doing business there for 30 years.

I basically used the method in this video, except I used a crane instead of a hoist. This made things quite a bit more complicated, but I managed it. Getting the frame past the crane legs was very tight, and I had to move jacks around a lot. Two more inches would have made a big difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urqq8FbVvb0

Details in my sig.

I'm still PO'd that the rustiest thing on there now are the new OEM balljoints I put on at the same time. I should have POR-15d them, too, but they were brand new and it never occurred to me.
 
Last edited:
TheDurk said:
I never measured mine. I did see it still on the truck and it was clear it was not a wreck, (I even bought both headlights) so I took a leap of faith and bought it. They took it off for me, and I had a chance to look it over again. It was pristine, not painted or anything suspicious, so I just went with it.

My guy is a reputable junker; I've been doing business there for 30 years.
Click to expand...

Thanks yes it’s always a risk. I would think with a tape and a close inspection I should be able to spot any funny biz. It’s a bit harder in the salt belt because nothing in salvage here is useable. So I have to travel to find anything.
 
Mark_BC said:
[MENTION=102597]IBallEngineer[/MENTION] Sorry to hijack this thread but it is about frames. I don't know if you saw my post on What did you do to your 3rd gen today, but I'm wondering about fixing up a 2000 that hit the front wheel against a power pole. The frame rails look fine from below, it looks like the wheel got pushed back a couple inches by bending the frame brackets that hold on the control arms. Do you think it is as simple as removing the control arms and whacking the brackets straight again? Or welding a bit if required? What do you think the chances are that the frame is bent even though it looks perfectly fine?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...u-do-your-3rd-gen-today-1865.html#post3190563
Click to expand...

Chances Schmances, it's easy to measure. Find two holes(one on either side, matching) behind the suspension, preferably under the front seat area. Measure forward to the front most possible, and compare. Then cross measure, Right rear to left front, Left rear to right front, using the same holes. If the measurements are within 3 mm, you are golden.

As far as the mounting ears, I would push the control arm forward using a portapower with the old one still mounted. This will start the straightening of the mounting locations(they are stronger than they look). Then once the arm is removed you can finish it up and make it look PURDY.
 
If you have access to a welder, also consider a 2WD frame. Everything is the same as a 4WD frame other than the location of the trasmission crossmember. The 2WD frames will be much more available (and more lightly used) in rust-free areas.

Use the pinch weld areas of the body below the doors and spread the load with a block of wood. You will need to get the body above the height of the top of the engine unless you remove the engine first, so this will be a challenging project without a lift.

-Charlie
 
I know of a clean southern frame sitting in a self serve yard in NW Iowa. Every time I walk by it I think it is a shame it will eventually get crushed. I think they want $200 for it.
 
xcmtb83 said:
I know of a clean southern frame sitting in a self serve yard in NW Iowa. Every time I walk by it I think it is a shame it will eventually get crushed. I think they want $200 for it.
Click to expand...

Can I ask for more specific information. NW Iowa is very close to me. I went to see one locally today they said was grade A and it had holes in it.
 
phattyduck said:
If you have access to a welder, also consider a 2WD frame. Everything is the same as a 4WD frame other than the location of the trasmission crossmember. The 2WD frames will be much more available (and more lightly used) in rust-free areas.

Use the pinch weld areas of the body below the doors and spread the load with a block of wood. You will need to get the body above the height of the top of the engine unless you remove the engine first, so this will be a challenging project without a lift.

-Charlie
Click to expand...

I have looked at single post lifts for years now maybe this will be the year.

If I can get my hands on everything I need I should be able to have a rolling chassis with everything but the body. So maybe I arrange the lift part once I’m ready. Would ultimately be cheaper than buying a lift.

I considered the 2wd route but that would require I put everything togeater twice. I would want to know everything fits before I blast and paint the frame. I guess it would not be the end of the world to redo a bit but somehow I always think everything will work out the first pass. It never does.
 
I know that you want to go the used route, and I've thought about the same thing for myself but I'm just curious if you've priced a new frame from Toyota?
 
2ndhandyotaman said:
I know that you want to go the used route, and I've thought about the same thing for myself but I'm just curious if you've priced a new frame from Toyota?
Click to expand...

I have looked and I have never seen anyplace that has one alvailabe. I would be scared to know how much.
 
sleepydad said:
I have looked and I have never seen anyplace that has one alvailabe. I would be scared to know how much.
Click to expand...

Boo! Only $3376! :wow:

I found the part number (51002-3G101) and Googled it.
Most places indicated NLA, but these folks have one listed:
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~frame~sub~assy~51002-3g100.html

(Says the list price is 4884. :wow::wow::wow: )

Then there's shipping.

They appear to be just a drop-ship company, so I presume they don't actually have one in stock. The question is, does one of their suppliers actually have one on hand?

Outside my price range and more of a project than I'm willing to take on... but interesting none the less.
 
Heres something that I just came upon, I live in MA. I have a rusted out 4wd 5 speed 2000 parts rig, I'm planning to swap over the motor, 5 speed, 4wd stuff, dash and harness over to a Texas 2wd auto. I had a guy buy some parts off me in the summer, he got the southern rust free 98 2wd for $500 from a crack head. I told him Id buy it off him if he ever thought he would sell it. Just by chance I saw it for sale on FB for $1,600, I offered him $1K, he accepted. I made a deposit on it, its 2 hours from my house, I'll pick it up in a couple days. I'm very busy so just gotta find the time to Frankenstein these together.
So the 2wd frame option with keeping body is something to consider also with no salt brine patina anywhere on it.
 

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sleepydad said:
I considered the 2wd route but that would require I put everything togeater twice. I would want to know everything fits before I blast and paint the frame. I guess it would not be the end of the world to redo a bit but somehow I always think everything will work out the first pass. It never does.
Click to expand...
Not sure why you wouldn't think it wouldn't all just work... Multiple people (including me) have done the 4WD swap. The only frame part that I changed was the crossmember. (the shifter area of the body is different too, but that wouldn't be an issue for you)

Another thing that hasn't mentioned yet on the thread: There are minor body mount differences through the years. I believe the body stayed the same, but the frame/mounts changed slightly a few times.

-Charlie
 
phattyduck said:
Not sure why you wouldn't think it wouldn't all just work... Multiple people (including me) have done the 4WD swap. The only frame part that I changed was the crossmember. (the shifter area of the body is different too, but that wouldn't be an issue for you)

Another thing that hasn't mentioned yet on the thread: There are minor body mount differences through the years. I believe the body stayed the same, but the frame/mounts changed slightly a few times.

-Charlie
Click to expand...

I found a decent frame, went out and looked it over, it had a tiny bit of rust but everything looked good. truck had some dents and dings in it but the frame was in great shape really.

$300 and they are pulling it apart for me, fingers x-ed on that one. These guys have pulled some things in the past and they actually do a great job. for the $ they just drop it onto my trailer and away I go. totally worth it.

will get it blasted and painted so that should be good for a while anyways.

I ran the VIN's to compare frame part #'s and they were the same part.

FRAME SUB-ASSY
510033D781 1998
510033D781 1997

part # did change in 99 on frames so yea they must have moved things around a bit.
510023G100

https://imageappoh.car-part.com/ima...98 Toyota 4Runner Frame Assembly-Stock# 15631
 
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