How to Properly Repair Rusty Frame of Toyota Pickup Truck at Home
Today I'll show how I repair the rusty frame of my 1985 Toyota Pickup Truck/Hilux at home in my garage. I'll also explain why the frames of Toyota Pickup, 4Runner, Tacoma and T100 commonly rust out and how to prevent it.
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Undercoating a vehicle with fluid film: • Undercoating a vehicle...
Some VERY rusty Toyotas I've owned:
1986 Toyota extreme frame rot: • Breaking & Cutting Up ...
1986 4x4 bad frame: • Breaking a rusty Toyot...
1985 4x4 frame hammer test fail: • Frame Rust Hammer Test...
1987 4x4 bad frame: • 1987 Toyota Pickup 4x4...
1986 1-ton bad frame: • 1986 Toyota 1-Ton Pick...
1987 lifted 2wd bad frame: • 1987 Toyota - Lifted 2...
I don't have Patreon or ask for donations but you can support the channel with some rad Yota gear from my store: 6thgeargarage.com/merchandise/
Used OEM Toyota Parts for sale (from my collection) 6thgeargarage.com/yota/
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I just bought a 94' Nissan pickup with about 10 years and 100 thousand miles worth of Ohio salt and rust. I keep watching videos of Californians/Southwesterners working on their 30 year old trucks with only the slightest surface rust. Then I look at my rust bucket and get discouraged when every bolt I try to remove is seized. Glad I found your channel!! Good to see someone with the same issues that has to use the same work arounds to even do the slightest repairs and maintenance! Thanks for these videos. Ive learned a lot
I've parted out a lot of trucks due to rust.y bodies & frames. Then one day I decided to see if I could save one. So I've been rebuilding a 1980 toyota that I got for $600 because it was a rust bucket. It's a long process, but I'm learning that it IS possible. But seriously, I'm buying my next Toyota from down south!
Had there been KZhead videos like this back in the 90's I'd still have my Toyota Landcruiser. Toyotas from the 80's were notorious for rust.
I love the fj60 land cruisers. They’re extremely rare around here because they all rotted away 🙁
Cover it in Fluid film or bar and chain oil If you cut it with Diesel fuel you could spray it out of a gun. Amazon even sells a kit with Fluid film.
This is exactly how I dreamed of fixing my truck.
I appreciate you showing bad weld jobs and what you used to cut the frame with.
Absolutely... I try to keep it real, even if it means showing my goof ups.
It was entertaining to watch and since you asked here is some food for thought on welding Setting up the machine is probably easiest by the sound of how its welding it should be a very consistent fast paced buzz Welding is the art of heat control, too much heat and the whole part becomes soft and on some metals like stainless it destroys its rust properties and makes it brittle too little heat - thick base metal being cold and the weld being hot, rapidly cooling down induces massive stress in the molecules cristalizing which result in cracks Cracks are the worst outcome of a weld because they will propagate into the base metal and split it apart dealing with cracks - you never want to weld on top of a crack instead you want to cut into the crack with your grinder so you take the metal out and eliminate the possibility of crack spreading if the part is of high importance or is under a load then you have to drill small holes at the ends of the crack on top of grinding it out Use a mindset of Heat = Time the more time your welding the more heat you input into the part therefore you can crank the wire speed up and weld on thin metal by moving fast and the base metal stays solid same with thick metal, you may need to preheat it before welding Welding Positions - you would weld differently looking from above than if you were to weld from below looking up as you did in this project laws of gravity are at play and with heat the metal gains viscosity opposite happens as it gets colder it becomes hard and brittle to do it properly you must take into account your angle of torch relative to the weld going 90* is gonna result the most penetration and most likely will burn quickly through your base metal the optimal is 30* in either the way your welding (push/pull) to ensure the most control over your input of heat and metal with horizontal welds angle your torch 30* to the direction your going and 30* aiming up since the metal is gonna drip downwards from gravity and you keep pushing it up for now i suggest you to work on your consistency and straightness of your welds and ignore the weaving patterns get those lines straight and consistent for best penetration, adhesion and formation on the other side of your piece you have to bevel your edges easiest way to do it is run your grinder between the two pieces so it cuts a line between them halfway into the metal thickness Tacking the pieces together is important i saw that you held the bottom with a clamp as you fully welded the top heat warps metal and bends the whole piece upwards raising the gap between your plates making it stick at an angle having a clamp hold it does the job but i would still tack it on the bottom to ensure it cant bend out of position tack diagonally from tack to tack going fully around it to ensure it cannot change the shape and create gaps welding builds tension and stress in the metal due to change of heat and cristalization speed of metal which in turn increases the risks of cracks Therefore you have to weld at a 1 3 2 4 pattern with your welds ending into your previous starting points to spread the heat and stress evenly across the whole piece Going vertically from top to bottom is unacceptable in load bearing structures because of insufficient metal volume and penetration, so do it only on pieces that dont hold more than your own body weight at most going from bottom to top vertically is a hard achievement to learn for people learning the skill but thats the only way you will have the piece not fail on you if there was no side rail adding strength and rigidity to your frame i would encourage you to redo the welds a tip you can use is weld the thing in tacks. start welding each new tack on top of the previous one before the metal stops glowing from heat to ensure that no cracks form and it fuses properly, for this you may have to hold it for a while depending on the thickness of the metal, otherwise welding vertical the proper way needs you to do a weaving patter going form side to side and pausing for a while to add volume. i saw you had problems with welding accuracy by having welds not getting between the plates and just welding on top of the plates not even connecting the pieces together due to having problems seeing. Yeah it sucks and its understandable, but remember there are people who get to weld hanging upside down in very high heat claustrophobic places with their arms extended sweat pouring down their mask with a MMA electrode in one hand bent more than 90* while holding a mirror in the other hand with nearly no room for error with pressure to complete the job. i can tell you it sucks real hard but you get to look back on it with a sense of pride because not everyone can do that irrelevant how much they get paid. So ABOVE anything else the 1st thing that separates a professional welder from amateur hobbyist is the prep work and planning before each and every weld they do it is literary 80% of welding, making sure that when you pull the gun, nothing can go wrong. Get as comfortable as you can, from a side it might look lazy when the welder is lying down on the ground as if they have no care in the world but they are actually making sure that their hand doesnt get tired while doing the weld, it doesnt ever snag on anything, nothing is obstructing their process from start to finish. before each weld glide your hand over as if you were welding to test if it is perfect, worst thing that can happen to you is you hit your gun against something and it ruins the whole thing. in a professional environment you will be expected to grind the whole thing out and do it from start, certain types of metal cannot be stress heated multiple times and may result in cutting the whole thing out and doing it from the start. often these specialized metals with certain properties cost thousands of $ per sq ft area so as you might imagine, do the mistake twice and your fired. basically comfort is your #1 priority for fancy welds, there is no correct way to hold the torch, if its more comfortable for you wrap it around your neck, hold it upside down, whatever. after you got comfortable the next priority is sight, you cannot weld what you cannot see. i personally dislike the fixed shade lenses but they provide the most safety for your eyes, some old timers just got used to them before the auto dark existed and just stayed that way, some cant afford them. remember that the more light you let them pass through the more you will see what your doing and whats around you and the more UV will get into your eyes and damage your eyesight. all you need to see is the puddle of your weld and and right around it to see if your still moving correctly. generally your movements should not exceed the width 2x of your wire, so it is a very small surgical precision. I think consistency is only achieved through reacting to what you observe, dont look what goes next, keep it in your peripheral vision. dont stare into the brightest spot of weld, instead look at your puddle as it is cooling down and forming the shape. react if you need to move slightly faster as its getting too liquid or you need to slow down to add volume and prevent welding defects like undercut. to be a good welder follow these 3 golden rules: 1. prep work, make sure nothing can go wrong, your fit up is spot on, the bevels are even across the whole length, there will be no surprises. 2. comfort. Your hand is so tired its killing you, you find yourself to finish the last inch you have to extend your arms in a unnatural way, it will directly reflect on the quality of your work. 3. consistency, your line looks as if its one single continuous flow with no thin or fat sections and no deviation to the sides, robotic movement. it all comes naturally by experience just laying down welds with the intention of the next one being better than the previous one, there was a time i couldnt do something no matter how i tried and how angry i was and now what i can do with nearly my eyes closed thinking about something completely unrelated. Another thing i would like to point out is that you grinded down your welds to go over the parts with no visible fusion, remember that the shape of the weld matters in how stress travels across the metal. since you didnt have full penetration at certain points and you grinded it down, a lot of the metal didnt get inbetween the plates to fuse them together so in reality while you cant see it, there may be barely anything holding it together making it the absolute weakest point in the structure, arguably even worse than when it was held together by rusted metal as it may be thinner. Welder and paint may make you the welder you aint, but in the end of the day its your health your risking if the structure fails on you at the point of highest stress when you dont want it to happen the least, in this context imagine you drive over a bigger pothole while going full speed down the highway, your frame splits, the car leans to a side and you get thrown into the opposite lane traffic. Bad welders cost lives. So to finish this long rant i want to remind people that this is only the tip of the iceberg not even touching the water, you start in welding, dive into metallurgy, find yourself in chemistry and get lost in physics. i hope people who make it through this wall of text gain more knowledge and respect on the subject. nobody knows everything and nobody is too good to learn. having the skillset of gluing two pieces of metal together and have them stick is gonna give you the possibility to create anything that your imagination is capable of projecting and is gonna be valuable till the very last day you spend on this earth. If anyone has anything to add, feel free. To 6th Gear Garage, if you have any questions feel free to reach out, i feel like this channel is on a path to become big, good to observe it in this stage
Thanks for taking the time to hare your knowledge, I read all of it and will probably re-read it every time before I start a welding project!
I"m saving this comment for reference for my own welding projects!
I appreciated your write up, often people are too lazy to read such a long comment but there is always something to learn from others.
Nice writeup. I appreciate that.
Somebody has too much spare time wtf
Only because you asked here is some constructive criticism: When using a smaller welder, you should grind angles into your plate to get more penetration. Flux core wire will weld thicker metal than gas shielded. At least according to the chart on my 2 welders. When you make a repair like that it is better to build a box from 2 pieces of angle and then place splicing plates on top of the repair. Those splicing plates should have plug welds at points along the plate. The reason for this method it that your frame could suddenly split in half along the welds because of cracking caused by road vibrations. The best example of how to do this was on 4wd 24/7’s channel when they modified the 80 series to extend the frame.
Thanks for that advice! I always appreciate professionals who share their knowledge.
Bevel everything. This guy knows.
Can you send me the link to the video? I've got a vertical crack in the frame of my chevy truck. I need help to fix before winter season.
@@lawnstar1441 This video has all the basic concepts. When you cut out a piece you should place a welded plate on top that extends beyond the cuts to strengthen it. That cover plate should also be plug welded to your filler plate. For this you drill holes in the cover plate and weld them to the filler plate. kzhead.info/sun/jKadftimeIWNnKs/bejne.html
@@jflabeets1 yes when me and dad fixed my 80 chevy frame broken between cab and bed, we got new frame, beveled all, then welded it together like tongue n groove, not just butt weld 2 pieces of frame. Then used a diamond shaped piece over the weld, and plug welded. This was in 2003. Trucks still going. But I had to take off bed, etc. Alot of work but I feel it's a way better, long lasting repair than doing it with bed, suspension etc on frame. All kinds of room to work, etc. Easier u can work on your job, the better it'll be.
That was a great job. Looks like the previous guy who welded the rusty spots on my frame just patched over the rust like you said. Oh well. .. I'll try to make my repairs more like yours. Thanks for all the great advice. Excellent video. Subscribed!
That's the enormous advantage of the old style frame compared to modern car chassis. It's an immense advantage when you need to work on it. Not a perfect looking weld but as far as it contact the two pieces fully and as deep as possible, it's a good one.
Man, what dedication to your truck. I think most folks would have scrapped it a while ago. Nice work.
Thanks! I'd really love to swap the whole frame with a rust free one one day.
@@6thGearGarage I personally appreciate trying to keep the old frame alive, since for me it's just not an option to go find a frame from some southern state.
@@1873Winchester keep your mitts off our frames! Hahaha kidding.....a bit...
@@REAPER3fitty Don't worry I'm all the way over in Finland
@@1873Winchester I need to drive out west with a trailer one day and bring a stack of nice frames back to Ohio.
Thanks for the helpful video. Helped inspire me to patch the rust on my GMC’s frame. To clean the inside, I found the best tool is a rotating chimney sweep brush and garden hose to wash the dust out.
Glad to see you take your safety seriously. Very nice job on removing everything, and cleaning it out, and then oiling it down after you made your MIG welds. I've always believed in oiling up your iron afterward, It's got a great history of fighting the rust off.
Thanks 👍
The next coating: If You ar e willing to clean the whole frame very well, then clean it and brush a coat of zink in it first, attach some boating anodes and then coat it with any soft rock guard. After the zink and soft guard on top, it'll last a thousand years.
Watching your video again, I have used self etching primer on bare metal. Then i used PB Baster Surface Shield. The frame looks black because dirty clings to it making it look black. Helps identify area's with high wash off that need to be recoated. I've done it a few times and its holding up nice and strong at my repair areas. There are some area's of the frame that need repair that i will be doing this year to hopefully end all ROT that was on it.
Best video I have ever seen on utube. In my whole life.
good job and good comments to help with future repairs the more you listen and do it the better
Love your confidence. It's helping me to get to tackle the two spots on my tundra
Something to consider applying to inside the frame when its open and cleanish is rust converter (tannic acid) which stabilises the rust somewhat, its very thin and wont fall off and into the bottom of the rail. then put your spray liquid stuff over that.
Glad KZhead recommended this video to me. Luv the video. I have a b15 Sentra that’s sat for 8-9 months who’s undercarriage is rusting away. I put Eastwood rust encapsulation on it last year, but it only lasted a year. I want to preserve it. Never welded in my life or have a compressor, but when the spring comes I want to tackle this in my driveway.
If you're welding anything 1/8" or thicker, I'd use a more powerful welder than the one I used in this video. I recently got a 220v Mig by Arc Captain (was actually cheaper than my 110v Lincoln) for some frame welding and it was so much better. kzhead.info/sun/draCprCogZismp8/bejne.html
I rebuilt the frame on my F350 and used a product called Steel It. It's a spray on, looks like galvanized when dry. Been 8 yrs in upstate NY and no rust. It is pricey though but after spending 15k on a rebuild of the truck and the time invested, it was the best option.
One tip for you mate , You used hot rolled steel No probs Best though to grind of all the blue mill scale or usr cold rolled, then prime both sides with red oxide primer buff the edges before welding After welding dress welds and prime up you then have along lasting surface ready for final coating Internally you can, for existing metal use a phosphoric type oxidation arrester which goes black and chemically seals the surface and also can hold a primer for extra protection I am a retired Fitter welder and have done plenty of this work Your Video was well presented for an amateur ,well done
Thanks for that advice! I always appreciate professionals who share their tips.
Will the phosphoric type oxidation arrester stop existing rust in the inner walls of the frame? If its not too bad.
This is great! I had a 1989 Toyota 4WD pickup that I bought new in May of 1989 for 12K. One of the first things that I did to the frame was to coat it with Karnak roofing tar. I've read stories on how you should never coat frames with Karnak, but that was years after I had already coated it. If it's good for a roof being exposed to 4 seasons of punishment, it must be good for the truck frame. I must say that when I sold the truck in 2016, there was not a bit of rust or corrosion on the frame, and I lived in the New York Tri-State area where they apply salt to the roads just for kicks. Body panels and doors were all loaded with rust, but the frame was the least rusted part of the truck. The center cross piece that held the spare tire carrier was rusted beyond recognition and that was because I never coated that. I now own two Tacomas. My older Tacoma that I bought used is showing signs of corrosion and I'm going to fix her up because that was the last good Tacoma engine and transmission wise. My other Tacoma is a 2021 which I'm not too crazy about, but I intend on keeping it for a long time. So, I plan to coat the frame with Karnak. Hey, if it worked the first time, it should do OK for my newer Tacoma.
Isn't it funny how much they use to cost?? I got a new 88 4X4 for 9600$ off the lot in December of 1988, that truck owed me nothing!! Now these things are nearly 50K, and the frames last 8 years, it's insane!!
Wasn't Karnak one Johnny Carson's character bits on the tonight show? " You are correct sir" !! 🤣
Great job! Did the exact same steps to my Toyota, cut-clean-weld-paint-fluid film... I will never do it again. FRAME SWAP :)
Same here, I'd love to find a rust free frame
I am so happy I don't have to patch frames anymore. but this is a great video
I did the same job on my Pajero/montero gen/mk 1 . I also used a naillscaler and air hammer outside of the frame. It really helped to losen and brake of the rust scaling on the inside and even pulverize it in smaller chunks for easyer vacuuming. I also blassed it with air/chock tank on the opposite ends. Its also really important to jack up the frame and even brase it so it wont bend, twist or sagg were you have to cut big holes or litle left on the frame. I filled it with fluid film and a diy redneck mix of geease, wax and oil inside after 2 weeks after the fluid film... Just for sh*ts and Giggles
Let me guess. Rear arch, just below the drop link?
I think your proposed primer/epoxy is as good as you will get. A zinc rich paint on the inside is what I would do. Great job btw. It does take a lot of time to get it right. Thanks for the video - enjoyed it thoroughly.
Great video! Im experiencing same thing with my 84 Toyota FJ60 Landcruiser
In my state half of the inspection stations ding the vehicles if you weld on the frame at all. I replaced a gusset on a chevy crossmember with factory gauge steel and spent alot of time matching the gusset with a factory shape. It looked factory and was a good repair. As soon as the inspection starion saw a bead of weld they kicked me out of the shop. I went home and smoothed up the bead and srayed undercoating to blend perfectly. The next shop says repairs were allowed and couldn't tell if or where it was repaired. So they dinged me on a pitman arm. Guy figure.
What state are you in? Ohio has no inspections unless you're trying to register a rebuilt/reconstructed title for the first time.
@@6thGearGarage right next door to you. Good ol WV. our inspections are not by a book as they should be, but by the inspectors interpretation of said book. I don't have a problem with inspections per se but it should be uniformly followed. Thank God we don't have an emissions check or all of my old trucks would fail.
Funny how strict things are there, PA as well. Meanwhile OH and MI have trucks driving down the road with rusty chunks falling off. @@kirbyroad7222
Glad we don't have to deal with road salt in Australia. Great video as always keep up the good work.
Seeing all these rust fighting videos makes me adore southwest Texas even more. Couldn't be luckier as a car guy to be born here. Props and prayers to rust belt mechanics
That's a lot of work! I've always used blended 75%Argon/25%CO2 gas for steel MIG and straight Argon for steel TIG.
I said argon in the video, but I actually meant 75/25. I just got a refill, about to start replacing the floors in another rusty truck!
When I do bare metal I preheat it with a hand torch to evaporate the surface moisture then use the self etching primer and I like top coating with implement paint from tractor supply. Spraying the inner frame with a zinc coating or weld thru primer would be a great addition too.
I miss my 84' Toyota 4x4 extra cab! Best vehicle I ever owned!
I stick weld those with 2.5 esabs in the uk. Weld finish is superb and fusion ensured.
Fellow Ohioan here, I feel your pain with the road salt. Nice work on the frame!
Thanks 👍
Nice repair job. Sadly we have bad rust in Norway too. Its a pain. I envy the guys in warmer climates.
I'd love to find a rust free frame and swap it, but I'd have to drive across the country to look for one.
I bet sunny California that's we're I'm from San Jose CA now I'm in West Virginia and bought a Toyota Tacoma 2004 and dealing with rust bought it in wellstone Ohio a few months and spraying rust remover products any opinions will be very helpful thanks love you're video you are one BADASS TO THE BONE! KEEP ON TRUCKING VATO!
i'm prepping for a frame repair on ky frontier. Thanks for some tips
Fair play, Good job.
I loved this video, watched it to the bitter end. Funny thing is I bought a 93 Toyota truck with the R22. I had to do the exact same thing to mine. All the rear end needed welded and some up front. Tossed the box it was so bad. Fun to see someone els going thru this hell.
Just another day in northern Ohio!
I have a 94 Toyota pickup with a rusty frame and I've been welding over the rusted frame but I've gotten the rust and debris out with a long powerful magnet and a shop vac. I'm going to use Eastwood internal frame coating for the frame and see how she holds up.
Enjoyed this video and learned a lot. You explain how to do this job so well Thanks 😊 I subscribed and going to weld my 1968 m151a1 mutt. I have some rust underbody and will repair.
These are the best videos!
We had one like that years ago. Cut the frame off and slipped a s10 frame on it from the cab back. Worked great bed even mounted looking right. Spring width was within a half inch or so.
Good to know... I may keep my eye out for a clean S10 frame!
Very informative. I need to do similar fixes on my mazda b2200.
I commend you on your patience for that frame
Thanks, when I can afford it I plan to buy a rust free frame from out west and have it shipped to OH and do a full swap.
Nicely done, both the truck and the video. I’m starting frame repairs on my 07 Sequoia. Good times! Subscribed.
Thanks 👍 Hard to imagine an 07 already needs the frame repaired!
@@6thGearGarage had the entire frame on my 05 Tacoma replaced under recall. The 07 Sequoia fell under the same recall but missed the recall cut-off date. The area around the driver side sway bar bushing is rusted all the way around and broken loose. Lots of rust from there back about 3 feet, on both sides of the boxed frame. It’s definitely repairable, but a decent size job. Have to drop the tank,lines, and exhaust to get enough access.
@@andrewreece3861 it's a shame the recalls "expire" and a bigger shame that after 30 years, Toyota is still using frames that rot away.
@@6thGearGarage I had a 1978 Jeep J10 back in the early 90s so it was about as old then as this Sequoia is now, and it had WAY more rust than this does now and people just accepted that it was was just a rusty “old” vehicle.
@@andrewreece3861 I haven't seen a J10 around here in forever!
For future reference you should use a 220 setup to weld stuff that thick if you want good penetration. Also remember higher amps isnt always more heat, more heat can be added by moving slower. Beveling your plates will help as well. Also flux core welds pretty good as long as you switch your polarity, most of the time they come out pretty decent with only a little spatter.
Flux core is naturally hotter typically so it does penetrate better than some would think, A 220 welder is the end all be all for sure tho
@@articat568 yeah ive actually had great luck with my old century flux core machine haha shes an old tank welds good for small stuff around the house.
I sometimes run a 110v flux core welder off my miller trailblazer in my service truck. It welds heavy ass hooks onto 1” plate loader buckets pretty well. Just hard on the lil sucker for sure.
My Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC-i Welder, 120V claims to weld up to 1/4 steel. I am sure it is definitely cable of weld 3/16, let alone 1/8.
220 is for sure a stronger weld . 110 will Not get hot enough
Used Rust Barrier on my 4runner brake calipers and has held up well for 3 years.
Thanks, good to hear. Calipers get hot too, so looks like it's a good product.
Great video...Just so you know...When I done the rusted parts of the frame on my 95 Tacoma I used a big extendable magnet tool to get the big chunks of rust out of the frame. It was pretty easy that way. Then I put the shop vac on one end of the frame as I used compressed air on the other end to blow the smaller rust particles into the shop vac. It worked pretty well for me. Its just the way I done it... and another option. But good job bro!
That's a really good idea- thanks!!
That's exactly what I did, and some strong magnets attached to rods I could bend. The chunks that came out were massive!!!
master of your craft!
very thorough explanations. well done
Thank you!
Awesome job to take on ,now that truck is going to be better, without all that rust . 😊😊😊😊😊
Thanks 👍
I used to use POR15 as well but have recently switched to Rust Seal. I watched some comparison videos and it turns out with better results and has a slight flexibility as well. But I always use a rust converter first.
I've always used POR15 but I'm glad to see there are more alternative options on the market. POR15 isn't cheap!
@@6thGearGarage I find POR15 works well on surface rusted metal. You have to chip off all the thick scale, then power wash it and wipe down with acetone or brake cleaner. BUT, you cannot use POR15 on ether clean metal or painted metal, it will peel. It's designed to stick to light surface rust as it chemically bonds to it, and it does very well if stuck to that application only...
@@dc6233 I just tried a POR15 alternative called Rustproof MD in my latest video of the rusty 1980 frame and I'm happy with the results so far. I decided to try it because it is UV resistant.
Nice Job thanks for sharing
Great video and solid work 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽. Greetings from Argentina!
Thank you 🙌
chassis saver is my go to frame paint. it is sorta like por15 but specifically designed for frames.
I'll check it out, thanks!
The. Best. Video. I. Ever. See.............
Thank you for this video. Excellent teaching and very helpful!
With surface rust prime with Brunox, works great. Then paint over with a 2k paint. Spray the inside of the frame with fluid film.
Hey man great video just a bit of advice unhook your battery terminals before welding or grounding the vehicle! This trucks older so not to many sensitive electronics! But good practice is to unhook the battery!
Good call!
Nice job! Bevel the edges of your patch so the weld has somewhere to go and penetrate. I’m sure it’s nice and solid either way tho
Enjoyed your video and thoughts. Dude , people don't realize that it is so hard to see WTF you are doing when laying on the floor, having stuff up on a lift is a game changer. Even with a decent helmet, and good lights, it's hard to see your welds and not get grinding debris in your eyeballs. New clear plastic for the helmets shade shield is a must, and moving lights exactly where you want them matters too. I have the Lincoln SP180 plus, and it does a bit thicker than 3/16th or .1875 very well, I do highly recommend wiring either with 230V. You are probably in a similar position to most of us, where we run a direct burial 12 gauge wire and get 20 amps to our shop with a black, white and neutral, but no L2 for 230V, but often it's all we can afford. If you can, search around for some #6 stranded wire, run it in plastic conduit and you'll have 50/60 amps (the ground can be #12). I can run an entire good sized shop off of 60 amps, because I'm not welding while running a mill or a lathe or a grinder at the same time, never pulling too many amps even with a heater running in the winter. Running a 1/0 wire to my shop for a 100 amp panel would have cost me 7K$. Toyota seems to use 3mm steel or .118" and they fold or put 90's on the top and bottom for an "L" shape. I bought .125 - 2 x 2 angle iron, some .125 plate X 6/5/3/1.5" wide steel and have lots of it left over; the 90's are what makes it strong. To keep it from rusting I am looking into the lanolin products because paint, POR15, powder coating etc just seems to lift over time because moisture gets under it, and oil makes a mess everywhere you park; There has to be a barrier from the steel to the oxygen elements or it rusts again... My 03 frame got swapped in 2008, it was garbage again by 2018 or 10 years later, the steel they use must be recycled garbage steel...
I'm getting a 220v welder before I weld the frame on my current project, a 1980 Toyota pickup. I should have bought one a long time ago. Hard to believe that frame only lasted 10 years!! Thats a bummer
pretty much like us in quebec canada road salt destroy our trucks ! you did a great job man
Thanks! I would love to swap the whole frame out for a nice southern rust free one some day.
@@6thGearGarage yeah that would be the perfect thing to do to save that truck for many more years !
i am a sucker for rusty 4runners and i live in michigan lol thanks for the help man
Same! I just bought a rusty 85 4runner for my next project.
Nice job gretting from Honduras.
A cheap sand blaster and needle scaler are your best friend for this stuff, I got a sand blaster off Amazon for $25 CAD and a needle scaler at Princess Auto for $40 on sale, did my whole F350 frame, then did 2 coats of oil based rust paint (I've used epoxy's and POR they chip too easy and under perform for the price point), In the frame I would recommend Ziebart it's reaaaaaly good stuff, seen it in car's from the 80's and it holds up very well, if your on a tight budget diesel with used oil will work just need to do it more often. Also when you have the opportunity to weld both sides of your patch it can't hurt if your worried about penetration. I think your welds are fine for what it is good work, Going to be doing my 83 in a bit here, never though I'd see the day, just can escape it with these trucks.
Did you consider descaler for the inside? On areas that you can reach with it anyway.. also, Eastwood has a great internal frame coating that reviews well.
I've never tried the descaler, I'll look into that. I saw Eastwood had a frame coating, but I was nervous about that flaking off after a while and sitting in the bottom of the frame.
@@6thGearGarage if you minimize or knock down the flakes, its meant to adhere to and encapsulate rust to stop its growth
Oh one more thang PB Blaster works great on JB weld on exhaust just soaking it everyday for a couple of times and bolts are awesome just have patients and more beer.
Bevel both edges of the material being welded to about 1/16” it will/should give you the penetration needed with such a large heat sink(long plate and truck frame with thickness at/just beyond upper limit of welder). Flux core may penetrate better. And, if you had a gas mixer set up and separate cylinders if Argon and CO2 you might could ratio argon and CO2 differently from pure Argon or a 75/25% mix for a bit better penetration but a higher amp Mig/mag machine might be a better investment for you than that money spent on a gas mixer set up.
Thanks, I really want to get a 220 one day!
Your best bet is use expoy primer from a automotive paint shop , not parts store .Use the primer full striagth do not dilute with reducer .you can leave it as is or apply gloss black which is what I use because gloss black tends to stay clean while on the other hand mat black stains very easyly
This is perfect cause my dad has the same pickup with a 5 speed manny, and I need to restore the frame so I can use it as my first vehicle
I’ve had great luck with East woods products for frame restorations and protection.
Thanks I will have to check them out!
Eastwood makes internal frame coating thats suppose to be pretty good. You might want to check it out.
Thanks for the video. You did an excellent job of explaining the process and procedure you wanted to do so that even I could understand it 😀. FYI I have been using Extend Rust Treatment (Loctite75430) for years. You have to cleanup all loose rust just as you did and then it will convert rusty metal into a non rusting surface. It's a bit on the expensive side but i put it on my buddy's rusty bumper when his engine blew and 5 years later when they towed it away, the only part of the bumper still there, was where i painted it on LMAO.
I haven't tried Loctite75430 before... I'll look into that! I did use an alternative to POR15 on a different frame and I'm really impressed with it: kzhead.info/sun/mtF_qJqHjKlti6c/bejne.html
back when these frames were new and rust free they were pretty strong as Toyota basically has 2 pieces of c channel that shove into each other that were welded at the top and bottom, however as you have shown that design is prone to rust jacking and rusting from the inside out. I hit the frame jackpot for my truck as I still have factory paint on the inside of my frame. If I were you I would keep your eyes open for a good frame from a southern truck as it looks like your frame is starting to near the end of its life. one thing to note is a 2wd frame has the same arch as a solid axle 4wd frame and they are typically cheaper and easier to find.
100% at some point I'd love to find a clean frame and swap, so I don't have to keep doing this repair process.
@@6thGearGarage I will keep my eyes open for you. I live on the edge of the rust belt so it's not uncommon to find clean frames near me.
@@retro_88yota I appreciate it!
Great repair!
Thanks!
Great video. Having dealt with Toyota frame rust for years, I recommend taking the entire body off the frame. It's easier to cut out and grind all the rusted areas inside and out. Prime and paint the inside and outside of the frame after removing all of the rust. Yes, rust can grow under the paint, but it's not as bad as people say, and there will be little to none if you oil the frame after the paint has cured for a while. You don't need a lift to take the body off. There are some good YT videos that can help.
The job would be so much easier with the cab removed. I removed the bed & gas tank when I repaired the rear section of the frame and it was a breeze. Dirt Garage had a good episode on removing a 4runner body using four 55 gallon steel drums and then he just rolled the frame out from under it.
@@6thGearGarage we need more detailed body/cab removal videos. I saw an old one a while back, but the rest really don't get into the fine details and lessons learned.
@@vb1gbg I hope to be removing the cab from my 1980 soon. I will be sure to get a video of it.
Repair Geek recommends Mastercoat on his KZhead channel. It's used to protect steel frames on bridges and other infrastructure, so you know it can handle extreme elements. I've never used it myself, but he did a video where he used it in his SN95 Mustang and it looked really good. Nice work!
I just found his channel the other day and I've been watching a lot of his videos!
Kem-kromik from sherwinn Williams for structural steal is a really good high zinc and high solid etching primer for rusted metal it's pricey though but tough as nails I usually treat with Ospho twice wire brush then apply the Kem-kromik then paint with two coats of black swimming pool epoxy it holds up awesome under a vehicle and is loaded with solids and U.V. blockers a sand blaster just bounces off it if you try to take it back off something
Great vid...Nice ride! I had the same pickup, a white 1987 Toyota. But it got stolen a couple of years ago.....sucks!!!!
Sorry to hear that... That would be my worst nightmare
Nice job!
Thanks!
Might push when running mig. Way I was taught, seems to work well. I only follow when doing stick or Tig at times.
You can pull MiG on a downhill weld, otherwise you push the puddle. This is also true with flux core wire. Lots of people become frustrated with these flux core welders they buy at harbor freight, or MiG, because they pull the puddle and make a mess. Lol
Excellent video very informative thank you. I wonder why no welder ever use rust converters, I am not a welder but I would have thought it’d be a good idea to get a few coats of rust converter inside the frame and outside where there are surface rusts? Are they a bad product to use from you welders prospective ?
I'm not a professional welder, but I've had mixed results with rust converters. They don't seem to do well with very heavy rust, only lighter surface rust.
Now i need to weld to give support my rear subframe since one subframe bolt got broken and no car shop would like to remove the remaining bolts 😂😂
If I went that far with a frame repair, I would've tried to blow out as much from inside the frame as possible, maybe even do a power wash inside, but after letting it all dry, spray some form of anti-rust / rust converter inside, too. I've used "Coroseal" on my 2006 Colorado's underside. It's not perfect, but does pretty good. This winter (before winter) I'm going to go underneath and reapply another lay of Coroseal and once it cures, apply Woolwax to everything. Coroseal is non-flammable, so applying it to any bare metal you can access before welding is a must. You could still do that with a 360 rattle can hose-nozzle + air compressor + spray gun, if you're up for the task...
I did later in the video ;) I haven;t tried Woolwax, but I've become a fan of Fluid Film. I didn't use a converter on the inside of the frame because when it peels and flakes off, that will be more debris inside of the frame.
Nice job there! I really like that welding magnet you used . Can you tell me where I could get one like that? It looks like a good strong hold.
Hi they have newer versions on amazon... Switchable On/Off magnet: amzn.to/3X45sD1 or Switchable On/Off magnet with ground clamp: amzn.to/3CmSM1W
Watch Mustie 1... I own a 2003 Tacoma and read a TON of things on frame protection since I live in Wisconsin. I used his method after priming everything and letting it cure. Bar and chain oil is better than fluid film and WAAAAY more affordable. I've had no problems since my repairs 5 years ago.
good idea... Bar and chain is thick stuff!
@@6thGearGarageI followed what he did, first warmed it. There was a ratio.(15% ish) but cut it with some type of thinning agent to spray. Same equipment/ principle as Fluid film application, purchased the sprayer, wand and approx 4' hose at Harbor or a Farm supply. I liked it, it has the creeping quality to soak into the crevices. Even works well after dust sucks to it
Thank you for a great video on the repair of the frame of your Toyota truck. Your monologue during your work enhanced the content by explaining exactly why you were doing what you were doing. Your emphasis on the importance of thoroughly cleaning debris from inside boxed frames is one thing ignored in many online videos about the repair of truck frames. Often, videos show the installation of frame repair caps with no mention nor evidence that any effort was made to clear debris from inside the frame first. Without such cleaning it seems obvious that any attempt to effectively apply anti-rust chemicals after repairs would be impossible. One can imagine your frame boxed-in with its debris pile still in place. How could any anti-rust material be expected to adequately coat the frame interior? Instead, the debris can trap salt and water from winter highways and block anti-rust materials from reaching many of the areas where they are critically needed. Additionally, the debris can eventually block frame drain holes which might have allowed water intrusion to escape. I realize that in some frame repair situations it may be required to cut a hole or enlarge an existing one through which to gain access for effective debris removal. However, how can such important, safety related repairs be considered complete without an comprehensive plan to prevent a repeat failure?
100%, prep is the most important part of the job!
You did great at your own pace i woo do the same with patience lol
Thanks!
Try atf and heated up parafin/wax , apply it every year or two, some people use 90 wieight and atf mix.
What gage sheet metal are you using
It is 1/8" thick, which I think comes to somewhere between 10-11 gauge.
Great stuff
Great job! Maybe you could have sprayed the metal frame patches with weld-through primer on the inside before welding in place. Would first using the wand to spray a coat of rust converter inside the frame before applying fluid film be good?
As scaled as the inside was, I'm nut sure if a rust converter would have made much of a difference. I make it a habit to keep the inside coated in fluid film. So if I go through deep water, or mud gets in the frame and I have to wash it out, then I will apply more fluid film to the inside. In the long run, this frame will need to be replaced, but I'm extending its life in the meantime.
I use the used oil from oil changes and stuff that collects in my used oil tank….spray it on with a pressure bottle.
A lot work done. You are so the best. I’m excited to fix my truck, but I’m stuck on what kind of steel to use, there are so many that make us confused. So, what kind of metal did you used?
Thanks! I used A36 Hot Rolled Steel, Low Carbon.
@@6thGearGarage Thank you
Also, is there a video somewhere about how to change front spindle will knockers
I'll be making a video on replacing the spindles on my 1980 Toyota, hopefully in a few weeks.
Use PFC. That stuff is awesome. It is a thick gooey slime that adheres well and doesn't allow moisture to gather underneath.
I haven't heard of it, I will check it out!
Thanks for this helpful detailed video. Do you explain how you held the frame up? Like where did you put the jacks? Or did you use an OH lift? I plan on doing this to a 2000, thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it! For the jack stands, I just put them on both sides of the repair area, to support the frame.
Отличная работа, спасибо за субтитры.
I use Rust Check. The red can is really penetrating and the green can is more heavy and will stick well on metal.
Ive used this "FDC Rust Converter Ultra, Highly Effective Professional Grade Rust Repair" bought 1 gallon on Amazon. I just painted it on and it converts the rust to a purple color.
I've used a product once that did that - changed the rust to a black/purple color. It worked well.
LOL you should try trucks/SUVs from Quebec Canada, none of them really survive 15 years with the road salt they dump on the streets. Cool video!