2000 Toyota 4Runner Frame Rot Repair - Welded
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- Опубликовано: 8 апр 2015
- A video providing food for thought on how one might go about repairing the rotted frame of a 2000 4Runner, Gen3.
After replacing all 4 of the brakes, front struts, springs, brake master cylinder, headlights, wind shield, and most costly a new crated transmission, the frame gave way. In general I had a choice of fixing the frame, or sending a relatively good (and now expensive) truck to the junk yard. . . I took the option of doing what I can to keep it on the road.
As stated in the video, this is NOT a welding tutorial. Matter of fact, I do not know how to weld. It's basically learn as I go. The metal I used is WAY over-kill. I likely added 80 pounds of steel to my ride when said and done (both sides). So I do invite constructive feedback that will help the community as a whole; telling me that my welding stinks will not provide any value.
Last note I will make. If you have a 4Runner north of 150k miles and have not changed the radiator yet, park it, and buy yourself a radiator NOW. The tranny cooler will brake in the radiator causing fluids to mix, and you WILL lose your tranny regardless of how many times you flush it (I did 6 times!). Radiator = $125. Tranny+Radiator=$3450
I hope this video helps, I thought it was about time I give back to all of those that helped me with this 4Runner. 
Хобби
Dude, you got balls to take on this welding job! Way to go man! Do it yourself and build on every experience and show others that it's possible. The thickness of your material obviously over compensates for any possible weakness in the factory rusted sheet metal. Good job on the por15 Paint job.Thanks for the video!
You say you aren't a welder which I understand, but... to anyone watching this, if you use this video as guidance, PLEASE grind down the base metal on the frame to shiny metal before you weld. Welding over rust and rot does nothing but make it look like you reinforced the frame. There is little to no assurance that good solid fusion is occurring to good base metal. Rotted metal simply disintegrates when welding so you may think you're welding two pieces together but the result can be simply cosmetic covering of a huge problem. Proper welding technique and heat input on good sound metal is the only way to get good metal fusion. In addition, welding over paint or powder coating further contaminates the weld metal compromising its integrity.
This frame in my opinion, was way past salvageable. Especially, where main suspension components attach. If a repair were attempted on such a critical part of the vehicle, a professional welder with a sense of structural reinforcement knowledge should be employed, but I fear a welder of that skill level would pass on this job. This is not a safe repair. I don't mean this to be criticism of your decisions, I just want to share with folks that may want to do the same in this safety critical part of a vehicle.
There is sound structural welding, and there is cosmetic covering up of rotten steel welding that doesn't do much, if anything, structurally. I myself have a 1997 4Runner with issues not as bad as this and I am curently on the fence as to repair or plan its funeral. Its a shame because I have had it for 15 years and it is genuinely one of the best vehicles I have ever had, and I've had a lot. Best of luck with your truck tho, stay safe and please be careful.
+Steve K Thanks for the feedback Steve - no criticism taken, it's great public forum content. Although I can't speak to your thoughts they sound reasonable enough and truth be told, I had a welder pass on it. Didn't go into detail, but didn't want to take the liability of welding a rusted auto frame. Maybe for some of the same reasons you expressed.For me, it's a third vehicle, and one that only sees the light of day when the snow is piled high; that seems to be where it shines. With a little luck, I will get enough safe driving out of it before she needs to be laid to rest for good.
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@@TheJbird5 there's no way a welder said that was good. Those welds were horrible for something so crucial. Just being honest man. Something that goes down the highway is held to a higher standard. There was way too fast of travel speed, Downhill when you could have went uphill and tons of lack of fusion and overlap. Not o mention that frame looked beyond it's time.
@@jwill9877 He said he "had a welder pass on it," which I took to mean he took it to a professional welder for repair, but the professional welder refused to repair it, so he did it himself.
@@JonathanSias I see. He should have asked him for some welding tips and then asked a body shop how they repair frames. They stagger plate steal so they don't cause stress points at the end of the new steal to frame. It spreads the load.
Thanks for the video! This gives me some ideas (and encouragement) on repairing rust holes in my 1965 Mercury Frame. Ladder type (Ford) frames were bad about rotting back where the frame goes over the rear axle
Thank you for this video. I have a 1973 Corolla with frame rust/cancer on the driver's side forward of the cross member. I no longer fear repairing it. You did what you had to do and I applaud you.
As a guy whose repaired many rotted frames, i never use steel that is thicker than the original material. Overkill just makes penetration into the original frame much less effective, and harder to form. Always make a pattern from thn cardboard.
Impressive work/job and the best results I can find, food for thought, yes it certainly is. I have a bit of a frame issue here , I have tackled and work in progress. Yours is an inspiration of what can be achieved, mine is a lot less to do, thankfully because I'am just getting into welding, bought a cheap 200 dollar mig flux cored wire feed so hope to catch on and fix the problem. Thanks Man for sharing your work. Regards.
Great video! I have rot on my k1500 and this helped me alot. Keep up the good work
This was helpful. I'm currently undertaking a major frame and floor job on a Honda CRX.
Excellent. You do a great job of showing an ordinary person that our 4Runners can be saved. Much better that you're not a pro welder. I will now go weld up the frame on my 1999 4Runner, with 210k and everything else beautiful
Thank you for the excellent video! You have given me hope and confidence to attempt the same on my "99 4runner. Road salt here in MO has the same effects as it does in MN. Great work!
Thanks for the feedback - it was a fun video to make. I have a couple more just waiting for some time to get published. Not to mention I need to upgrade the springs in the back, so I see another video in my future. Good luck w/ the '99 John!
I can't help but notice it doesn't look like you cleaned the frame before welding the patches on.
Fantastic details and video shots. Its interesting that you give yourself little credit for your welding skills and I could see from the beginning to the end how you improved in skill. I am not a welder either and you were easily as good as me in the beginning and much better by the end. I am doing this repair for a friend on a newer 03 but the ideas and information you provided were very helpful.
Great job from what I see. Any one with no welding experience at all would think you've been doing this for years.
Good on you for saving it! It might not be a "good as new" repair but it should buy you a good bit of time, especially if you get some rustproofing going on inside the frame rail. I retired a Pathfinder recently for rot that wasn't nearly as bad as yours--the more I looked, the more I found, and I found another one with a solid frame that I wouldn't be afraid to tow with. The Pathies rot out the same way your Yota did, the rails fill with dirt, the dirt clogs the drain holes and absorbs moisture, the moisture (and road salt) eat through the metal from the inside out.
THANK YOU FOR VIDEO ! its helping with ideas here on a repair i need to do ! 🙂📐🆒👍✅🚙🔩🔧
thanks for sharing . i was going to buy a Toyota but not now after seeing what you are going through. thanks
excellent. I will be scheduling an estimate for my 2000 taco
Seen your video I have a 2006 Toyota sequoia my frame has cancer too . My track bar mount has come completely off looking for ways to fix mine . Thank you for the help.
Whata great video! Thanks from Maine!!
Anyone looking for a frame could try Australian breakers in South Australia They are unlikely to have any rust problems because they never need salt on the roads. That was quite a repair for a learner well done.
Oil-em or lose-em...........nicely done video!
Thank you so much. This is very informative!!
You may never buy another Toyota because of their ahem , customer service but by the look of things you'll keep this machine running forever! Nice job! 👍
Bravo! Promote this guy! Great job amigo!
My 06 failed for the frame recall. I had wire brushed it and sealed it. I was happy it did I now have half a new truck. 15k worth of parts not just the frame. My 84 gmc 3500 has the orig frame and has no rot. In the 2 years I've owned it I have taken measures to keep it that way
Great job! Appreciate the vid.
Nice job, you must love that four runner. I have to do similar work on my sons 2003 Tundra. I will take the bed off and try to make things a little easier. I use the same products from Eastwood myself, great stuff. Alot of work. My 2003 frame on my Ford looks great came from PA just like the Tundra. Things we have to do when these car companies don't stand behind there product. Nice job though
I just bought a 2000 4runner sr5 with a rusted frame everyting is still in place just a 1 foot crack on one side and 1 inch hole at the weak spot seeing you reparing your frame with no experience give me the courage to fix it
Great video, very nice work. I have similar problems with the 2000 Toyota 4runner I just bought. I'm thinking of just "sistering" an H frame, then scrape, prime, tape up and call a day.
Care to explain I don't understand
Nice job!!
seeing your frame makes me feel good about mine lol
Steve K said it best and theres not much I can add. I am a hobbiest and have done several full restorations but this is of course something more. I believe this frame was beyond repair. I would and am using Saf T Cap frame caps on a friends 4Runner right now. I'm not a highly experienced welder but, I know how to make sure I have full weld penetration. It just takes me much longer then a pro. Otherwise, I applauded this guy for his efforts but again, should have used Saf T Caps as well they make those suspension frame connectors and you should have replaced them, they simply had to much rot
What are safety cap
Nice video,your welding looks good to me . geter done.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I have a Taco I have owned almost ten years now and I just caught the rust, it's not as bad as your 4runner was but I appreciate your efforts and the fact you shared this very much. I have a heads up now of what to do. Subbed and liked ;-}
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sorta where my 89 just separated from... the rear leaf hanger just came off as they lifter the truck with a jack to replace my fuel pump assembly, thanksgiving break is going to be fun... haha
EcBuddy123 good job most people wouldn't do anything they just tell you what they would do
Wow, that's even worse than what we see in New England. Fluid Film is a good way to go in keeping those frames from rusting out.
That wll hold the crap out of it. Nice job!
Great job man
anyone considering this, make sure you run a flap disc over the areas to be welded. You'll get a much better weld. Also, can rotabroach cut a few holes in the side of the new metal, allowing circular welds to the frame and other overlapping areas. Keep an air nozzle, fire extinguisher or hose ready. Undercoating on vehicles likes to catch fire when you're welding. Not fun.
Good job Man 👏
To everyone saying to replace the frame, honestly, have any of you ever done that? That is way more work than welding in the patches. I agree some rust killer and oil down the frame after would be good.
He fixed his truck with what he had available. You can armchair quarterback this all you want but that repair can be added to if needed and the vehicle should last until the running gear is dead. Good job!!
For future reference may i suggest using c channel instead of the angle iron you get the same effect but it comes out with a much cleaner factory look
1/8" steel would been plenty strong and much easier to work with.
I agree, the only advantage I seemed to have with the 1/4 inch was being able to grind down the thickness in some cases to get the pieces to better fit over non-flat surfaces. Plus, not being a welder, I appreciated the extra metal on the edge to weld on to.
wow I thought my frame was fuked thanks for making me feel 100 times better.
lol ya what u said
Damn, I thought my F150 project was bad. I feel more confident now. Not sure I would trust that on the highway though.
This is the nightmare you deal with driving on Minnesota roads in the winter and the salt they use on the roads. I have very similar frame rot on my mazda b2200 to repair.
You did a lot of work on your frame. I know it would have been easier to have the room to work if the body was out of the way. Hope it stays together for you.
Should you consider drilling in weep holes on the underside of new structural steel to let out and water before it starts to root again?
I am going to start next week on my 2000 4 runner 415,000 miles I will take pics I am a electrician lbew 716 I have minimal welding skills. I am ordering a new combo rig from eastwood and giving it a shot.
Go for it! It was a fun and rewarding project. But admittedly it was WEEKS of work for both sides.
Excellent work! Your a non welder but this looks great
I know this is a old video, thanks for taking the time out to document, just curious as to how this held up and welder were you using since I am contemplating this on my sequoia.
As a welder, all i can saw is wow!. That is anything but safe. The frame was basically engineered to fail, notice the lack of rust on the floor pan. I find it funny how everyone went after vw for emissions when toyota has been building these unsafe rust buckets for decades and continues to do so. Toyota trucks are designed to fail after about 10 years both structurally and mechanically. Selling trucks and cars behind this facade of quality. Owned a tacoma once took a beating on it and never again, bought a domestic after that.
Don't forget to spray the Frame with Oil inside and out!
I might be welding some patches myself soon. I hope to use an everlast pulse mig welder. Should make thin metal welding much faster. BTW you really should make sure all of the existing rust is removed before attempting a repair. My two cents.
Thanks for that video, how is she holding up after three years? I might need to do some repairs to my 4Runner frame as well. Just noticed some bad rust today :(
HI. Great video, thanks. Any idea how i can fix the rear top round-shaped shock housing? It gutted and there is no holding place for the shock nut. TIA.
2002 tundra they are fixing mine monday 4 free 2019 and my truck has been to moon hope she makes it back.
Toyota replaced your frame recently? How did you go about getting it done? I thought they stopped replacing frames in 2012?
I’m getting ready to do this exact same repair on my 98 4Runner. It broke in the same place. I know this is an old video but what size rod did you use to do the welding.
I have a 99 4runner. Same thing just happened. Too bad it was a nice. Had the truck for 6 months and now this. Stuck here in NY on contract and the contract ends in 2 days.
Very new to me , i have one older then yours, but much much better frame, man , before fixing it , didn't have much undercoating, the frame was very much gone.
your just welding gd metal to rust you need to cut out and treat it just gunna keep rustin
Good job looks like it will outlast the original now
How long did this fix hold? about to embark on this welding job.
I think this is interesting. Recently I found a 87 buick regal for sale and it has a 3 inch hole in the frame is there any way to prevent the rust from getting worse? Sandblast it or grind it? Also if you repaired the frame yourself would it pass inspection?
For not being a welder you did a mighty fine job saving that nice Toyota! Be great if you got another 15-20 years out of her!!
It makes me wonder just where in the world did they get the steel to make those frames in the first place. I have welded on steel from a third world country and while welding along the steel just fell away with a big void like there was dirt there instead of steel. And this was new sheet steel. My frame isn’t as bad as yours so I’m gonna add some angle iron on to the frame. Giving back some strength to the frame. Hoping it never brakes in half like I’ve seen in some of the videos I’ve watched.
Man that’s a good job wish u can weld my 2006 Toyota sequioa only got 158,000 miles engine strong but rust just like that one at leaf spring
That frame is toast.
Any chance of an update on how it held up? I'm at the same point with my Honda Ridgeline and less welding skill than most and if I could keep it rolling, I'd really prefer it. I love my truck and I work for a living so just buying something new isn't exactly an option with college tuition payments like it is for some others.
I'm having this same problem right nowt but it's my lower control arm part of the chasis I can weld but I dont own a welder. Wish me luck on how much imma get charged
Wow 😳 I was sad when I saw a small 1in rusted through spot on the muffler side of my 4runner frame, looks like ill be pumping oil down each side of the frame rails every once in a while. And using lots of fluid film so it doesn’t get worse
Bloody hell! If my car was this bad I would do a body off restauration.
Lol
How long was it since the frame looked fine until it got this bad?
Mine collects a lot of crap and it's starting to corrode the bottom of the frame (from the inside).
Really need to remove the existing rust first. Rust will beget rust. Having a welder at home is extremely useful though. I love what repairs I can do with my everlast welders.
I'd round off the corners/hard edges where the steel meets one another. If you ever hit your elbow or knee off the edge of it you will find out why I said that :)
Body shops don't want to touch "old" rusty vehicles like this due to liability anyhow. Oil injection into the inner cavities is the only thing that prevents this. Chain saw Bar and Chain oil works well because it stays tacky and doesn't drip and it keeps self-healing itself and wicks itself into all of the seams. One application of oil into the frame rails when the vehicle was new would have prevented this.
Hey buddy it’s been 6 years. How is the frame holding up? I am a new owner of sequoia which never got its frame replaced because previous owner was just lazy. Driver side of frame is pretty bad (about 4 inches hollow rust). Trying to see if it’s worth trying to save it
See, the real issue in the long run is rust rott from the top down that will eat from the inside. This is the history of tube vs. c-channel .. butr God bless... hope this fucker is running today and is 400K into your journey.
I'm pretty sure Toyota designed the frame like this on purpose. I mean if the engines can go for 300k, they need to make their profit. So either they make junk engines that last 150k, and ruin their reputation, or design crappy frames that would only rust away in states that use road salt, so they still hold their reliability reputation in the non-road salt states, and make their money at the same time.
makes sense actually....what do you think about bmw mercedes & audi
So, the solution to that is to just simply undercoat it yearly. That's what I do and my Toyota frame is rust free and I live in Atlantic Canada.
bmwmsport11 I’m pretty sure Toyota would replace that for free
Nice job. How about an update, it's been 3 1/2 years. How did your frame hold up?
You fool person
Real Rick Harrison you dick face.
I agree , I hate haters lol
Thing is no it didn’t hold....if you don’t cut the cancer it comes right back. And there’s companies that make the fix he needed. On top of that.....???? MIG? And you’re not an experienced welder omg wow guy a lot of work for nothing
Disagree , the vehicle is worth only so much ? Many people crush them ..... I say never judge someone who is practical
And honest and does what they can do to prolong the use of an otherwise , great vehicle 🚗
most of the time underneath your car, you maintain it.put something that won't rust.i live Rockland New York.zero rust,of my 2001 4runner and 1996 grand caravan.
How's the frame holding up ?
good work done. I'm in California so I don't have to deal this issued.
Yeah but you have to deal with liberals. Most of us would rather deal with rust.
Wow!!! That's a lot of rust!! Must be due to the salt in the snow right?? I have the same 4Runner and it hurt me to look at that frame.. I hope she's still working for you bro...
That's hot
Also,is there a followup to this? This video is 3 years old? How is it holding up?
This doesn’t have trouble passing inspection?
Toiletota quality! I love what you do for me, oh what a feeling, Toiletota.
Just curious, will the inspection people pass that? I don't have that bad on my 4runner, but it seems has started. Also do i need to remove gas tank, or any other parts prior welding?
Just got myself Hobart 210MVP MIG as well. Let me know.
I absolutely removed the take and got it away from the vehicle when I welded the tank side of it. When I welded the exhaust side, I personally left the tank in place. But still had a basic garage fan blowing under the vehicle to move any fumes, specifically the welding burn-off, etc.I think you need to pass your own judgement on the tank as it is in place. The smallest amount of fumes can make it a very bad day. The tank comes down fairly easily w/ a strap in the back and a couple of bolts. The hardest part it getting the hoses off which have been seized in place over time. One 'MUST-DO' is to empty the take before taking it down, it's a night and day difference in the effort.Another point I will share, is if the tank is out, spend the $100 and put a new fuel pump in if it's not already renewed. The pump is only exchangeable when the tank is out, and it would be a shame to go through the work and have the pump fail in short order.
That frame needs to be replaced,badly.Thats just the rust you can see.Guaranteed there is twice as much you can't see.That frame will fold up right at that spring hanger.If that happens when you hit a dip in the road at 60 mph,you are probably dead.
Whats the name of the mount hanging
drill some drain holes man, otherwise she will just rot out somehwere else! about to tackle my 2000 4runners frame next weekend, except with 1/8th inch steel and cutting out the rot. hows ur welds holding together now?
+Mazzman I have used it 50% as a daily driver, and 50% parked. It tends to be my 'snow' car so she doesn't get much road time in the summer. Since the repair I have found no issues w/ the welds. I have gone around them w/ a poker, work light, and even a mirror and they seem to be fine from everything I can tell. How did your 1/8" steel turn out?
great, i just finished por 15ing it last weekend, but unfortunately i found another soft spot on the drivers side...one more project to get done before winter..
Get it as an experience
Are you still driving this?
Fill the channel up with expanding foam for water proofing
That actually has proven to be a really poor idea. Expanding Foam traps water around the edges and actually causes rust. Car manufacturers use to do this for rust prevention and it actually caused rust instead.
Nice work. I wouldn't worry too much about the repair over rot. The frame took 15 years to rot out through steel that was 70% thinner than the plate he used to repair. The numbers don't lie and that runner will have been put to pasture for something other than his frame repair
+Joe Orcutt I'm happy to say she's still running strong. The welds are still in good shape, and there's no concern of the 1/4" steel rotting through before she's get's put down for something else. Thanks!
+CL Biro I brought my beloved 97 tacoma 4x4 3.4 manual trans in to a repair shop to get the alternator belt replaced last week and the tech gave me the bad news when I picked it up, said they wouldn't put it on the hoist for fear of it cracking in half and falling off. I had scaled the surface rust off the frame last summer and sprayed it with 4 cans of asphalt undercoating and not spotted any rust through. 7 months later and i could poke holes in it with a little tap of a weld chipping hammer, WTF? Bulletproof engines crap frames that rust from the inside out.. I hadn't put a nickle in engine repairs since I bought it 9.5 years ago and now this.. Apparently the new generation Tacoma has same issue, does not look likeI'll be buying another one of Toyota's vehicles, but north american trucks are money pits after only 6-7 years in my experience with them so far. As my Dad used to say"If it has tits or tires you're gonna have trouble with it". Truer words never spoken..
Coat everything in POR-15
Excelent job! I have a car to repair like this one. Can you give me some pieces of advice?
I can help you: 1. grind or cut out the crusty stuff. 2. fit and cut the new steel so it will weld to solid metal. 3. weld in new steel. 4. clean and finish the repair. 5. apply some rust preventative and reapply annually. Or, you could watch the video and do what he did.
I have watched some many videos of people trying to save a rusted frame, as an autobody and paint guy for over 30 years I would never ride or drive in any one of these vehicles after the frame was fixed. I had to take classes to learn how to splice in a new piece of frame the correct way, with these vehicles having crush zones for the frame to fold up when in an accident so the people in the vehicles are safer.
I have seen people weld right over these crush zones making the vehicles a death trap now. You should just hunt down a used frame from the south in the long run is safer and cheaper to just replace it.
There's absolutely NOTHING wrong with this repair if it holds well... and it will. Your comment is just you trying to show how smart and special you are.
Nice job, it should last several more years. Looks stronger than the factory unibody.