Questing regarding boxing around frame rot. My daughter just bought her first vehicle. 2004 F-150 XLT with 192,000 miles on it. Thought she got a good deal from what we thought was reputable used car dealer. She is only the 2nd owner so figure the first owner took care of it. Lived entirely in Northern NJ and Upstate NY. 30 days after purchase it was in a friends shop for rotted transmission lines but that's not my issue. The mechanic discovered the right rear frame completely rotted through where it descends in front of rear axle and for about 3-feet along the long section. By rotted through I mean there is no bottom frame left on the bottom part. Dealer says, gee, that's too bad but things rust. Vehicle never should have been put on the lot. He is balking at accepting return. He asked me to check a few body shops for repairs. No shop wants to touch it for liability reasons. A person from my church is a full time welder and says he can weld new U-shaped channel al along the bad parts. Just trying to get my money back but if I am stuck with it, will this repair be sufficient and safe? Contacted a lawyer friend and am prepared to sue the dealer if he won't take it back. We did not see this rot but that's why you buy from a dealer--to get a sound vehicle. Photos not loading due to only Basic account.

 

Wow...thats major frame rust. But you are not the first person here with that problem...seems to be a few here.
How did that pass inspection? I would say the dealer has to take that back because that is an unsafe vehicle. Honestly...and im not 100% positive but i dont think that is repairable..legally.

 

I'd say you are right. Three local large body shops all say they will not work on it. One said he'd do it only if I gave him a notarized letter holding him blameless if ever someone got hurt in the truck because the repair failed. As for passing inspection, all we inspect for in New Jersey is emissions. They used to check everything but stopped doing it a few years ago. It was a dealer I had some history with so I trusted him when he said it was a great truck. I looked it over pretty good but somehow missed this part of the frame. When I called him, he first said "rust happens". When I e-mailed the photos and told him he really did not want to stake his reputation on this truck and that I did not feel my daughter was safe in it, he called back immediately to say "That's bad. It needs to be fixed". He's away until Monday but I'll be on phone to him first thing Monday morning for sure. Thanks for your input.

 

There are a couple linkes on this site to people with similar problems. Fix was as you said, take 3/ 16 inch plate and REPLACE the rusted out areas. Don't plate OVER them. the proper procedure is to cut out the bad and weld in new plates. With a certified welder doing the work, it should be very sound and last forever... I would guess the dealer would recommend a REPAIR, not a frame replace.. I would not be afraid of a repair. If you have a yearly STATE INSPECTION, I would check first to see that they accept this repair. Some states have no yearly inspections.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...d-through.html

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...5-f-150-a.html