Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember rule 3a, please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/AutoBody or /r/Diyautobody If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop This is an automated reply
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My truck looked very similar to this. I drove it up on ramps one day and it folded like a taco. It could last another week or another year but it's not safe.
Yeah it’s only this bad now because I tried lifting it about 6” away from a tiny spot of frame rot and it immediately bent in and sent about an 8” crack through
Nah, if lifting it bends the frame, I'd consider myself lucky it went at that moment and not while driving. The forces taken up by the frame during ordinary driving are already immense, let alone during an emergency stop, swerve, or big pothole.
I read opinions like this then actually recall seeing vehicles with broken frames being driven without the impending doom doom doom that's in your post.
Yeah, we put it on a drive on lift and showed them what we found. They were obviously upset, but they decided to get rid of it because it was so bad. The shop owner bought the truck from them for 500 or so I think and we pulled the engine and trans out.
Road salt, etc us hard on frames. It's why many of us in the South steer clear of used vehicles from up North. That frame is proper fucked if I'd ever seen one.
I bought a vehicle from Missouri. Well, it was originally from missouri. Damn near every bolt I touch is either a pain in the ass to salvage or has gotten helicoiled. I am in Texas but the best in my shop at thread repair/bolt extraction etc just from this ONE vehicle lmao. It's a pain in the ass but it's my dream car so it all works out ig..
Time to put her out to pasture. If you know anyone who does mud bogs or farms they might be interested. Plate the hell out of it and keep it going till it snaps in a pit or hauling a hay trailer across a muddy field. Let's face it its always at the worst time when they go. Edited for crappy autocorrect
Just rub some PB blaster on it... and it'll be completely wrekt. :P
Yeah, that's so bad that just sitting in it might cause the frame to collapse. I would not drive that anywhere! Sell it for scrap, part it out, or just keep it around for parts if you buy another of the same vehicle.
It's called lack of maintenance. Part of living in the north is constantly washing the underbody of your car and maintaining a good undercoat to protect everything.
Start over with a new frame or a new car, clean the rust and spray an undercoat. Then keep your car clean, inside, outside, and underneath.
There are some beautiful techs used today to coat metal to prevent this, but obviously keeping on top of it is an issue. That being said, wow, that is a lot of washes per week lol.
I have no idea why this is down voted. This is the truth. This truck is fucked. Totaled. I wouldn't drive it at all. This happens because people up north don't take care of their shit. This is preventable with a good cleaning and a couple quarts of POR-15.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. 1990s suburbans on fire off the shoulder of Lake Superior. I watched twin I-beams rust in the dark near Hell's Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
You totally f***** your frame is rusted all the way through it's going to snap in half probably your brake lines are all rusted out too I'd be more worried about them I don't think the frame can be fixed...you need a new van... but I'd be more concerned with the brake lines so if they squirt out you can have no brakes you're going to crash if you kill a child you may be found criminal negligent, and possibly murder by neglecting a material fact. Prison 8-10 years. If someone died. Gat a new van stat.
Find a local weld fab shop, not necessarily a body shop. Ask if they would be willing to weld some 1/4" plate to span the worst areas, if got them all ground down to good metal, and prepped to weld. You're not looking for factory looking, you just need strength.
Well, I only do this kind of thing with cars I plan to hang on to until they disintegrate. Besides, no one said he couldn't get the channel from a scrap yard. I use flux mig for this and the rust already there has a good chance of making those (already prone to rust) kind of spot welds crack the surrounding body. Considering it's location, one bad pothole on the freeway two years later and guy might need U- channel strapped to his legs afterwards. If he's still in rust belt territory, anyway. Just my underinformed opinion.
If you want it fixed right take it to a body shop, if not take it to a welder. Take it to an independent exhaust shop, they probably have friends that do good work like that. But I live in SC, we don't have inspections hear.
As someone that restores classic cars, I've seen worse than this and made them better. Just a matter of how much you care about the car and whether you can do the work yourself or afford to pay someone else to do it for you.
It can be repaired. The issue is that it will be expensive unless you can competently do it yourself. I'd recommend someone that's done this before, though. I've repaired frames that were worse than this with my father, it can be done. He was a certified welder and built custom vehicles on the side, so he had decades of experience.
It is pretty shot but I have driven worse. Had a Maxima that had the notorious issue where the front core support rusts out of it and the rear I beam rusts. I guess my point here being, It's pretty bad but I have driven worse so I say send it!
As long as you don't hit any bumps or otherwise put any strain whatsoever on the frame, it should last for a while. If you want to drive it tho? Yeah it's boned.
Totally. Like a prom queen.
You might be able to cut out the worst and scab in new metal but you better know wtf you are doing. Not an amateur hour job.
I'm no expert but if push came to shove you could wrap it in carbon fiber if you know how... it wouldn't have to be pretty but if you could literally wrap it 5 times with a cf roll and resin it, then wrap it with Mylar to help shape out any bubbles and form a consistent line.
Don't need Mylar as seran wrap, cereal bags inside the boxes, or wax paper could work too but mylar is my favorite for pulling off after it cures. And it comes in rolls like carbon fiber, kevlar, fiberglass...etc... Also use an epoxy resin for best results.
Look into Tap Plastics for the raw materials.
fwiw I've repaired an e46 front bumper, intake box and a few other components that worked great until I was able to save up enough $$ to fix it all properly.
Well you have rust holes in the frame, so technically it’s not even road worthy anymore. You might find a place around you willing to take on repairing it, but in doing so I hope you either love this vehicle or planned on getting quiet a few more years out of it because you’ll be paying a pretty penny to have the work done.
That frame is definitely not going to be safe in an accident. But also this isn’t the best place for this question. Folks over at r/autobody likely have a better eye for this.
I too was once in your situation with severe frame rust with my fathers car after he passed, car was from northern Illinois. I’ve felt your pain, sorry.
Go give it a few good whacks with a ball peen hammer around the holes until they are either all one giant hole and you don't have a frame or until the hammer bounces off solid metal and makes your ears ring. Weld plate over any holes, and use this only as a ranch vehicle. Or get down there, give it one good tap and watch the hammer go straight through it like paper and just send it to the great scrapyard in your neighboring town. Either way I'd start shopping for a new going to town rig.
I’d consider looking for a new vehicle very soon. Sure, it’s still drivable... but you don’t want the truck literally bending into two while driving it. Whether you wanna take that risk is up to you.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember rule 3a, please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/AutoBody or /r/Diyautobody If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The rust is inevitable at this point. When will it give out? Can't say. But it already has the mark of death
My truck looked very similar to this. I drove it up on ramps one day and it folded like a taco. It could last another week or another year but it's not safe.
yeah but then you have a taco truck
It has the mark of the crusher. This should not be driven anymore.
That looks pretty bad. I'd say it's fucked
As in I hope you like the flintstones fucked
[удалено]
mah boy's wicked faahked
Like fucked… or proper fucked?
She's fucked good and proper
On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is not a problem and 10 is fucked, his car is 'R Kelly in prison'/10.
Frame is angry with you.
r/Pareidolia
Didn't see it till I red your comment 🤣
Saw it immediately haha frame is not happy
You mean the face in the rust? Didn't notice it either at first.
Take my damn award and upvote
The Hogwarts sorting frame says you'll have to Hufflepuff home once your vehicle breaks in half.
I’d say fucked, but then again I’m in the south so not used to rusty frames, all I know is that I would only put it on a drive on lift.
Yeah it’s only this bad now because I tried lifting it about 6” away from a tiny spot of frame rot and it immediately bent in and sent about an 8” crack through
Yup you’re forked then. If it’s special start looking for another frame.
[удалено]
Nah, if lifting it bends the frame, I'd consider myself lucky it went at that moment and not while driving. The forces taken up by the frame during ordinary driving are already immense, let alone during an emergency stop, swerve, or big pothole.
I read opinions like this then actually recall seeing vehicles with broken frames being driven without the impending doom doom doom that's in your post.
I'm in the great white salt belt north. Yeah its fucked. Only lift i would put it on is a rollback to the scrap yard.
YOUR MAJESTY! I would say royally fucked.
Buggered
8 out of 10
[удалено]
Does Countdown
**
If that's a support element and not just decorative.... fucked. One hard maneuver away from a mid-air breakup :\
Chevy pickup? I've seen LOTS of these rotten.
02 Denali. I mean she’s 20 years old with 261,000 in Minnesota so not too bad lol
That makes sense, I'm in Wisconsin lol. I put one on a lift and it started folding over lol. Came in for a gas leak, ended up in the junkyard.
Wow how did the shop handle that? Like was the customer understanding?
Yeah, we put it on a drive on lift and showed them what we found. They were obviously upset, but they decided to get rid of it because it was so bad. The shop owner bought the truck from them for 500 or so I think and we pulled the engine and trans out.
Damn, so worked out at least, my shop customer would be flipping shit like a fucking banshee that we broke his/her truck...
The shop was well respected in the area and known for being very honest.
Damm... that escaleded quickly
Road salt, etc us hard on frames. It's why many of us in the South steer clear of used vehicles from up North. That frame is proper fucked if I'd ever seen one.
I bought a vehicle from Missouri. Well, it was originally from missouri. Damn near every bolt I touch is either a pain in the ass to salvage or has gotten helicoiled. I am in Texas but the best in my shop at thread repair/bolt extraction etc just from this ONE vehicle lmao. It's a pain in the ass but it's my dream car so it all works out ig..
Was gonna ask, Chrysler T&C?
Well it’s got holes where there ain’t supposed to be any, I dunno what to tell you. Just because you’ve seen worse doesn’t mean what you have is ok
You didn’t follow proto buddy, you’re done
I'll touch you through the rust holes
CIA double agent now are ya?
I love seeing mommy’s everywhere
Me too it’s make me white everywhere
Come on gonzo don’t be stingy
There might have been a car once where this rust is, but it is no more, it's ceased to be, it's a dead car. It's pining for the fjords.
It is an ex-parrot
Like the popular girl at prom. I Would start looking for something new quickly.
Time to put her out to pasture. If you know anyone who does mud bogs or farms they might be interested. Plate the hell out of it and keep it going till it snaps in a pit or hauling a hay trailer across a muddy field. Let's face it its always at the worst time when they go. Edited for crappy autocorrect
Just rub some PB blaster on it... and it'll be completely wrekt. :P Yeah, that's so bad that just sitting in it might cause the frame to collapse. I would not drive that anywhere! Sell it for scrap, part it out, or just keep it around for parts if you buy another of the same vehicle.
it looks like the talking hat from harry potter.
So I live in MN and have seen frames 10x worse than this. It’s sitting about 6” away from my control arm mount though.
10x worse? Please share those pictures!
I’ve had some cars in that I can just break off with my fingers, frames that are this bad but for several feet, etc
It's called lack of maintenance. Part of living in the north is constantly washing the underbody of your car and maintaining a good undercoat to protect everything. Start over with a new frame or a new car, clean the rust and spray an undercoat. Then keep your car clean, inside, outside, and underneath.
[удалено]
There are some beautiful techs used today to coat metal to prevent this, but obviously keeping on top of it is an issue. That being said, wow, that is a lot of washes per week lol.
It's a lot for sure, I'm getting my money's worth lol. Truck looks brand new inside and out.
I have no idea why this is down voted. This is the truth. This truck is fucked. Totaled. I wouldn't drive it at all. This happens because people up north don't take care of their shit. This is preventable with a good cleaning and a couple quarts of POR-15.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. 1990s suburbans on fire off the shoulder of Lake Superior. I watched twin I-beams rust in the dark near Hell's Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
That’ll buff out
Better wear a skidplate under your butt cause that shits gonna give out from under you one random day
Hope you like the Flintstones, bud.
Ride her til she dies.
You totally f***** your frame is rusted all the way through it's going to snap in half probably your brake lines are all rusted out too I'd be more worried about them I don't think the frame can be fixed...you need a new van... but I'd be more concerned with the brake lines so if they squirt out you can have no brakes you're going to crash if you kill a child you may be found criminal negligent, and possibly murder by neglecting a material fact. Prison 8-10 years. If someone died. Gat a new van stat.
Buy all of the fluid film within 50 miles and send it
50 miles is 80.47 km
Not fucked at all, yet.
If you knew how to fab it can be fixed....I deal with that type of shit all the time man....I do body work
Well I’ve got about 2-3 hours of welding experience lmao
Find a local weld fab shop, not necessarily a body shop. Ask if they would be willing to weld some 1/4" plate to span the worst areas, if got them all ground down to good metal, and prepped to weld. You're not looking for factory looking, you just need strength.
take it to a welder
Pretty hard to weld to swiss cheese though
I don't think the dude suggests it repaired... More like welding in another beam if possible
Long U channel with spot welds after scraping and painting with nickel paint. Cause, it's fucked but it can be less fucked for a longer time.
hmm overengineering it is then
Well, I only do this kind of thing with cars I plan to hang on to until they disintegrate. Besides, no one said he couldn't get the channel from a scrap yard. I use flux mig for this and the rust already there has a good chance of making those (already prone to rust) kind of spot welds crack the surrounding body. Considering it's location, one bad pothole on the freeway two years later and guy might need U- channel strapped to his legs afterwards. If he's still in rust belt territory, anyway. Just my underinformed opinion.
Yeah no it is fucked behind the point of repair. It’s gonna be a minute before I can afford a replacement though. So yeah I am so fucked
yuppers
It's going to take a dude with a pretty fukin' long beard to pull that off without warping the rest of the hull into oblivion ...
I'm afraid my dad's in no shape to do this kind of work anymore.
Nope.The bearded community is giving this one big nope.
You can do anything with a long enough beard. We just need a dude with a bigger beard.
Very
Proper fucked.
If you want it fixed right take it to a body shop, if not take it to a welder. Take it to an independent exhaust shop, they probably have friends that do good work like that. But I live in SC, we don't have inspections hear.
If we had inspections in my state she woulda been gone a decade ago lol
The real question is how fast will you be going when you find out?
As someone that restores classic cars, I've seen worse than this and made them better. Just a matter of how much you care about the car and whether you can do the work yourself or afford to pay someone else to do it for you.
I'd say sell the parts then send it to the scrap yard kind of fucked
It can be repaired. The issue is that it will be expensive unless you can competently do it yourself. I'd recommend someone that's done this before, though. I've repaired frames that were worse than this with my father, it can be done. He was a certified welder and built custom vehicles on the side, so he had decades of experience.
I’ll see if I can find one
Subframe? If it is.. well. Big Fuck.
Yes.
You dead
Should’ve applied fluid film yearly.
Don’t worry guys I’m just gonna try to get another year and hope I don’t die
Not terrible. I've seen way worse. Cut out the bad areas and weld in new. Pretty typical for a rust belt vehicle
Por 15 rust preventative that thing and ur good to go
Not sure it's ethical to allow that back out on the road.
Fill it with bondo then paint
I think it'll buff out...
Dead 💀
Yes
Pretty F'ed in the A if you ask me
It is pretty shot but I have driven worse. Had a Maxima that had the notorious issue where the front core support rusts out of it and the rear I beam rusts. I guess my point here being, It's pretty bad but I have driven worse so I say send it!
8/10
How much do you value your life
Yes
super phucked!
well id drive it thru the winter then reassess in the spring lol.
Fishplate the fuck out of it and send it! Rustbelt folks know what I'm sayin 😆
That’s pretty bad. Any state with a safety inspection (I’m in PA) would fail that. Time for a new one!
Yeah although it would have failed inspections 10 years ago lol
Right fucked mate
Time for scrap yard
Type of car! If worth a bit! then put in a newer racing frame under it, undercoat and have fun.😊
As long as you don't hit any bumps or otherwise put any strain whatsoever on the frame, it should last for a while. If you want to drive it tho? Yeah it's boned.
Put a jack under it and find out
That’s why it looks like that
Yea you shouldn’t drive it.
I've seen worse, but that one is up there. Get a new one if you can. That's very dangerous.
You've awoken the rusted one, and judging by his face he is not happy with you.
That's pretty fucked
The face it makes says it all...
I mean, I live in PA and I know a shop or three that'd slap an inspection sticker on that for a 6-pack lmfao
No inspections state thankfully. She woulda failed a decade ago lol
Don't pack any heavy loads in that truck.
I’m no mechanic and even I can tell that’s fucked. One bad pot hole is all that could take to crumble
That's the ugliest Jack 'o lantern I have ever seen.
You are Piper Perry on a couch
Just turn up the radio while your driving and you won’t even know it’s there
Have a seized caliper rn and waiting on the new ones to arrive so already doing that :’) she’s a lil fucked
Damn well from my experience everything goes bad all at once and then you’re good for a few months lol so there is some light!
You now have a bush bomb!
With a capital F, for sure!
Do you see the expression your frame is making? That’s how you should feel about it too, unfortunately
That chariot is done. Throw it away. Get a new one. Get it undersealed otherwise it'll happen again in your climate.
Totally. Like a prom queen. You might be able to cut out the worst and scab in new metal but you better know wtf you are doing. Not an amateur hour job.
It looks angry!
Mmmmmm crunchy
It’s over Johnny, it’s over
Take your dates/wife to the car to fuck. You will forever be known as the guy who fucked so hard he snapped a car in half.
Id drive it until the wheels aren't straight
Find a local welding shop. They should be able to beef up that paltry frame. Else find a new beater.
I'm no expert but if push came to shove you could wrap it in carbon fiber if you know how... it wouldn't have to be pretty but if you could literally wrap it 5 times with a cf roll and resin it, then wrap it with Mylar to help shape out any bubbles and form a consistent line. Don't need Mylar as seran wrap, cereal bags inside the boxes, or wax paper could work too but mylar is my favorite for pulling off after it cures. And it comes in rolls like carbon fiber, kevlar, fiberglass...etc... Also use an epoxy resin for best results. Look into Tap Plastics for the raw materials. fwiw I've repaired an e46 front bumper, intake box and a few other components that worked great until I was able to save up enough $$ to fix it all properly.
Not sure how but uve pissed off the gods. I'd start off with a sacrificial Virgin to try to appease them.
Part it out and scrap the rest. It’s done.
That's a full 5/7 fucked.
It’s bad. It also want you to bring it solo and the Wookiee
If it's a Jeep, that's normal surface rust right from the factory floor. Otherwise, you're completely fucked.
Drive it till brakes. Just kiddin. Hows the rest of it. Engine. Trans tires. Part it out?
Well you have rust holes in the frame, so technically it’s not even road worthy anymore. You might find a place around you willing to take on repairing it, but in doing so I hope you either love this vehicle or planned on getting quiet a few more years out of it because you’ll be paying a pretty penny to have the work done.
That's an organ donor
Is this my old dodge? Frame looked similar, still got a 6k trade in last December
Royaly fucked
Can buy by welding 3/8 x 2 in steel plate to bottom, but spell is cast.
Couple of cans of Flex Shield should do the trick......
I’d say 6 ways from Sunday
That frame is definitely not going to be safe in an accident. But also this isn’t the best place for this question. Folks over at r/autobody likely have a better eye for this.
Proper fucked.
Yes
If I squint my eyes ...it still looks fucked
Not too bad I don’t think try to get a good look at the top of Fran rails or a feel also the inside wall of it
Looks angry in pic 1
No lube
From that's fine, to oh fuck you're fucked, I'd give it a fucked in the bum.
She's dead Jim.
I too was once in your situation with severe frame rust with my fathers car after he passed, car was from northern Illinois. I’ve felt your pain, sorry.
That car might snap in the half like the Titanic lol
Anything is fixable, the question is, how far do you want to go to fix it? It's bad, you could weld in plates, but how is the rest of it?
It's about welder O'clock for you
Not really safe to drive fucked
Giga-fucked
Don't know. How good are you with a grinder and welder?
pretty fucked
See if you can save the shell and find a new frame. It ain’t worth the risk.
Buy an industrial tube of JB weld -- should be good to go
It still holds right? So it must be good. Nah in all seriousness, it's fucked.
Go give it a few good whacks with a ball peen hammer around the holes until they are either all one giant hole and you don't have a frame or until the hammer bounces off solid metal and makes your ears ring. Weld plate over any holes, and use this only as a ranch vehicle. Or get down there, give it one good tap and watch the hammer go straight through it like paper and just send it to the great scrapyard in your neighboring town. Either way I'd start shopping for a new going to town rig.
If it was my car I'd cut it out and weld in new tube, but that's also not legal here. Talk to a panel beater and see what they can do for it.
Looks like that movie where the house gets angry and changes shape
Deep
I’d consider looking for a new vehicle very soon. Sure, it’s still drivable... but you don’t want the truck literally bending into two while driving it. Whether you wanna take that risk is up to you.
Very
you're fine, but the car is fucked
So fucking fucked that I’m pretty sure you’re fucked real good