Hello everyone. I recently within the last year found a bad spot of frame rot on the passenger side box part right behind the tire where the jack spot is. I had a body guy look at it a couple months ago and he said it wasn't too bad as he had seen many worse jeeps. Well I know otherwise now. I jacked up the front yesterday to change the front brakes and the frame started crunching and bending up slightly from the jack Since this is a very important part of the frame and with the extensive rust, I'm thinking it can't be repaired. I am having a lot of problems with getting pictures up I'm sorry. Does it sound like I need a new frame? and how long can I drive it until I can say its unsafe?

 

Depending on how bad it is you may need to get another frame or just repair it. Your best bet it to get some opinions from local shops.

 

The best thing we did with our mud truck was take it to a welding shop and don't forget when they weld on it, the battery has to be disconnected. If you can clean up the part that is rusted so they can see what they are dealing with, that would be good. Good luck with it.

 

Its at a very critical section of the frame i would say. I'm definately calling this a manufacturing defect on dodge's part. The underside of my truck floor pans and bed are completely untouched by rust and it isn't even undercoated. The fact that the frame is completely rotting out before the body is complete B.S. I'm not very happy at all. Especially because the truck is in very good shape otherwise. I'll try to have someone look at it soon.

 

when i did my cab swap i found a hole in the passenger side of my frame right under the cab between the body mounts. My friend gave me some pieces of frame and i welded them on over the hole(cut out the rust as much as i could) and made like a box patch around that section of frame.

 

defect? the 2013 models are coming out that makes your truck almost 18 yo.
I did have to replace a frame once about 3 years ago on my 97 Wrangler; same scenario beautiful body bad frame

 

Yes I am saying its a defect. I used to own a 1979 Chevy suburban that was a P&G snow plow truck for 25 years. The body was very very rusted out being exposed to all of that salt, yet the frame was still solid

 

I know a guy with an 89 chevy C30 (old body style) that the frame broke from rust on about 6 years ago so would be about same time span as your Dak today.... this was a stake bodied 454 powered truck that was also mostly a plow truck for every Dodge theres at least 1 Chevy and a Ford with the same issue

 

yes very true. I'm just really bummed. One shop already has said there's not a cost effective way to repair the frame (without removing the cab) to properly do it.