Salt, Potholes and Massachusetts Winters: What They Do to Your Frame

Frame rails hold water and salt. Brake and fuel lines run along the frame where the salt sits. Rockers and cab corners trap road spray. Suspension mounts take load and corrosion at the same time, which is the worst combination.

These are the spots that decide whether a vehicle is worth keeping.

Not every rusty frame is done. A section of frame or a mount can often be cut out and welded back with new steel, especially on trucks and equipment built to be worked on. The call depends on how much structural metal is left and where the rot is.

That's a judgment call, and it's one John makes with you — not over the phone.

Wash the undercarriage through the winter, not just the paint. Fix small rust spots before they spread. And if you keep a truck or a piece of equipment for the long haul, a frame inspection once a year catches the rot while it's still a repair instead of a replacement.

Welding and frame work is a specialty. Other repair shops on the South Shore send their welding and fabrication to Rebel because not every shop has the equipment or the hand for it. We handle frame repair and custom fabrication in steel, aluminum and stainless — no body work or paint.