Frame rust repair

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Nasdaqer2300

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Now stop me if you’ve heard this one before...

We helped my son buy a 2008 4Runner (it’s a 4x4 limited V6). Purchased in MN, we live in WI. Frame is like you would expect. Not as bad as some, but not as good as anything you would see in Colorado, etc.

For my boy’s high school graduation this spring, I would like to have his frame worked on. Meaning grinding off surface rust, fluid film (whatever) and most importantly replacing any portions that need to be replaced due to rust.

Is there a place within a day’s drive or so from WI that can do this kind of repair work? Body, engine are great. Hoping this at least gets my boy through college with his 4R.

Thanks!
 
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if there is no holes or structural issues with the frame it doesnt need any patching/repair... just clean up the rust spots & repaint with a good quality paint, even rustoleum will work good if prepped & applied right but there are others you can use too. i would call around to some truck/4x4 shops & see what they use/recommend... being up north there has to be some local places that do undercoating etc.

some will suggest POR-15, which is a good product but not designed to be applied over existing painted surfaces so using it on the frame that still has the factory coating intact in areas is not a good idea as it will eventually flake off. POR stands for paint over rust & its literally designed to be applied over clean but rusty metal. fluid film is good at preventing further rust but if sprayed over uncoated/rusted metal it looks terrible & can still allow rust to form since it washes off from normal use. i say paint the frame first then decide if you want to use a product like fluid film.

im in iowa & had some spots of surface rust, no pitting or damage, i wire brushed the areas & cleaned them & the rest of teh coated frame real good, scuffed up the coated areas & used rustoleum brush on paint where i could reach & spray on everywhere else... looks great & is holding up very well after ~2 years. we have just as bad of salted roads as WI & MN.

lots of options to deal with frame rust, just wanted to provide my experience on my 08 4runner.
 
I have an '03 that I had two plates welded in the frame by a local repair shop and it's not cheap, cost $1000.00. I asked him if he was interested in doing more of this work for others, he said maybe.
The shop is in Geneva, IL. about 50 miles west of Chicago. If you would like to call and talk to the owner, let me know and I'll PM you his phone.
 
The frams are made with cheap Corten steel, i would first have it sand blasted where needed just to see where metal needs to be patched with new steel.

Then find a metal&welding shop who will cut steel patchs to cover the damaged areas.

If you want to keep the corten from rusting away, always wash the road salt off the frams as soon as the Temp. gets above freezing.
 
Nasdaqer2300 said:
Now stop me if you’ve heard this one before...

We helped my son buy a 2008 4Runner (it’s a 4x4 limited V6). Purchased in MN, we live in WI. Frame is like you would expect. Not as bad as some, but not as good as anything you would see in Colorado, etc.

For my boy’s high school graduation this spring, I would like to have his frame worked on. Meaning grinding off surface rust, fluid film (whatever) and most importantly replacing any portions that need to be replaced due to rust.

Is there a place within a day’s drive or so from WI that can do this kind of repair work? Body, engine are great. Hoping this at least gets my boy through college with his 4R.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
We bought a 2005 Limited last fall and the frame was in pretty good shape. We replaced the front skid plate that had a lot of rust and coated the rest of the frame with Woolwax. Prior to coating, we removed the wheels & skid plates, put garbage bags on the hubs/rotors and knocked off the loose rust with compressed air. Also applied some rust convertor and then did a little rattle can primer application to the rougher spots. Applied Woolwax to both the top and bottom of all the skid plates - will reapply in the fall but won't do as much prep.
 
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Syr4RinNC said:
How’d the compressed air work vs say a wire brush?
Click to expand...

Air did a good job knocking off the loose stuff but you do need a pretty good size compressor. Used a cheap gun bought at Harbor Ffreight. Quicker and easier than a wire brush. Did follow with a brush in the few places where I ended up applying primer.
 
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Sorry, maybe I'm misunderstanding but are you saying just use an air gun to knock the rust loose or are you talking about using a needle scaler?

Either way I'm interested.
 
rdruss said:
I have an '03 that I had two plates welded in the frame by a local repair shop and it's not cheap, cost $1000.00. I asked him if he was interested in doing more of this work for others, he said maybe.

The shop is in Geneva, IL. about 50 miles west of Chicago. If you would like to call and talk to the owner, let me know and I'll PM you his phone.
Click to expand...
1000 to weld two plates?
Dang, that sounds pretty high to me.
Out of curiosity how long did it take him and how big were the plates? I seem to remember weld on sliders at the local shop cost around 250 to install and that's a fair amount of bead to run.
Glad I learned how to weld, wonder what that guy would have charged me to weld my frame horns back on after removing them on my jeep? I shudder to think.

Sent from my SM-A516V using Tapatalk
 
I have a 2005 4runner with 150,000 miles. I'm in the Bahamas.
I watch for the rust. I just hit that "bar" by the radiator and it is hard and still little rust. I sprayed this a few years ago with a rust preventative (corrosion X spray can) and it turned the red rust to black color and stopped the rust.:trophy:
 
FordF150 said:
I have a 2005 4runner with 150,000 miles. I'm in the Bahamas.
I watch for the rust. I just hit that "bar" by the radiator and it is hard and still little rust. I sprayed this a few years ago with a rust preventative (corrosion X spray can) and it turned the red rust to black color and stopped the rust.:trophy:
Click to expand...

The CorrosionX is a wonderful product I have used it for years not to control rust on my 4Runner but on a lot of other things I might add it is not cheap.
 
Jab a screwdriver into all the suspect areas. Front cross bar with tow points, flat areas of frame near where your feet rest and any flaky areas. If it won't go through then just scrape the scale off and have it oiled inside and out on the frame. Here these rust from the inside out so getting the oil inside is needed. Pictures would help.
 
FordF150 said:
I have a 2005 4runner with 150,000 miles. I'm in the Bahamas.
I watch for the rust. I just hit that "bar" by the radiator and it is hard and still little rust. I sprayed this a few years ago with a rust preventative (corrosion X spray can) and it turned the red rust to black color and stopped the rust.:trophy:
Click to expand...

Captain Solo is back!....why'd u change ur screen name?
 
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