2nd Gen Rust problem

My Taco after two winters looks better than my Subaru after one winter.

 

I just spent last weekend under my truck with Fluid Film literally smearing it over every part of the frame I could reach with my hands (grossest job EVER!).

I also did the bottoms of the doors and the bottom of the front fenders. The only area I didn't do was the front half of the frame around the engine and the rear axle. I'm thinking maybe next weekend (weather permitting) I'll grab 2-3 spray cans and go to town there just to be safe.

I had an older truck (pre-95) that came from S. Carolina, but when I was looking for it, I ran across so many rotted frames I've gotten a good idea of where to focus my efforts.

I also had an old Honda I had a bodyshop weld new inner and outer quarter panels on (ah, the stupidity of youthful spending) and they had advised me to oil coat the whole area to keep rust from from forming and I had a good 2-3 years in which it looked pristine.

 

Yea I have a 2012 live in the Chicago area. Kinda sad having to pay 33k for a truck that has a rust problem

 

I'm aware. Just thought it might help in the heavily salted areas. If the frame is covered in salt n snow or wet from salty snow melt electrolysis might be possible. In which case, the zinc would help protect it. I'm not talkin one or two pieces either. I'm thinking every foot n a half. Of course if it dries out it will have little to no effect.

 

For those that have had fluid film on their frames for awhile, did it help at all? Significant difference? How long can you expect this treatment to last? Looking at different options..

My 97 had a better looking frame than my 06....

 

You are saying that the dealer replaced the frame on a 2005 tacoma? Can you please post or PM more specifics?

 

Is the inside of the front boxed portion of the frame coated from the factory, or left bare?

The only rusted newer truck that I have seen in person was a first gen, and it rusted from the inside out (had very little indication on the outside of the frame), looked okay on the outside but, upon touching int, I discovered I was able to put a screwdriver through it. Sticking my finger in oner of the holes in the frame, I could actually feel that the overlapped piece (they are two C's put together to make a box) was completely loose, I could move it freely!

My truck is a week and a half old, what can I do now to protect it? Has anybody on here sprayed anything into the inside of their front frame rails (in the boxed area)? That's my biggest concern area as I can't see in there, the rest of the frame is a C so, easy to see and rectify issues.

As for links (for those that were asking), there's one on this forum, check this out for a rusty second gen:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...a-2nd-gen-terminal-frame-rot-rust-cancer.html

OOPS, sorry, didn't see it had been linked already, DOH! Oh well, it's still a good example! That's even worse than what I saw on a beach boat hauling first gen, OUCH!!!

 

All of the frame is painted on the outside. I truthfully cannot state if the inside of the box portion is painted. I am guessing not since the frame does not seem to be dipped in order to get the full coverage.

Either way though the coating used is barely even paint. It does not last but a couple of years if you live in any area that has salt or larger amount of precipitation.

Previous vehicles had a much better coating from cars to trucks that I have owned.

 

What a shame Toyota can't get a handle on this... i wonder if composite frames would be cost effective?

 

If Toyota keeps screwing up, I wonder if the aftermarket will step up with dip galvanized frames like you see all the time for Land Rovers? (Series-Defenders, they're all available) Granted, Land Rovers frames are a much simpler design but, still....

 

Does the Taco come with a lifetime warranty on Rust or something? Any kind of protection?

 

Frame rots out, just have a fabricator build you a new one and move everything over

 

Inside of the boxed frame supposed to be painted. problem is paint on the outside is junk. so you can only guess inside is even worst.
Thats why coating solves nothing since there is no good access to inside the frame. And C channels are actually double up so it rusts in between two pieces of metal/ No way to protect that.

 

This thread bums me out. You'd think after building vehicles for 60+ years and building some of the best trucks on the road, Toyota would have this crap figured out already. I would love to call out the money guys or whoever gave the green light to these shoddy build/design practices. We are potentially talking about human lives here.

 

it's not like metallurgy hasn't advanced since the 1970s either.

 

Market forces. Generally speaking, most people don't keep automobiles longer than 10 years.

Long term durability is an afterthought in the design process once profitability, marketability, servicability, and budget have all been satisfied.

Here's another way to look at it: These trucks are well built enough that the fucking frame rots out before they have any real problems My 1992 Honda Accord in 2007 had the rubber falling off the steering wheel and interior was coming apart at the seams, but the drivetrain kept just right on goin.


Regional influences have something to do with it as well. If you list in the Northeast or Great Lakes region, you accept that your motor vehicles will die before their time. You live in a giant electron exchange party. Metals do not care for that.

 

x2 on coatings.

Just about anything hydrophobic will work....buy some cheap motor oil and undercoat your rig

 

Meh.

 

Heh, he's fab'd about everything that can be fab'd on one of these trucks and still have it be a Taco for me. I'm sad to see him "close shop", but I understand his reasons.

As for rust prevention: Yeah, I live in the south. That makes it easy. I'm still super aggressive about touch-ups after wheeling trips though.