New Purchase 90 F350. Need Advice

OldIron82

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Hello all. Picked up a 90 F350 dually dump (cab and chassis) truck. 7.3idi NA, E4od, 8' dump body with fold down sides, under tailgate stainless steel auger salt spreader, 9' Western plow. Run off of central hydraulics. 83,000 miles. Bought off second owner. Originally owned by a township. 2 new batteries and new injection pump. Turn key start.

$1500.00.

Now cutting to the chase. The frame from the front to the cab, beautiful. The frame from the back of the cab to the pintle plate, beautiful. The frame under the cab on the driver side, *****. The steel riveted to the top and bottom of the frame in that are are swelled almost a inch and I knocked a hole in the frame with a slag hammer. I have never seen rust so contained to one area ever.

What do I do? Hypothetical speaking if the frame was just a bare rolling chassis in the shop this would be kiddy s*** for me to fix. Obviously it's not, and I don't know the legality of welding between the axles. Is this truck technically "totaled" simply because of the rot damage in the area it's in? I can easily find a section of frame in a salvage yard and cut out, weld in, and fish plate this and be good to go but if the law says it's uninspectable, should I even bother?
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Nick382

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I don't have anything helpful to add, except you STOLE that truck for $1500.

I had an issue like this in the past (yay rust belt!) I decided the investment into the repair wasn't worth it compared to finding a good frame. Anyway, good luck!

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chillman88

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Total loss, cut your losses and I'll come give you $200 for it LOL

What's your wheelbase? I might know of a frame but I'll have to ask the guy if he still has it. He's in PA.

I wouldn't patch it simply because of the design of the c&c frames with those plates there, but I'm no engineer either.
 

laserjock

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Is it a cab and chassis frame or a pickup frame? The right answer is probably a frame swap. At that price I don’t think you can get hurt. You can part it and make that back easy. Anyway, I’d look for a frame donor. What was in the tank on the side? That might be a clue on the rust mystery.

Pickup frames aren’t that hard to find out here. Lots of rusty bodies. C& C are probably less common. That’s only really an issue for the rear axle and mounting the dump. Pickup frame is wider in the rear.
 

OldIron82

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Crew cab frame. The poly tank was for liquid calcium carbonate aka liquid rot my truck that was pumped to sprayer heads on the salt spreader on the back ( spreader not in the picture fyi ). Unless the tank leaked I still can't see why it's rotted so bad.

I will measure wheel base tonight and report back.

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pafixitman

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Are you sure it is a crew cab frame? 4wd and duals, I'm thinking you are a c&c frame. Especially if it was municipal ordered.

One of the PA guys with inspection experience should chime in soon, but I think welding on the frame is an inspection fail in PA.

I second the frame swap or part it out.
 

OldIron82

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S*** sorry didn't have my coffee yet. Cab and Chassis. CC threw me off. I have stretched and shortened quite a few frames over the years, but all behind the rear axle. Never in the dead center of the truck. Really sucks guys.

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laserjock

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Right. I am pretty sure it’s not a crew cab frame. You are probably spot on Joe. Dually 4x4. You’ve got most of your purchase price covered in that front axle.

Outside width at the rear on a cab and chassis is 33” (I think). Pickup is 37.

I have no idea on cab and chassis wheel base. I’m sure there are several options there. It’s not a crew cab pickup though. I’m 95% sure on that. Frame would have the kickup for the bed to set like 2 feet ish behind the single cab if it were.
 

Thewespaul

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The only frame that will work for you will be a 87-91 cab and chassis truck. Doesn’t matter 2wd or 4x4. Pickup frame are completely different
 

IDIBRONCO

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You could try to contact some place the does the inspections and ask them about whether or not it's totalled.
 

compressionignitionrules

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other than the front bumper , a 92-97 F350 frame would work for a swap too . as long as its a Cab/chassis. you might be able to pick up a longer wheelbase chassis cheaper and shorten/ move the rear axle forward as they have straight framerails . this would still pass MTO inspection because you have no frame rail modification.

your calcium chloride tank is most likely the rot culprit. its used here for dust control on the gravel roads in the summer here , need to was h cars summer and winter.
I'm a truck /coach mechanic in Ontario and all commercial vehicles need annual inspections here.

good luck, don't rush your options, you paid parts price and don't have to lose money on this truck. :cheers:
 

OldIron82

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Hey everyone. The wheel base is 137. I found a 137 cab and chassis frame in a local salvage yard but unfortunately the part that sits under the cab is almost as bad as mine from being sunk in the ground for probably over a decade.
Terrible shame seeing as it was identical. 137wb and 4wd. There are quite a few 2wd cab and chassis frames I found as well but I was really hoping for a direct swap over 4x4 frame. What hoops need to be jumped through to make the 2wd frame work with my 4wd truck? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to start making something happen with this truck before I lose it and part it out.
Thank you.
 
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