Agreed. New guy here but those welds are pretty bad. And this is done by a structural welder? My 11 year old son can do better welds even with a tombstone machine like your buddy used. :shocked:
Tips for welding? Mostly safety First time welding a truck frame
- Thread starter shahsmerdis
- Start date
Agreed. New guy here but those welds are pretty bad. And this is done by a structural welder? My 11 year old son can do better welds even with a tombstone machine like your buddy used. :shocked:
Mark_BC
Senior Member
I read your big thread on frame rust and hosing it out and it got me scared. I went out last night to look at my mom's runner and the frame is actually in really good shape internally. On the outside of the frame there is little rust spots starting where rocks chipped the paint. All the suspension etc. is rusted out. It was because it sat outside one winter with salt on it. I guess that last time we drove it in the salt wasn't enough to get it inside the frame but it got everywhere else. Opposite of everyone else's problems LOL. I poke my finger through the holes and it is dry and relatively clean in there, I can feel nice smooth paint on the bottom.:high5:
Scramble
New member
I think I got partially lucky over the years. I knew to keep the salt off by frequent car washes during the winter but didn't see the rotted out internal frames until I became addicted to this site in 2014. The amount of rotted frames up here in the Northeast is mind boggling. I buy my used parts from the south, southwest, northwest. I'd rather pay for shipping than waste my time in the junk yards around here. Or buy new from Camelback.
I belong to a couple of Northeast Toyota FB groups & you should see some of the rusted out crap people are trying to sell. I'm driving down to Virginia on Sat to p/u an entire axle w/ e-locker - drum to drum - no rust - 6 hrs each way. :eyebrows:
Rust belt impact for car life is really unfortunate.
My 97 would probably be long dead and gone in the Northeast.
What is the main contributor? Meaning what does everyone in the Rust Belt have in common?
Is it mainly the salt put on the roads because of the frequency of how much it snows or are there other factors?
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MN4runnerman
Senior Member
Salt + no car washes during the winter + probably a manufacturer error in not enough coating on the frame from factory = dead 4Runner.
Toyota hasn't learned their lesson either because the 2005-2010 tacomas have been recalled for premature frame rusting.
Rolling_Thunder
Member
Well.... the welds could use some work but honestly - you appear to be using an arc welder with no shielding gas... its decent for what youre working with.... If you have a friend with a MIG you could get a lot nicer and more importantly stronger welds...
Sean K.
New member
Just b/c one is using MIG (GMAW) doesn't mean it's stronger than arc/stick. Typically, a 220 buzz box can weld material thicker than most hobbyist size MIGs. After all....GMAW stands for Gas Metal Arc Welding....
After looking over the pics.....the problem isn't the welder...it's the weldor (difference in spelling denotes the person doing the welding).
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shahsmerdis
New member
I agree with everyone that the welds are far from perfect. I should have went with a pro, live and learn?
let me ask you this, did we do worse than good? Between what is left of the frame (which i feel is quiet alot compared to other peoples frames ive seen here), and what ever frankinstine weld is there, i assume its stronger than what was there? I don't think we made the area weaker did we? Goal is to have the car last another 2-3 years 4 if we are lucky safely. key part safely.
if i come across someone who can do a better job, is the only option now to cut what he did and put something new?
Thank you
let me ask you this, did we do worse than good? Between what is left of the frame (which i feel is quiet alot compared to other peoples frames ive seen here), and what ever frankinstine weld is there, i assume its stronger than what was there? I don't think we made the area weaker did we? Goal is to have the car last another 2-3 years 4 if we are lucky safely. key part safely.
if i come across someone who can do a better job, is the only option now to cut what he did and put something new?
Thank you
RedSled
New member
I believe you stated in one of your posts that you had some kind of coating on your frame to prevent or inhibit rust, and that material was getting runny from the heat of the welding possibly contaminating the area to be welded. Not the person doing the jobs fault, if you can keep the weld area clean from this, you can grind the welds, and give it another try. Best of luck to you.
frodiesel
New member
Even if the tread is still perfect, any tire is junk junk junk after 7 years. The dry rot, leaking of chemicals, and uv damage may cause it to blow out at speed, if its on the highway you could be killed. The tires on the last car Paul Walker was in were 9 or 11 years old. If the owner had spent the pretty penny to replace them as they should.....
RedSled
New member
Huh, i thought this was about frame rust and stuff.
