Can this frame be fixed?

[chevyman95]

I have been working on fixing my 1983 scottsdale for a while and I was blasting the frame today and just happened to notice that I have some pretty hardcore rust damage on the frame. I was planning on keeping this truck but with a baby on the way I have to sell it so I just need to get it safe without dumping a ton of money into it.

The major damage is on the crossmember right above the mufflers








Had a lot of flakey chunks coming off of it, frame is very dimpled in some places from rust but overall seems solid except for this one spot. What do you guys think?

[87 chevy silverado]

id say start looking for a new frame... thats almost not worth it

[nbpro]

Looks to be more of the brackets connected to the frame than it does the frame itself. Prolly can replace the brackets, clean the rest of it up.

[motornut]

take a screwdriver and poke around see if other spots are bad too,might be able to get those replaced

[STOCKISH]

Just get a replacement crossmember from the junkyard and put it in. I just sold one to another boardmember. But if you're just going to sell it dont even mess with it. It's not a safety concern.

[chevyman95]

Originally Posted by 1972SuperCheyenne

But if you're just going to sell it dont even mess with it. It's not a safety concern.

Well that's certainly good to hear, I was wondering the same myself, I think I may just clean it up some more cut off the bad flaky stuff and then get a friend of mine to weld a small brace and then a small plate inside the C part of the frame. I just don't want to sell something that is going to fall apart on someone.

[chevyman95]

Another question, I have a 77 scottsdale 2wd parts truck I could use the frame from but I imagine that it would be too much trouble to convert it over to 4wd?

[benoit454]

I only see one really bad spot, that's on the flat bottom frame part, the rest are just the braces for that crossmember, I'd cut em out and bolt in good replacements. But I aint seeing the frame in person to see how thin or badly pitted or metal is missing.

I don't think it'd be too bad to convert it to 4wd, I saw a guy on here do it. Just gotta remove all the 2wd stuff and brackets, then remove all the 4x4 stuff and brackets all in one piece(pieces, not hack it up) so you can put it on the 2wd frame. Use bolts instead of rivets, just make sure they are like grade 8 or weld or do combination of both.

what about if you got a welder or can have it done just cut the back clip off? Like behind the cab or something step cut it, more area to weld, then do that and plate it? Kinda like how they make lwb's into short beds. I think that'd work good if the front half of the frame aint bad.

You'd have to remove your 4x4 spring hangers though, I hear the 2wds are shorter. Not unless you put some lift blocks in back to even it out.