New frame or new truck?

I found a hole in my frame. Looked to see if I could get it replaced free but I can't. The previous owner got it coated so I know Toyota won't do anything about it. Should I replace the frame for 5,000 or look for a year trying to find another one with everything the one I have has with no holes for 5,000

 

Pics? Would be helpful. www.autorust.com carries safe-t-cap sections to replace bad sections of frame. The fact you have one hole might indicate you have more on the way if the whole frame is rusted.

 

If there's one hole, there's probably more, but a clear pic of the hole with location would be helpful. Whereabouts in North America do you live?

 

This is your opportunity to go full tube chassis. Don’t waste it.

If it was me, and I didn’t want a tubed prerunner, I would replace the frame if the truck was basically perfect otherwise. I love mine and it has value to me. If it’s got some issues I’d go for a new one. Good condition trucks seem like they are going for 8k+ and mint ones 10- 13 from what I see on Facebook.

 

I know I have more just haven't had time to look

 

It lived in Illinois it's whole life until I bought it now it's in Wisconsin. The one hole I found so far is on the driver side

 

Everything is fine with it other than the holes and the passenger rear shock bushings.

 

thats pretty far gone. it can be patched. but ultimately its a bandaid. frame replacement is best at that point.

replacement of the frame typically means ALOT more parts will also be needed attached to said frame. so be forwarned.

 

I would rather just replace the frame instead of buying aother one. But it's probably gonna be like 5-7 thousand. But a finding one That's the exact same but without rust would be almost impossible.

 

How many miles are on your truck and what condition is the rest of the truck in?

 

Everything is fine with it other than the holes and the passenger rear shock bushings. It's got almost 300,000 but everything else is good on it. It also has everything I want. If I do fix it instead of buying another one. I'm never getting rid of it unless someone hits it. I was already playing to not get rid of it until I found the holes.

 

Well if you plan to do the swap. its not terribly hard. but you'll at the very least be looking at new brake lines, LSPV and lower control arms + hardware. that being said. i have to dig it out of the hole that it is buried in when im freed up with work. but i have a brand new bare access cab frame from toyota laying around i'd be willing to sell. i just need to see the part number on it again ( i might be able to check on it in a week or 2?) to see if its the correct one for your truck

 

I don't think I'd do it myself but not sure because I don't have the tools or time. The tools are whatever I planned on buying them all anyway. It's the time that's the problem.

 

Yeah, stuff like this is exactly why we conspired to co-create the megathread warning people to check on stuff like this before buying. Not that you didn't read it, or are somehow screwed, but it's definitely the #1 thing to watch out for with these trucks.

Depending what the rest of it looks like, that's not a terrible repair but EL is right, each patch is just a bandaid forestalling the inevitable.

The only real fix is frame swap, but it's a lot of work. There's a thread on this forum showing what's involved.

 

Our trucks are amazing, but frame-swapping a 300k-mile truck seems nuts when you can just sell yours for a few thousand and then buy one in the 200ks for under 10k. You lose zero time in this scenario so the 1-2k you maybe lose is spent money well-spent avoiding time with no truck.

 

A lift makes it easier, but that being said there’s not much to doing the swap. It’s a weekend project if you can commit to it and have everything ready to go. I understand wanting to save the one you’ve got because it’s “perfect” to you. But weighing the cost and effort. It’s probably best to hunt one down from the south and end up with the same cost. The rotten truck is still worth something at least

 

Voice of reason and experience, right here.

If that's not enough, here's another voice of experience.

 

This.

At 300k you’ll be replacing a lot of broken parts from just age along the way. The cost to repair this truck would be economically unsound against replacing the vehicle.

 

I don't know yet. I'd prefer to buy another but I'd probably have to swap most of the interior. I don't like bench seats too uncomfortable for me.
Also I'm not buying another until next year. When I have enough pto to be out of work for at least 2 weeks. I'd also need someone to drive with me to pick one up. I can't afford 1k+ to have someone ship it.
I'm not gonna sell the one I have now, until I buy another so I can swap anything I want/like.
But it all depends on cost whichever is cheaper is what I'm gonna do. But I do know if I buy one I will have to coat the frame. Around the first few weeks of getting it home.

 

Check out the used market for gen 1 Tundras in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma etc. There are tons of spotless ones with no rust at all. You might even find a good one for the same cost ($5-7k) of a frame replacement.

 

I know that I just need the time and money. Mostly cause I will probably have to swap the interior. Which for me will probably take a while. I work relatively slow.

 

Not having bench seats is the most important factor for you? Then I'd definitely buy a new one. My 2000 AC came with the captain seats, in fact I think the bench seats are rarer.

 

Nah that's not the only thing. But the seats are one of the most important to me. But I can swap anything around if I need too. Also I've only been able to fine bench seats in rust free trucks. As for buying new I will probably never buy anything newer than 2010. I just hate the way new cars/trucks look. Big fake vents, longer than needed, taller than needed, way more blind spots. I really just don't wanna hit anything or anyone as well. I also just like older cars/trucks more. Plus I like not having to worry about paying a 40k+ truck off

 

Oh yeah sorry by new I meant a new first gen haha. I think that makes the most sense all in all. I too am a new car hater don’t worry. Though in 20 years you might see a late teens powerstroke parked next to my 1GT.

 

In the end it's all up to what you want to do. Rational, economical or not, it's your life, your time, money and truck.

I tend to agree with other people who have posted, though. Keep looking. I don't remember how many bench seats I saw when I was looking, but it was very few. Like all things in the world, Tundras seem to come up for sale in cycles. Maybe we're in a bench seat cycle...it'll pass.

Nothing wrong with spending insane amounts of time and money on a vehicle that's only worth it because you're attached to it. Just keep in mind...that too will fade. I had an 83 that was probably worth $3,000. I put at least $10,000 into it. Rebuilt engine, transmission, transfer case, swapped lower mileage rear diff, sourced a mint condition dash pad, faux wood trim, SR5 instrument cluster plus secondary instrument cluster and all the re-wiring they required, swapped Acura seats into it. Couldn't imagine a cooler truck. A few years later I still thought it was pretty damn cool, but I parted with it, moved on. Probably sold it for $5,000.

Everyone's life situation is different and I don't know how much flexibility you have in your schedule. I was willing to fly to get mine, so long as I could do the drive home in one day. But I live in the center of a rust-free area so that wasn't hard for me. With flight, hotel, food & gas it was likely ~ a $500 process, on a Saturday so no time off work. And I got to check out a city I'd never spent time in.

 

Just curious if you've actually gotten any quotes from anyone that will do the complete frame replacement including all of the parts that will have to be replaced due to rust and age?

With the cost of everything these days $5k doesn't sound like it would be enough for a job like that. The new frame seems like it would eat up a large portion of that budget.

Are there even that many shops out there that want to do a job like that?

 

I can see from this pic that there's significant rust on the box and other ancillary parts. Need more pics of the underside.

 

Toyota has stated that a frame replacement at a dealer is a $10-$15k operation so I'd say that's a pretty good point.

 

Sell it in Ohio. They drive any old POS there and there is no inspection of any kind. That's practically a cream puff in Ohio.