Frame Swap

[Andy 2]

I'm looking to swap out the frame on my '89 ext. cab 4x4. The years and the road salt are taking their toll. Does anyone know where there might be a frame available? Trying to find one here in Canada is futile. All the recyclers have crushed just about anything 20 years and older. I did find one a couple of years ago but it was in worse shape than mine. I've been looking on Craigslist for a Ram 50 or Mighty Max from somewhere where they don't salt the roads. Any help would be appreciated.

[PowerRam348]

you could swap the body onto a toyota 4x4 frame. there would be a lot of parts available and it would still look like a ram 50 without too much modification involved. it was suggested to me a year or so ago when i started my rubicon build.

[Andy 2]

I pondered doing something like that with a Mazda as well. The older "Bxxxx" trucks look a lot like Ram 50's. The 2600 even had a 2.6 in it. I really would like to find a Ram 50 or Mighty Max frame that I can have sandblasted and epoxy painted. I'd like to keep the truck as original as possible. Driving south to pick one up would be a great way to take a holiday. Sight seeing with a purpose.

[NueDemShlak]

Or go all out.... I'm thowing mine on a '78 shortbed ford frame, wheelbase is exatcly the same and I'm quite handy with a welder But yeah, good luck finding a good frame, mines shot, there's one in my local junkyard that's split in half behind the cab, just like what toyotas do. I'm a ford guy and that's why I went with a ford frame, plus I'm tired of the mitsu's lack of articulation, sucky brakes, lack of a turning circle (my neighbors longbed ext cab superduty turns in a smaller circle!) and the simple fact you can't find mitsu parts and the auto hubs suck and it would be nice to have a truck I can pull trailers with, not just a baby s10 homemade trailer. But that's my opinion, not trying to make anyone mad, I've only liked the way it looks, not much else lol.

[twoll86]

Or go all out.... I'm thowing mine on a '78 shortbed ford frame, wheelbase is exatcly the same and I'm quite handy with a welder But yeah, good luck finding a good frame, mines shot, there's one in my local junkyard that's split in half behind the cab, just like what toyotas do. I'm a ford guy and that's why I went with a ford frame, plus I'm tired of the mitsu's lack of articulation, sucky brakes, lack of a turning circle (my neighbors longbed ext cab superduty turns in a smaller circle!) and the simple fact you can't find mitsu parts and the auto hubs suck and it would be nice to have a truck I can pull trailers with, not just a baby s10 homemade trailer. But that's my opinion, not trying to make anyone mad, I've only liked the way it looks, not much else lol.

What issues have/are you running into im think about the same on my 91 mm 4x4 but with a bronco frame