Hey everyone. I just removed the bed from my '93 Dakota 4x4 Extra cab and was greeted by a disappointing (but not altogether unexpected) spread of rust. I do not know how best to remedy this, but I do know that I would like to keep the truck. As I see it, I have two options.

1. Repair. I am not a welder or a fabricator nor do I have the equipment, but I do have friends who may be able to help me with those aspects. I would have to get input from these friends on whether repair is worth it and if I would be able to hire them. However, I am unsure if repair is even feasible. Given what little I know about metals and rust, I am thinking that the rear half of the frame may be FUBAR. If it can be patched soundly, I will happily go that route. However, I am sensing that the whole back half of the frame may need to go (the front half seems in better shape).

2. Replace. I am confident that I can do a frame replacement myself. The issue lies with sourcing a new frame. Because I am in the northeast, most 20 year old frames are probably similar in condition to mine. They are also few and far between. If I can find one in good shape local, I would be very happy, but if I can't, I have a couple questions:

Do you think a southern frame would be worth it to have shipped up to CT? Has anyone ever shipped a frame or have a rough idea of the cost to do so?

Any and all input is appreciated...here are some pictures of the damage. Keep in mind that while the worst rust is localized, the entire frame it is a lot worse than it looks.




On this part of the frame (one of the more affected spots) I took an angle grinder with a wire cup brush to it. There is essentially no structural integrity left in this spot.



Top view of the same spot in above picture.





Thanks everyone...I am ready for the worst news.

 

either replace with a less rusty frame or repair...or if you're excellent at welding you can make one(not recommended though).

my 91 was the same way under the cab but i fixed it since it was a small area i was able to patch it but i do plan on a different frame or making my own when im done with schooling

 

Out here in California, we call that a "parts truck"...

I would find a good frame with a blown engine (or something) and start over... But that's me - I hate bodywork.

 

I agree, if the whole frame is like the piece you tried to clean up, it's time for a change - although welding on that type of frame would be fairly simple, there wouldn't be much solid metal to weld onto. To make sure that's not just a really bad spot, take a ball peen hammer and beat on the frame with the ball and if it shows any signs of caving in, that area is shot.

As indicated by BKCowGod, look around in your local junkyards and see what generation 1 Dakotas they have and check out the frames - not all trucks rust at the same rate in the same region. I'd buy the whole truck (or whatever there is), strip off everything you don't need or want and sell the stripped off parts and your old frame to a scrap metal dealer (don't go back to the auto junkyard, they won't give you anything for the scrap metal).

 

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. The whole frame is not as bad as the piece I took the wire brush to. That is one of the worst spots. In general, the side rails of the frame seem solid, but the top and bottom rails have bad spots. I *think* there is enough solid metal to weld to make repair possible, but that could all change once I clean up the frame and get advice from a welder.

I already did the ball peen trick and really whacked on the frame, and that test kind of confirmed what I already thought...the side rails are generally solid, and the top and bottom rails have some really bad spots.

I just came back from a junkyard. They had two 1st gen Dakotas there. The first one I looked at was incredibly terrible. I crouched down just to look at the frame behind one of the rear wheels, and was greeted by a gaping hole in the side rail about a foot long. I could tell that the frame was bending because the bed was angled towards the cab. I couldn't believe it hadn't completely snapped yet. The second truck had an okay frame in slightly better condition than mine, but probably not good enough to justify as a replacement.

I did see a 1st gen dakota at a junkyard where I bought an engine a little while ago. The guy wanted $1200 for it with the 5.2 and a shot auto transmission. Frame looked pretty solid. I could probably negotiate, but I didn't have a very good experience with them and the engine, so I don't want to go back there.

I'll continue to clean up the frame to get a more accurate idea of what can be done. Thanks again.

 

Does anyone know how different 1st gen frames are from 2nd gen frames? I'm especially interested in the back half. I am thinking a sensible way to go would be to find a welder capable of replacing the back half of the frame. I don't know how I would go about lining up the old with the new.

If it makes a difference, I think that I'm going to flatbed this truck, so I don't necessarily have to worry about the bed mounts lining up.

 

How do you feel about a little road trip? There are lots of old dakotas in places where rust isn't possible and corrosion is unknown. For example:

http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/3885955564.html

Been on the Tucson CL for most of the month of June. Probably would deal. Looks nice.

 

Ah yea, I know that logically I should sell this truck and go find something more better . But clearly, having to go all the way down to AZ and back would cost a lot in gas. Kind of a deal breaker, unfortunately. But this is a second vehicle for me and one of its purposes is for me to learn while doing. It's going to get a 5.2 swap and a modest lift. The frame repair is the one thing I can't do myself, and honestly the truck is in good shape minus the rear half of the frame. 115k miles, runs well, 5 speed shifts smooth, 4wd works well, very little body rust (minus the roof) cost me $1000, a good deal all in all. After making the frame solid, it will be completely blasted and coated using epoxy primer.

 

Wow that looks kind of bad, Atleast compaired to when i took my bed off. Ofcourse my truck has lived the florida life For it's entire duration on the road and was inland away from the salty sea breeze. I had minor surface rust on the entire thing and some caked on dirt after 4 hrs with two friends and a 24 pack I got it sanded down to bare metal primed and painted with some rustoleum satin black. Looks great Not sure if I have pics posted on here of it I do believe I uploaded a few. EVen cleaned the spare wheel and painted it black lol... I'd check out the frame under the cab and front clip and if it looks like you have spots just as bad i'd replace it. Have seen 4 4x4 frames down here in a salvage yard a mile up the road. one had a great frame others looked like trash. If the rest of the frame is surface rust then I'd find someone who can cut out the bad section and weld in some new steel. I'm sure it would be alot cheaper to pay for that.

 

Kinda miss the point, I think. I see pictures of vehicles in the NE and midwest that look like they've been submerged in salt water and wonder why anyone would put the time and effort into trying to resurrect these rotted and pitted frames. These trucks are currently, figuratively, a dime a dozen. Why mess with stuff that does affect structural integrity when you can go on a trip and get something that's physically in close to new condition for a decent or even cheap price?

You want to do all this sh*t on a truck that should be crushed, I think. As the guy from the SF bay area pointed out, your truck looks like a parts truck to me. I grew up in road salt country, dealt with rust welded fasteners, body cancer, and wheel and frame damage due to rust. We who live out of the rust zones are terribly spoiled by the ease we enjoy with fasteners that come loose rather than break when we try to work on them.

You don't need to go to AZ (tho it would be a great summer trip and you could see the country.) You could go to inland N. Carolina, or Kentucky, or Tennesee. Or somewhere in the south that's away from the coast (salt water & storm/flooding damage being a consideration.) It's an amazing thing, but you can access any local Craigslist from your home computer in Connecticut.

Or you could even (perish the thought) have the truck shipped to you.