Is this a Death Sentence (frame rust)

[Daan1998]

TLDR: Has anyone patched frame rust and had a good experience? Or is it not worth it?


So I was jacking up my 08 Yukon XL yesterday to put the towing tires on it (load range E) 3 sides of the truck were as normal but the last wheel (rear drivers side) as I pumped up the floor jack, it was crunching and not lifting up the truck. This truck has lived in Minnesota and Wisconsin all its life, and has 330k on it. The problem is, I need it to tow my travel trailer that won’t be paid off for ~3 years. Meaning I can’t buy a new(er) truck until the trailer is paid off. The body has rust but the interior is mint, and it runs perfectly so other than the rotten spot on the frame it’s fine… I went around smacking the frame with a hammer and this is the only soft spot. I guess my question is can I plate this to get another couple years out of this vehicle?
Thank you

 

[PG01]

Bro if you were jacking and nothing was moving i wouldn’t put a trailer on that truck…..my 2 cents

 

[Doubeleive]

better find a side a hustle and get that ish paid off

 

[89Suburban]

Wowee that is whoopered hynneed, time to part it out or sell it. YIKES.

 

[strutaeng]

If that's the only area with rust through, then you should be able to plate it, yes. I've never welded on vehicle frames, but have a good amount of general hobby welding experience. I'm sure there's videos on how to do it. And I do have experience with corrosion mitigation to building repairs in my profession (engineering).

Do you have any welding experience? Probably not a project to take on if you have never welded and want to learn, in my opinion.

Might as well do a full frame grinding/sanding and do a sort of protection coating like POR 15 or similar to mitigate more rust and get more service out of your truck.

Truck looks great otherwise! And that mileage is pretty dang impressive TBH.

 

[PPK_]

330k on it... you got most of what it has to give. if you had 150k it might be worth the effort of a frame repair... you would have replace the frame rail and splice it in well past the bad spot. this is probably a $3k if anybody would do it. that body that sits on top of the frame is a unibody and his doing some of the work of holding it together.. i would part it out. quickly.

 

[B-train]

I wouldn't keep that vehicle for towing, but i hate rust with a passion, so it'd probably already be out the door if it were mine.

But, antics aside, yes you can patch the frame. It's advertised on FB Marketplace all around the Chitcagoland area for that era vehicles. It can work if done properly. If you do go that route, do yourself a favor and clean as much scale off as you can, treat it with rust converter, and then douse it with a very liberal coating of fluid film inside, and out, to prevent moisture from eating the rest of it. With a proper, sturdy repair you'd probably be back to towing, but I'd save up some $$ to get a replacement sooner than later.

Also check FB MARKETPLACE for a frame. I just came across a rolling frame from CA advertised the other day - complete with axles, fuel tank, etc. FB isn't working at the moment on my phone, but if I find it again, I'll link it up.

 

[Doubeleive]

I wouldn't keep that vehicle for towing, but i hate rust with a passion, so it'd probably already be out the door if it were mine.

But, antics aside, yes you can patch the frame. It's advertised on FB Marketplace all around the Chitcagoland area for that era vehicles. It can work if done properly. If you do go that route, do yourself a favor and clean as much scale off as you can, treat it with rust converter, and then douse it with a very liberal coating of fluid film inside, and out, to prevent moisture from eating the rest of it. With a proper, sturdy repair you'd probably be back to towing, but I'd save up some $$ to get a replacement sooner than later.

Also check FB MARKETPLACE for a frame. I just came across a rolling frame from CA advertised the other day - complete with axles, fuel tank, etc. FB isn't working at the moment on my phone, but if I find it again, I'll link it up.

I have seen video's of it done with the body off, that alone is no easy task. probably not worth the trouble.
what's a frame repair shop going to charge? it's gotta be fairly high otherwise there's no point in being in that kind of business.

 

[B-train]

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Here's the link, but it's not for an XL. Maybe someone else on here can benefit from it.

 

[alpha_omega]

Definitely not an easy job. If that’s the only “soft” spot you may still be able to save it and limp along. I would have that done professionally.

Once/if that repair is completed you will want to spray coat the entire frame with “RP-324 Black”. It’s the black wax coating our vehicles come with from the factory. I did this myself and it makes an gd@mn mess. So have cardboard down, mask off everything you don’t want painted black, keep break parts cleaner and rags handy and expect to go through at least 1/2-3/4 of a case. I bought a whole case just because it was cheaper. There will be drips anywhere it runs, so be prepared. Wear gloves, a mask, goggles, and have more rags that you think you’ll need staged for quick reach.
Give it a day or two to dry if possible before the next step, which is to atomize the inner frame. You can do this with something like transmission fluid or fluid film. Trans fluid works just as well.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I think that your best bet, if you REALLY want to keep the truck, is to find a frame from another truck that is still is good condition and swap out the frame. Certainly not going to be cheap, but I fully understand how one can become very attached to a truck that has been their trusted ride for years.

 

[bill1013]

I think that your best bet, if you REALLY want to keep the truck, is to find a frame from another truck that is still is good condition and swap out the frame. Certainly not going to be cheap, but I fully understand how one can become very attached to a truck that has been their trusted ride for years.

View attachment 459112

But realistically, if you can’t afford another truck then you probably can’t afford to get another frame. I had the same problem with my 1999 Tahoe LT and it broke my heart to get rid of it, my current 2012 Yukon SLE softened the blow. Find a used one and use the current for parts. That’s if you have the space to store it properly. Good luck!

 

[Joseph Garcia]

But realistically, if you can’t afford another truck then you probably can’t afford to get another frame. I had the same problem with my 1999 Tahoe LT and it broke my heart to get rid of it, my current 2012 Yukon SLE softened the blow. Find a used one and use the current for parts. That’s if you have the space to store it properly. Good luck!

That is SO true. I LOVED my 1997 Yukon, but it reached a point where it made no good sense (even for me) to put any more money into it. It broke my heart, UNTIL I purchased my new-to-me 2007 Yukon XL Denali. However, I still get flashes of fond memories of my old truck.

 

[OBSandaNNBS]

Ask yourself, how much do you:
Need it?
Love it?
Have to throw at it?
Think you'll miss it?

330K is a good long life. I'll be stoked if my '12 makes it that far.

Perhaps ironically, could you sell the trailer, use the freed up cash to fix the truck?

 

[petethepug]

If you’re not looking for a replacement frame, then one will land in your front yard overnight.

Best to stop looking at the tractor mowers for sale on facebook and switch over to gm frames. You may find somebody who may almost give it to you to make their wife happy it’s gone.

 

[justchecking]

There is a terrible rust proofing company in my area called Ziebart. My friend had a lifetime rust warranty from them and when his frame rusted thru at the leaf spring attachment they sent him to a shop that welded the frame. And that shop did a pretty good job. Probably had a lot of practice. . So in your area there may be a similar shop. If you can’t find one check with your local poor rust proofing companies and they can probably hook you up.

 

[swathdiver]

Frame swap, ask Scott at Vehcor in illinois how much and if he can do it for you.

 

[PG01]

Frame swap, ask Scott at Vehcor in illinois how much and if he can do it for you.

I watch his stuff too james… funny guy good GM info too

 

[swathdiver]

I watch his stuff too james… funny guy good GM info too

Almost had him do work for me once but got sick and couldn't make the trip so we had the repair done locally.

 

[latvius]

Rust is good at hiding, my bet is there is a lot more than you can see. Once you start repairing it you find a lot more. That said it's just steel, people extend, shorten, box and create new frames all the time. Still a lot of work for a truck you can replace easily.