|
|
Post by billinohio on Mar 18, 2024 16:36:07 GMT -6
People must think I have super powers……..
Todays job involves a 2000 Chevy truck. The frame is kinda rusty. Actually, if you knocked all the rust offa this truck, it would probably float away. It has a crack in the back, right over the rear axle. Last year, he patched it with a piece of channel iron, of course, not quite in the right place. I intend to put a longer splint on it, but, this frame is just about trashed. Crossmembers are rusted in 2 or just plain gone. A lot of these trucks are fairly solid in the front part, but, not this one. No place to weld a donor frame onto.
It is mechanically decent, fairly low miles for the age, and actually looks pretty good at first glance.
I haven’t seen anything this bad since his last truck…..it did actually rust in 2, right behind the cab.
Also, of course he doesn’t have anything else to drive…….
|
|
|
|
Post by RedDave on Mar 18, 2024 16:50:32 GMT -6
I would be really leery of patching something that bad back together.
If that truck is involved in an accident where somebody is hurt or killed, some lawyer is liable to come around looking for a scapegoat.
About 15 or so years ago Toyota had to buy back a whole bunch of pickup trucks that had badly rusted frames.
|
|
|
|
Post by Butcher on Mar 18, 2024 16:52:14 GMT -6
Kinda makes a guy wonder. When you could go to some tree line and pull a 49 Ford outta the mud and trees and drag it home and the frame would still be completly useable with just a good cleaning and some paint.
|
|
|
|
Post by billinohio on Mar 18, 2024 18:15:28 GMT -6
Yeah, I think the steel is contaminated with impurities that help it to disintegrate faster.
Plus, they don’t worry about painting it with something that lasts very long. Frames are coated in a wax which weathers away in a couple years.
Then, the government keeps looking for the most corrosive shit to put on the roads….
we hauled a 48 Ford cab outa the dirt in South Dakota. What was covered in the dirt was much better than what was exposed. It doesn’t work that way around here, though.
|
|
|
|
Post by haywood on Mar 19, 2024 13:19:33 GMT -6
Yup another OHIO rust away. Every Forum member from various boards I know who lives in Ohio Tells the Same Story. Every stinking component on the brake systems are destroyed with rust and yes, the frames. Seems like it is true in N.Y. too.
My 1991 F250 and our 1996 F150 are Rust Free and as long as you didn't commute many highway miles
During the winter and wash the undercarriage Regularly after Big Snowstorms. You can actually Repair the brakes by yourself for about $1000.00 with new Wheel cylinders, drums, rotors, linings and master cylinder, flexible brake hose.
Rare that you would have to replace any steel lines or Proportion valves. Or the crossmember that used to hold a brakeline.
If I lived back there I would probably Lease a Car or truck every 3-4 years and just live with never ending Payment and have it under Warranty the whole time.
|
|
|
|
Post by Erstwhile on Mar 19, 2024 16:02:27 GMT -6
In South TX 15 miles off the Gulf, you drop a cultivator off a tractor out in the open and leave it for a coupla years, don't expect to take the sweeps off 2 years later and put them on another cultivator without a fight. You might keep them in better shape if you sprayed them with oil out of a nearby well separator and kept them in a shed. In AR you can do the same and they'd last for a decade.
|
|
|
|
Post by billinohio on Mar 19, 2024 18:19:07 GMT -6
They are using some very corrosive salts for snow melting and plenty of it, even if it hasn’t snowed yet. Some of the rottenest vehicles have a little rustproofing sticker in the window, so, that might not be the answer, either.
Now, if I had washed my old Chevy every week, maybe it would look a bit better, but, it would have cost me 150% of what I paid for it ( new!).
Anyhow, his old truck has a little band aid on it. The top part of the frame rail was thicker than I had dared hoped for.
The mounting brackets for the steering gear likes to break out on these old chevys, too
|
|
|
|
Post by Erstwhile on Mar 19, 2024 19:18:15 GMT -6
Have you got some way to turn them upside down to work on? 😕
|
|
|
|
Post by billinohio on Mar 19, 2024 19:59:35 GMT -6
If I turn it upside down, it will likely stay that way until it gets to the scrapyard.
This job was easy, just took off the rear wheel and poked under there.
In the past, we replaced a rear shackle hanger and shock absorber mounts on this truck. Those were PITAs. Nothing substantial to work with
|
|
