Hey guy I'm new to this forum I drive a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 truck pretty clean just 1 problem my whole frame is nice and solid except for 1 side the bottom frame under the driver side rear door the bottom of the frame has rust and it went through it's only that section has rust the rest is fine. I was wondering if it's worth fixing getting it welded or not let me know what you guys think. I'll attach a photo so you guys can get a better idea. Suck it's just that 1 area the rest is nice and solid. Oh and I I post this in the wrong section please move it's sorry. Thanks guys let me know.
Frame rust
- Thread starter OhDaddy
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
hotkarl
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Posts
- 678
- Reaction score
- 206
- Ram Year
- 2002
- Engine
- 4.7 Semi-Hemi
If that's the worst of it then yes, fix it.
bcbouy
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2014
- Posts
- 1,730
- Reaction score
- 1,184
- Location
- pitt meadows/100 mile house
- Ram Year
- 2021 power wagon
- Engine
- hemi
i may be wrong,but that looks like a break,and not from rust.
jettajam1
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2015
- Posts
- 1,219
- Reaction score
- 676
- Location
- CA
- Ram Year
- 2012 and 2019
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
I'm not a corrosion expert, but I'd say that because of the rust, the metal fatigued in the immediate and fractured. I'd take it to your friend (if you trust his TIG skills) and weld in a doubler of the same alloy.
There's another thread on here (can't remember the OPs name), but he had some corrosion around the fuel tank strap area. He did a pretty nice weld repair using a doubler as well. I'd do a quick search and maybe get some ideas and weld method from that post.
Good luck
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There's another thread on here (can't remember the OPs name), but he had some corrosion around the fuel tank strap area. He did a pretty nice weld repair using a doubler as well. I'd do a quick search and maybe get some ideas and weld method from that post.
Good luck
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JPT
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
- Posts
- 1,508
- Reaction score
- 587
- Location
- NY
- Ram Year
- 2015 Big Horn
- Engine
- 5.7 Hemi
There is a permanent fix for surface rust. As long as it is only surface. There are 2 options I know of:
1) you brush some product (forgot the name) onto the rust, it stops the rust and changes the color black. You can then paint over this. It stops the rust.
2) POR15, this comes from boating, it is Paint Over Rust. This stuff works amazing. Lots of guys in my previous jeep clubs on builds left frames out to get a nice coat of rust just so they could use POR15. If the part sees direct sunlight, it will need a special POR UV coating. This stuff works AMAZINGLY WELL...
But, when the metal has rusted to the point it isn't structurally sound, your only hope is to either cut out the bad, and replace, or replace the entire point (body panel, or frame).
1) you brush some product (forgot the name) onto the rust, it stops the rust and changes the color black. You can then paint over this. It stops the rust.
2) POR15, this comes from boating, it is Paint Over Rust. This stuff works amazing. Lots of guys in my previous jeep clubs on builds left frames out to get a nice coat of rust just so they could use POR15. If the part sees direct sunlight, it will need a special POR UV coating. This stuff works AMAZINGLY WELL...
But, when the metal has rusted to the point it isn't structurally sound, your only hope is to either cut out the bad, and replace, or replace the entire point (body panel, or frame).
Last edited:
sriley531
Senior Member
That sucks! 3m makes a product as JPT mentioned that chemically stops corrosion and turns it black, I've used it on car parts with excellent results. That said...
That bad part about rust it's the damage is always far more widespread than where your focal point is. The only way to really stop it is to cut it all out and replace it with ****** steel. On body panels where you see some bubbles you'd be shocked what's behind the panel and how much larger an area you are cutting out to be rid of the bad metal. With a frame it's a little different as it's thicker material with less surface area, but it still applies. The other thing is the frame is the structural backbone of the vehicle, so strength is obviously a big deal. From what I'm seeing you could cutout the bad metal and weld in new, basically scabbing in a patch. But it's gonna be more metal than you think once you really dig into it (if you do it properly anyway). You're going to need to stitch your new metal to CLEAN THICK existing frame and I guarantee you'll be spreading out your work area to find that.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
That bad part about rust it's the damage is always far more widespread than where your focal point is. The only way to really stop it is to cut it all out and replace it with ****** steel. On body panels where you see some bubbles you'd be shocked what's behind the panel and how much larger an area you are cutting out to be rid of the bad metal. With a frame it's a little different as it's thicker material with less surface area, but it still applies. The other thing is the frame is the structural backbone of the vehicle, so strength is obviously a big deal. From what I'm seeing you could cutout the bad metal and weld in new, basically scabbing in a patch. But it's gonna be more metal than you think once you really dig into it (if you do it properly anyway). You're going to need to stitch your new metal to CLEAN THICK existing frame and I guarantee you'll be spreading out your work area to find that.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Last edited:
OhDaddy
Junior Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2017
- Posts
- 4
- Reaction score
- 0
- Ram Year
- 2003
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
Ok let's say if I decide to fix just and sand the frame down to the area where there's clean metal and weld a new patch to it would it be as strong as before still? Would I be able to tow my boat and plow still?
sriley531
Senior Member
^^^What he said^^^.
The key thing is a proper repair with GOOD (or even better GREAT) welds. If you do that, the repair will be plenty strong, likely stronger than many other areas of the frame that are corroded/fatigued from time and use.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Jerseystyle
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2017
- Posts
- 651
- Reaction score
- 350
- Ram Year
- 2007
- Engine
- 4.7
https://garage.eastwood.com/eastwood-chatter/encapsulator-vs-converter/
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
sriley531
Senior Member
I used their encapsulate on the underside of my Buick, it turned out nice. I'll try to get a pic of the 3m stuff today when I'm out in the shop.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Last edited:
hotkarl
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Posts
- 678
- Reaction score
- 206
- Ram Year
- 2002
- Engine
- 4.7 Semi-Hemi
I restored the entire underside of my truck.
Looked like it had been sitting in a salt tub.
Did everything with Por 15 and Eastwood products, all oem correct colors.
Looks great and now I have the protection.
Looked like it had been sitting in a salt tub.
Did everything with Por 15 and Eastwood products, all oem correct colors.
Looks great and now I have the protection.
Similar threads
Staff online
-
rule18Admin
Members online
- Ken226
- Uncle Sam
- Neilr5515
- whitness
- Roper46
- Lsujker
- brunzca
- shakey32
- DanAR
- Black1500Ram
- Th3K1ng
- rule18
- ms5626
- Slinge
- JHoward
- Lufty
- Ram794
- 18CrewDually
- RamDiver
- Westwind1124a
- 6speed4.7
- js12278
- FJ Mike
- Baja1
- maxx442
- NETim
- cityredneck
- Lyle Longboat
- Edward Hands
- Ks33
- crazzywolfie
- Wyatt123
- Wild one
- Jim BB
- ADWarlock20
- lefave15
- Marshalljud
- corneileous
- RamInfo
- xkraz
- TRK_GANG74
- tjfdesmo
- Cravn
- OrangeCrush
- Docwagon1776
- diymirage
- yogibear18
- Bspots
- OC455
- Lubeman