Bent frame issues

2229 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by ryan_long_01, Feb 23, 2007

w8

Discussion Starter · Feb 20, 2007

I'm looking at purchasing a 89 Toyota pickup. The previous owner hit a rock and cracked the frame. Welding the frame is no problem. I'm concerned with the fact the frame may be bent. Anyone know the adverse effects of driving this truck with the frame bent? It is in great shape with low miles. Hate to pass up on it.

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mithuth

· #2 · Feb 20, 2007

Depends on the direction of the bend.

If it's bent side to side, most likely it will dog leg and not track straight without the proper equipment to straighten it before/after it's welded back together.

If it's bent upwards in the middle (shortening the wheel base), it could cramp the drive shaft and cause excessive wear or binding

If it's bent down in the middle (lengthening the wheel base) it could stretch the axle, or even allow it to slip from the trasnfer case/transmission or from the rear differential.

All these examples are pretty extreme, but you get the idea. I'd take it to have it checked out on a frame straightener before purchasing it.

w8

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 20, 2007

I should have mentioned where the bend could be. The frame is cracked right behind the passenger side front suspension. And the owner felt the bend was from that point forward.

mithuth

· #4 · Feb 20, 2007

Hmm, so he was driving fast enough to bend and break the frame when hitting something with that corner of the truck? I'd still be inclined to get it straightened and welded at a body shop.

Maybe tear the fenders and such off of it and then tow it/ flat bed it to a body repair shop to have them straighten and weld it in place.

Then bring it home and rebuild it.

If the prices are right, and you need a truck, I say go for it. R-titles don't mean much now days if the vehicle is in good shape.

w8

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 20, 2007

The truck doesn't have a rebuild title. He never turned it in to the insurance. And he isn't sure the frame is bent. Just looks like it. Personally, I think the truck will be fine. I know several guys have told me Toyota frames break easy. He hit the rock with the front tire. It destroyed the rim. And it was a decent sized rim. I can get the truck for $600. It is damn near rust free, extended cab, 2wd with 146,000 miles on it.

jfrolang

· #6 · Feb 20, 2007

Take it to a bodyshop that has a frame machine, they can put it on there and determine fairly quickly how bad the damage is, and the costs & implications associated with it.

ludesrv

· #7 · Feb 20, 2007

Buy it and get the frame straightened. Those pickups are worth ALOT of money (10 grand for a 92-93 ish up here). Worth the money if it's got low mileage.

mattminerDOTcom

· #8 · Feb 21, 2007

are you serious? I got my 94 yota pickup with no rust for $75......are they really worth 10 grand?

[email protected]

ludesrv

· #9 · Feb 21, 2007

Up here, a rust free Yota truck from 86-95 is worth well into the 6 grand mark, if it's got 200000+kms. If it's under, like VERY low mileage (under 100XXXkms) you can fetch over 10 grand for it. We use them as beaters/work trucks, and they don't die. My uncle has one with 600000kms on it, only on a top end rebuilt at 500000kms lol. He was gonna sell it to me for 2500$, no rust.

lessonsinspeed

· #10 · Feb 21, 2007

mattminerDOTcom said:
are you serious? I got my 94 yota pickup with no rust for $75......are they really worth 10 grand?

[email protected]

$10k Canadian, but that would still be a nice little profit.

mattminerDOTcom

· #11 · Feb 21, 2007

um wow. Im gonna start collecting them and driving them up to Canada then. haha I had no idea!

[email protected]

ludesrv

· #12 · Feb 21, 2007

lessonsinspeed said:
mattminerDOTcom said:

are you serious? I got my 94 yota pickup with no rust for $75......are they really worth 10 grand?

[email protected]

Click to expand...

$10k Canadian, but that would still be a nice little profit.

Check the exchange rate. Your dollar isn't worth what it used to be. It's a giant profit...not...

If you wanna sell them properly you would need to register them as a Canadian car. And pay minimum (Alberta only) 7% on the government blue book value. We, in Ontario, pay 14% tax (the most in the country). That's just to bring it in and give it a Canadian ownership. Not to mention it will need a safety and etest. It gets costly. Do the research first.

mattminerDOTcom

· #13 · Feb 21, 2007

I was joking mainly, but still Im surprised. Dont worry there wont be a mattminDOTcom old beater truck dealership coming soon to anywhere near you.

[email protected]

rex2nr

· #14 · Feb 22, 2007

I wanted a taco instead of my ranger, but couldn't find one for twice my budget

ryan_long_01

· #15 · Feb 23, 2007

My uncle has a circa 1991 Toyota pickup that has EXTREMELY low miles on it. It's his daily driver but he lives extremely close to work (like 2 miles), and he also has an 06 Corvette that he drives on weekends, in nice weather, on short trips, etc. that keeps the miles off the truck..the truck's odometer reads something insanely low like 12k miles...but he had the original odometer replaced, he has all the official paperwork from the Toyota dealer that did it -- even when you add that on, the truck has like 30k miles. He keeps saying it's mine as soon as he buys a new truck, but those things run forever and without problems, so he's not in a hurry to buy anything new

I'd still love to get it someday. It's starting to show it's age just a little, the bed rust that seemed to pass up this truck for so long is starting to rear it's ugly head. He's always been fanatic about keeping his vehicles clean, so it's a real cherry. From what I've seen on Autotrader and eBay, I'm sure it would fetch some serious money to the Toyota loyal crowd.

If I got it, I'd probably want to lift it a little more than it already is, put some slightly bigger tires on it, and keep it around as a winter/second vehicle. Why get it painted and worry about it when you can treat it like a truck...spray some Rhino liner in the bed and on the light bar/brush-guard/nerf bars and then just drive it anywhere it can go.

Hopefully he'll pick up something eventually and I can fulfill my Michael J Fox "Back To The Future" Toyota 4x4 fantasy, haha.

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