b5demon
Well-Known Member
my car is the same exact way the left front frame rail is toast from the battery leaking the other 3 are clean
how bad is this rust?
- Thread starter Markrenner
- Start date
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my car is the same exact way the left front frame rail is toast from the battery leaking the other 3 are clean
OneOfMany
Well-Known Member
If the rest of the body and frame is good, and you're willing to get it fixed, 340plot did one on his Duster recently. His first time, and it came out great.
You will need the equipment, space and time to do it. If you can find someone to weld it, you can get a clean rail/fenderwell, drill out and measure/place the new one yourself. This will take longer then the welding. Even if you go with a shop, supply the replacement piece yourself.
Grant
You will need the equipment, space and time to do it. If you can find someone to weld it, you can get a clean rail/fenderwell, drill out and measure/place the new one yourself. This will take longer then the welding. Even if you go with a shop, supply the replacement piece yourself.
Grant
Markrenner
Well-Known Member
When you say no rust issue on the inner fender. What about surface rust? I realize it on the surface but that's not exact a thick piece of metal
Markrenner
Well-Known Member
Where should I look for a frame rail? I looked on eBay but only saw passenger side rails
Purple Haze
Well-Known Member
You can start right here with a post in the wanted section.
b5demon
Well-Known Member
Markrenner
Well-Known Member
How much is an average price for a new frame rail? For reference sake
I have this
See my ad in the exterior parts for sale section.
I was selling complete frame rails for 125 ea. Of all the rails I've sold I have no drivers side for this exact reason. Any new ones I get will be priced higher than before. I have about 5 or 6 pass rails right now.
See my ad in the exterior parts for sale section.
I was selling complete frame rails for 125 ea. Of all the rails I've sold I have no drivers side for this exact reason. Any new ones I get will be priced higher than before. I have about 5 or 6 pass rails right now.
player1up
Well-Known Member
Mark, Give me a call, ( you have a PM ) we'll knock it out on a weekend...well maybe not, but I'm about 15 min from you and there was a decent donor in the local LKQ a week or so ago if you're feeling brave 
Man I look on CL all the time....would this be the yellow one????
Man I look on CL all the time....would this be the yellow one????
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
You answered my initial question whether the damage was isolated to a leaking battery. Looks repairable, maybe just with generic patch steel. Not a body expert, but I doubt you need super-critical frame measurements. I doubt the rest of the car moved like an accident might do to bend the frame. As long as the front wheels are pointed right and the rear axle is perpendicular to the long axis, the car should drive fine.
Before you buy a frame rail, you should probably tell us what year the car is, especially whether 1963-66, 1967-72, or 1973-77. The last 2 might be the same regarding the frame rail.
Before you buy a frame rail, you should probably tell us what year the car is, especially whether 1963-66, 1967-72, or 1973-77. The last 2 might be the same regarding the frame rail.
If the damage really is just at that rail because of battery acid, replacing the rail may be worthwhile. That assumes the rest of the rails are in good condition.
As far as making a generic patch, I think that ship has sailed. If you look in this picture, it appears the front of the rail is no longer lined up with the rear of the rail. Actually, in this picture it looks like the front of the rail is hardly even connected to the rear of the rail. A patch wouldn't even lay flat between the two sections.
I have patched frame rails before, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it if the damage is localized. But, it this case, I think the damage is too extensive to just use a patch. A patch needs good sections of rail to locate it, with your rail you wouldn't be patching, you'd be fabricating a new rail piece by piece, and that isn't a good idea.
Which means you're going to need to do some precise measuring. Leaving the inner fender in will help line things up, and so will the K member. But, you still have to make sure it all lines up. This is especially true since the damaged section includes the suspension mounts for the left front wheel. By the looks of it, I would guess that the alignment of the front left wheel has already been effected.
With the amount of damage to that frame rail, I would want to replace the whole rail. I'm not saying it CAN'T be sectioned, but, that's not what I would do. I definitely wouldn't try to patch it. I would at least want to section the half of the rail that's damaged. The section that crackedback has looks a little short for the section that's damaged in this case, although I'm sure there are plenty of cars that section would work for. Even with sectioning, you want to make sure that you cut everything back to good metal so you have something solid to weld to. Once you've done that on this frame rail, Im guessing you'll have less than half of the rail left. Plus, its actually EASIER to replace the whole rail, you don't have to worry about lining up two different sections of rail, getting the intersection of the two rails straight, getting at the entire length of the joint between the rails to weld it up, etc. When you replace the entire rail, you have more intersections to help locate it and no long welded joints, just the factory spot welds. After all, that's how the factory designed it, and how the factory put it together - there's a reason they did it that way...
As far as making a generic patch, I think that ship has sailed. If you look in this picture, it appears the front of the rail is no longer lined up with the rear of the rail. Actually, in this picture it looks like the front of the rail is hardly even connected to the rear of the rail. A patch wouldn't even lay flat between the two sections.
I have patched frame rails before, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it if the damage is localized. But, it this case, I think the damage is too extensive to just use a patch. A patch needs good sections of rail to locate it, with your rail you wouldn't be patching, you'd be fabricating a new rail piece by piece, and that isn't a good idea.
Which means you're going to need to do some precise measuring. Leaving the inner fender in will help line things up, and so will the K member. But, you still have to make sure it all lines up. This is especially true since the damaged section includes the suspension mounts for the left front wheel. By the looks of it, I would guess that the alignment of the front left wheel has already been effected.
With the amount of damage to that frame rail, I would want to replace the whole rail. I'm not saying it CAN'T be sectioned, but, that's not what I would do. I definitely wouldn't try to patch it. I would at least want to section the half of the rail that's damaged. The section that crackedback has looks a little short for the section that's damaged in this case, although I'm sure there are plenty of cars that section would work for. Even with sectioning, you want to make sure that you cut everything back to good metal so you have something solid to weld to. Once you've done that on this frame rail, Im guessing you'll have less than half of the rail left. Plus, its actually EASIER to replace the whole rail, you don't have to worry about lining up two different sections of rail, getting the intersection of the two rails straight, getting at the entire length of the joint between the rails to weld it up, etc. When you replace the entire rail, you have more intersections to help locate it and no long welded joints, just the factory spot welds. After all, that's how the factory designed it, and how the factory put it together - there's a reason they did it that way...
Markrenner
Well-Known Member
Alright guys i bought a front right rail off of drive48 and it should be here in a few days. I tried searching for a thread that explain how to replace a frame rail but couldnt find one specifically can you guys help with a link?
These are the guys to use for frame repair. I've them before and it works !! They ship right to your door and the quality is A+. Not as difficult to fix as you might think. Drop the K member and you'll have a much better idea.
http://autorust.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2
http://autorust.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2
OneOfMany
Well-Known Member
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=163813&page=3
Here is Joe doing the exact same procedure.
Grant
Here is Joe doing the exact same procedure.
Grant
thanks one of many.....
yes, i did a frame rail that was as bad as yours.
my car was a true pink car, and while it would of been easier to just patch it, i listened to alot of members on here, and they were right that do it once and never have to worry about it ever again!.
it took alot of precise work, with measurements and all, but once done, you couuld not even tell it was done!
i also have done tons of body work in the past, but once i started on it, i thought i was in over my head, till i talked to a few that have done it before. if you get frustrated with the gazillion spot welds, then it is time to walk away and take a break from it. it was not hard work at all. just took time. and the best part is that it is all pretty much self-explanitorty!. that frame rail is not eaten fron just acid!. i thought the same with mine. once i took it out, i found out it was rotted from the inside out.
just take your time, and will come out fine
also, you are better off doing it yourself,as a shop will not want to do it unless they are restoring the entire car for you, or they will want 2k and up. that was 2 quotes i got to do mine!
yes, i did a frame rail that was as bad as yours.
my car was a true pink car, and while it would of been easier to just patch it, i listened to alot of members on here, and they were right that do it once and never have to worry about it ever again!.
it took alot of precise work, with measurements and all, but once done, you couuld not even tell it was done!
i also have done tons of body work in the past, but once i started on it, i thought i was in over my head, till i talked to a few that have done it before. if you get frustrated with the gazillion spot welds, then it is time to walk away and take a break from it. it was not hard work at all. just took time. and the best part is that it is all pretty much self-explanitorty!. that frame rail is not eaten fron just acid!. i thought the same with mine. once i took it out, i found out it was rotted from the inside out.
just take your time, and will come out fine
also, you are better off doing it yourself,as a shop will not want to do it unless they are restoring the entire car for you, or they will want 2k and up. that was 2 quotes i got to do mine!
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