I have been trying to fix my truck for the past several months, and just when i finally get it rdy to get it back on the road i discovered that my frame right under the cab and around the trans mount is pretty much rusted through, I was using a hammer to tap around the frame to loosen up the surface rust and when i got to under the cab, my hammer went through the frame, so now im stuck with the decision to sell it for parts (Everything else is great except for the front fenders which have rusted under the fender flares). Or dumping even more money into it, trying to fix the frame, or finding a donor frame, which i have yet to have any luck finding. Its hard to believe that the frame has rusted out that bad, its only a 94', with 148k miles on it. It holds some sentimental value as well, which makes it even harder to decide what to do.

 

That sucks. Just figure out how far and how bad the rust is. With any luck it can be a simple patch job.

If it is that bad and you can't find a donor frame maybe take the engine and transmission and drop it into another project. Like a motorcycle or a boat or if is a V8 then maybe a car. There was an 5.2 dropped into a Dodge Intrepid a while back (the link is in the FAQ2). Or maybe just anther Dakota.

 

I found a new frame for $1995, thats like buying a whole truck, i guess i need to find out, like you said, how bad the frame is, if i can patch it, where i can get the steel to patch it, I can weld just need to find a welder. Or just go buy the 2000 Dakota quad cab i found in town for $2975. All though it does has 285k miles, but the frame and body are solid. And keep my engine as a back up. Time to get checking, winter is creeping up faster then expected here it seems.

 

I would go with a patch job over buying another truck that runs just for a frame...lot less expensive, also the patch may get a warranty.

 

Everything will be done myself, I can weld and do the fabrication, just need to find the materials.

 

I say pick up a cheap daily beater to drive for a while then disassemble the truck and rebuild it ground up. Thats my plan once the next thing goes under on me.

 

i have other vehicles, this is just gonna be my "Holy cow it's snowing alot, but still gott a get to work" truck. Plus i work midnights, and live out in the sticks, not alot of road clearing goes on at that time of night, and cant miss work just becuase of snow.
I found the steel, should be no problem to patch, im not looking forward to a lifetime fix just something that will get me through the next couple of years.
I noticed that my lower cab mounts ( the part you can see from looking up from underneath, how hard are these to replace? I can get them for about 13 bucks a piece online.

 

I ran into the same issue 3 years ago on my 97 Wrangler and found a frame on CL for $500. I hung my "tub" (body) from my garage ceiling joists long enuf to roll the frame out and then set the tub onto sawhorses while I swapped the entire drivetrain over to the donor frame. I see Dakotas about your year sitting in people's backyards around here like crazy; theres a 95 I have been asking about for 6 months that I wanted to buy that the owner deemed "not worth fixing" yet told me he didnt remember what the issue was; this thing had BEAUTIFUL chrome on it which was why I wanted it; the body was OK except for a golf ball sized hole in 1 rocker panel
Whatever this guy deemed "not worth fixing" doesn't know me that well; As long as someone doesnt cut my arms and legs off nobody else will work on my vehicles and I am allergic to payments.... I have built vehices from the ground up more than once from 2 vehicles deemed what that green '95 was that I mention; I have stopped and given my phone number several times and last week I was by there and noticed a dead spot in the grass where that truck used to sit (truck was gone)

I just completed an auto to manual swap in my 93 Dakota 6K miles ago, just put Clutch #2 in these last couple days due to a defective throwout bearing and today I have the intake off to reseal the bellypan that always leaks on these engines;
and I have very little money tied up in it;
It drives me crazy when guys like my coworker that wants to trade his Ford in for a $500 part; he owes much more on his current loan than is being offered by the car lots, PLUS they want more cash downpayment from him than I have tied up into either of my Dakotas which are actually pretty dependable; not in the case of the squeally throwout bearing that I just had to re-replace, but I often tear into my stuff "just because", I do all my own repairs from minor to major, and am very pro active with preventive maintenance.... and have been known to jump in any of my vehicles including my 1978 Plymouth Fury Sport and just "take off" for "where ever"; often Craigslist wild goose chases....(nother story)
2 years ago I drove that same Wrangler to Las Vegas and back to Chicago without a second thought or a problem... and will drive the wheels off of every vehicle I own (currently 6) before I replace any of them! My monthly car payment? ZERO! My newest vehicle? 1997. so dont give up.

 

Ive been searching CL high and low but have yet to find a donor for less then a grand and the ones that were around that price, where decent looking, im just gonna do what i can to get through the winter and go from there.

 

I got my current 93 clubcab for $500 complete with a good 318 and a supposed bad tranny (I didnt care I was looking for a suitable donor body to accept the 5 speed manual I had sitting here which this truck did just fine)
Mine came from CL there was a '95 CC truck with a worse body than I found and a bad engine at a car lot 3 miles from where my 93 was sitting, with a price of $1100 "as is"

mine was listed on CL as a "part out" Like I said look around as you drive around if you see something sitting looking like it hasnt been driven in a while you can't be afraid to go beat on the door and ask; never know you may find something better overall than yours with something stupid simple wrong with it taht the owner's wanting rid of; or maybe swap the tranny or rear end from yours to this "new" truck and wind up with something better than you have for dang little time and money

clue; the harder you look the worse you need something "RIGHT NOW" the less likely youll find it; kick back, dont be in a hurry and a deal will find you when you least expect