Frame Replacement - Rebuilding Frame Jig?

So I dropped my 2001 Tacoma off at my local dealer in Longview, TX on the 11th of October. After picking the truck up in Chicago and driving it for awhile, I finally decided to pull the bed and do some real good underneath cleaning only to find some bad rust spots that had been covered up with POR 15. Took the truck to the dealer to inquire about frame replacement. Took about 3-5 days for the area rep to check it out, but replacement was approved and I was given a rental car. This was on the 17th/18th of October. Since then, my truck is still sitting at the dealer.

Supposedly, and this is coming from the service writer, there is an issue with getting another frame in for my particular truck.

2001 Double Cab/Short Box/Auto/TRD 3.4L Limited 4WD. Nothing too out of the ordinary. From what I can gather, from what he's explaining to me, something to do with the original molds/jigs for the frame were destroyed/lost/put in storage and the current jig/mold wouldn't work so they are having to modify a current one to make work for my frame.

He went on to say that about 2 weeks ago they received a shipment confirmation for my new frame, but it was recalled before it was loaded onto the cargo ship because they found that it already had some surface rust. He continued with "apparently there isn't a replacement frame ANYWHERE that fits your truck so they are going to have to build a new one".

Now, I don't really feel as though I'm being jerked around since they did give me the rental car (2014 corolla) and I still have it, but it just seems compared to everyone else, mine it taking WAY longer than normal. From what I gather, from the time they get a confirmation on the shipping, it's going to be 10-14 days from there to receive the frame, and another week to do the work. So at the earliest i'm still another 30-45 days out. That's going to be almost 3 months without the truck depending on how long it takes for them to actually "build" the frame.

Is there any difference on the frames on the 01 models from the other 1st gens from 01-04? I was under the assumption that they were all the same?

Any suggestions from anyone? Anybody that I can call to get a more straight forward answer?

If it winds up taking to much longer, and I have to keep going by the Toyota dealer to check on it, I'm going to wind up trading it on a new one that I have been eyeballing when I go up there. But what's even worse, was they had mine pulled out in the service area/parking lot this last time (first time i've seen it since I took it up there) and damn does it look good sitting there.

 

Update: After talking to the head service guy, Service writer was half ass right.

Apparently when they first started doing these frames, they built enough to have a stock pile of them that they could ship out as needed. Since the demand is low now, they are basically building them on a "as needed" basis. Service manager says that there are 25 frames currently on "National Backorder", whatever that is suppose to mean.

 

First of all, I think you are doing pretty good to get replacement approved. From what I hear on these forums, the clock ran out on that a while back. They were running a buy-back program that expired as well.

Due to the number of them that had to be replaced, it does not surprise me that there is no leftover stock. I am even surprised that they will still build them.

Anyway, you seem to be having some pretty good luck so far, hope it continues!

 

Tell them to buy your truck back

 

If the dealership had any sense at all they would have you driving a new Taco in hopes that once they had received the money from Toyota for doing all the work on your truck, you would insist on trading it in on the new one....

 

Mine is being done this monday. I work in a toyota dealer in quebec and we don't have trouble getting some frame. This monday we made 1 truck and next monday it will me my truck. 2003 acces cab

 

I had my 02 double cab short bed back in 5 weeks. Longest 5 weeks of my life!!! But very worth the wait. They never give me a time estimate at any point for parts, even though I asked multiple times

 

That's not how that works... No buy backs for 01 to 04

 

Tenbeers - the frame was checked in 2009 and again in 2010. In 2010 when it was checked they done the frame undercoating. From the way everything reads, the 01-04 models were covered for 15 years from the Original sale date as long as they were inspected by a dealer before the deadline (12/31/2011 I believe). Meaning that the 01 should be warrantied til 2016 and the 04's good until 2019. I highly doubt that Toyota would still be doing the replacement had it not been covered. I'm sure this is going to cost them a pretty penny.

Jdkilroy - You would think so. They give me the corolla to drive around, but that doesn't do me any good for driving down rig roads and to locations. I'm still having to drive my dmax, or if it's close, driving my 96 tacoma around.

Tacomataco2 - How long ago did you have your frame replaced? I'm over 5 weeks in and they still haven't even received the frame yet. Tell me about long. I've got a 96 tacoma that I've been driving around, but it isn't in the world's greatest shape. Wouldn't trust it on the drives from East Texas to West Texas all the time. Although I did drive it back home from North Dakota once. Hence the reason for the 2001. I wanted a more reliable work vehicle instead of having to drive my 09 Dmax and racking up miles on it. Plus, the 96 has some frame rust on it by the gas tank. It also had some bad spots over the driver side tire but I welded some 1/4" flat iron on it to beef it back up. Didn't find the bad spot by the gas tank til later. As soon as I get the other one out, i'm going to pull the bed and tank and see about cutting that boxed in portion of the frame out and cutting a plate to fit and re-welding it in to fix that spot. The rest of the frame looks good.

If I would have really looked into the tacoma's a little more before I bought them and realized just how bad the frame problems were in some of the states, I would of bought one from the south instead of buying one up north, or at least done a lot closer look when I picked the truck up. I just figured that since the frame was checked 2x and undercoated, and the prev owner coated it with por 15 every other year, it wouldn't of been as bad as it was.

In case anyone is wondering, this is the truck that I bought.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1s...em-suspension-method-racing-rims-bfg-mts.html

Other than the frame, the truck is in amazing shape. I'd hate to get rid of it, but if it keeps taking forever to get mine back, i'm liable to just trade it in and get a new one. I've been eye balling them but the dmax is almost paid for and I would be done with vehicle notes if i keep it. Decisions decisions.

 

Update:

Service writer called me this morning. Frame has arrived at dealership and they would get started on it next week, but due to the holidays that it would be a little longer getting it done. Could also be that this is the first tacoma they have done for the frame replacement recall.

Is there anything that I need to look for when I pick the truck up other than the obvious?

 

now would be the time to gather parts that may need replacing, tie rods, shocks, struts, steering rack bushings, sway bar bushings, link end bushings, ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, motor and transmission mounts, and maybe some new leaf springs...


the labor to install is the same, $0 as they will be handling all these parts with the swap anyway, you only pay for parts, make sure to have them on hand for the guys doing the swap, prolly the best bang for buck in your world right now...essentially, you would have an all new suspension, should ride like a champ, and added piece of mind....

 

The suspension on the truck is fairly new. It has OME nitro charger shocks with 882 or 883 springs and bilstein shocks with alcan leafs in the rear. Most of all that stuff is less than a year old.

I told the dealership that anything that they find as far as steering/ball joints/wear and tear items that i wanted them to change it all and use oem parts as well.

I'm going to be doing a full icon suspension setup with deaver springs after first of the year on the truck anyways. Just waiting til after christmas. It's going to be a slightly expensive endeavor.

 

Ask for the leaf springs and shackles that come with the kit!! The dealer threw them in the bed for me and I got $400 for em on Craigslist

 

do all of the frame replacements come with leaf springs and shackles? I wasn't sure what came with them and what didn't. Is it part of the kit, or something that they just order with it if they think they need to be replaced? What about lower control arms and such? any of that stuff part of it?

One thing the dealer did mention was that some of the stuff that might not be covered under the warranty I would have to pay for. I'm assuming things like bolts and stuff that may/may not have to be cut off if they are to rusted to get off, or reuse. Did anyone have anything like that happen? Or is everything that's done as far as the frame replacement goes completely taken care of by toyota? I don't really want to get shocked with some kinda bill that's full of 12 dollar bolts because they used oem toyota bolts.

 

all hardware that had to be removed was replaced with new on mine as part of the frame swap. They told me to expect 'something' to be found failed: ball joints, cracked exhaust manifold, etc….. but that it would be 0$ labor, just part price. I was fortunate and they found no issues at all.

I did buy a new rear bumper as mine was rusting from the inside out. This was done approx 2 years ago and zero issues since.

 

I am looking for a frame for my 02. in Montreal, dealer says they are discontinued. I would like to know where I could get one.

 

I don't think that they are discontinued but I do know there is a longer wait than what there used to be on getting one. My frame was ordered a little over 2 months ago and just now arrived at the dealership

 

Wow. I had no idea this could be such a lengthy process.

Excluding the turn around time, Toyota is really being generous with the whole deal. Like wow. It's really cool they offer to just give you free labor on pretty much anything that needs replaced in the process. I know it would be kinda stupid to charge you for labor when they are doing it anyway, but still. Saving you thousands of dollars on top of getting a new frame and suspension. Almost can't wait to have my frame rust out

 

I just bought a 03 that has a little rust does this recall/buy back of whatever you call it extend to other than the original owner? Or am I too late to even bother?

 

evrt, it just depends on if the previous owner had the frame inspected by a toyota dealership before 12/31/2011.