Guidance for Frame Replacement

I got approved for a frame replacement on my 2010 Prerunner Access Cab with 111K miles and am hoping some of the more mechanically inclined folks could help me navigate the process as bets as possible. They will also be doing the leaf spring and cat converter recalls while in the shop for what is expected to be 2+ months. I use the truck as a daily driver and light work but no off road or heavy hauling.

While they did the initial overview they identified a few other issued that needed to be addressed as well.

Drive Belt- Parts Only
Steering Rack- quoted 1/2 time on install ($228) and parts ($518)
Sway Bar Links-Parts Only ($364)

My question is whether or not any of these parts are better to get OEM or if I could save money with an aftermarket part?

Second, we also discussed some of the work I could have done during the frame replacement which would only be charged parts and the service manager stated shocks, carrier bearings, and ball joints are the three things he would recommend to change during the replacement. We are also going to look at the clutch when the time comes.

Any recommendations on where to source these parts or would OEM be my best bet? Also any thoughts on additional work I should get done?

Thanks TW

 

Sway bar links are meh... they're pretty damn easy to do yourself, and while I'm sure OE ones are great, they're not $180 a pop great, you could buy decent aftermarket ones 3x over.

Belt- might as well, it is kinda a PITA. If their price is more than $50, grab a Bando, Continental or Gates and leave it on the seat. I use Bando cuz I've never had an issue with them, and I get them stupid cheap through work... like, 1/2-1/3 what a Gates belt costs.

Rack- hate to say it but it's probably not half bad IF they're using a genuine rack. Most aftermarket remans are pretty crappy, sucks but that's what it is. Maval is OK but not easy to find, AAE is relatively new (or at least the name is) and talked a mean game, but I've seen enough issues with them to make me a little trigger shy... but still better than BBB or Cardone, which is who does pretty much every parts-store brand, and are about equally crappy.

I'd also plan on doing alignment cams, preferably with OEM, and at that point would say to grab a set of used LCAs off here. Put in some Whiteline poly bushings, and either do the lower joints in them yourself or get an independent shop to do it, and leave the dealer their new LCAs in the bed when you drop it off... perhaps with a bottle of copper antisieze, and maybe a 6-pack for the who'll be nice enough to antisieze your new alignment cams so they're not rusted solid next time you need an alignment.

 

New lower control arms and alignment cams are included in the frame swap.

 

Ah damn... 14 years with Uniball UCAs and I forget upper ball joints are a thing.

 

Go with Moog away bar end links. They're greasable and you don't have to use an Allen key with a wrench to install and remove them. I paid $35 each on Amazon.

 

My first question would be whats wrong with said parts, serp. belt fine if its old, steering rack? you hardly ever hear of one failing on here, sway bar ends do it yourself much cheaper.

That said, when I had my frame done I was told if they take it off the old frame they would bolt new on free if you buy the parts even if you drop them off to the dealership when frame gets done.

Sounds like a lot of other posts on here about the stealership trying to get extra money for doing their job.

 

My rack and lines are original and its an 06. Bullshit you need a rack. Its a 2010 for christs sake if its not dripping onto the ground then dont replace it. Lower control arms are guaranteed with new cams and pretty sure there is a upper control arm recall out of something like that but not sure if its a 2012 plus thing, saw one done last week for a clicking or clunking or something. Sway bar links are easy, fresh vice grips and an impact gun after heating up the nut. Hour long job on the driveway. Half that if you got a lift. If hes reccomending carrier bearings you might as well get all 3 new u joints too. But if its not collapsed leave it be. Shocks (rears atleast) or a decent idea, mine lasted about 90k. Way easier to zip the nut off with a gun than use a wrench since the bed will be off, less future labor time.

 

Thanks for the assistance guys. Going to drop it off tomorrow and will asses what work I am going to have them do in the coming weeks. They are sending me with a Tacoma loaner which is nice as I half way expected a Camry.

Thanks. I am seeing the

$22 Moog K80948 Suspension Stabilizer Bar Link for Toyota Tacoma

Moog K80948/46 part as what I need. Sound about right?

 

Yeah I believe that's it. Here's the link to the ones I got for my 07:

$22 MOOG K80948 Suspension Stabilizer Bar Link for Toyota Tacoma

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002M6JWFE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

I just got a call from the Service Dept guy and he is telling me the frame replacement is off. They have had my truck for two weeks now and are just now making this decision. He said he "misheard" the technician and instead of frame rust there was actually rust on the shackles attaching the leaf springs.

Needless to say I am pretty confused and maybe even a little mad. Does anyone have any idea on what may or may not have happened and any advice on how to proceed?

 

That is TBD, but I cant imagine so. he called at 9:05 this morning and I told him I was just starting may day at work after a long weekend and I would have to call him back later.

He made it sound like they wanted to make it right and work with me on the parts I was expecting to add during the frame replacement, which is fine and dandy, but the whole thing seems fishy to me. I am wondering if there was no rust, and they thought they could inflate some service hours billed to Toyota Corporate and then hit a snag somewhere along the way.

 

Something real fishy there. None of that is how it works. The way it works is they spend 1 or 2 hours inspecting it and photographing any holes larger than 10mm. If small holes are found, they give you your truck back and let you know when Toyota approves the frame swap. If the holes are so large you can stick your fist through the frame, they immediately put you in a rental and keep your truck til the frame comes in and gets swapped.

There can't be just a "misheard". There are pics and paper documentation associated with the rust hole.

Everyone should inspect their own frame to look for holes before taking it to the dealer for inspection.

 

All I know is no way does it take to 2 months to swap a frame. You can literally take the bed off the frame in a few hours. Then maybe another half day to separate the cab from the frame and have a rolling chassis. Not sure what there doing for 2+ months.

 

That is what I am thinking. I am going to call them this afternoon and try to get a better idea of how this happened although I don't expect I will get a straight up answer. When I initially brought them the truck, they were very quick to say "you likely need a frame replacement" before ever getting under it. I told them the truck was in W Texas for 10 years before I brought it to SC and they doubled down on likely needing a frame replacement, which I thought was odd because W Texas is about as dry as it gets. I just figured they knew better than I did and was excited about the new frame.

They also told me I didn't get a loaner while it was in their care, so I took the truck home and came back Monday and told them they had to provide a loaner based on the settlement and they gave me s third gen.

Long story short is the whole thing started off fishy and stayed that way. I will report what I found after calling them back

 

Sounds like they jumped the gun saying you needed a frame

 

Sub'd for resolution...

 

I talked to the assistant service manager who has been helping tonight and while I don't really believe what he is telling me, I don't think it is worth getting too upset over. They did not perform the other repairs they suggested at the onset which allows me to take the truck elsewhere, so I am not out of pocket anything.

His line of mishearing the service tech say there was rust on the frame instead of the leaf spring shackles is a pretty thin excuse as a user above mentioned the whole frame replacement approval process has steps in place that they would have followed before initiating an almost three week hold of my truck to do two hours of recall work.

At this point they have offered some discount, not specific on the other quoted work and I have not decided whether to take them up on it.

I'll go talk to the guy tomorrow and see what sort of discount on labor they are offering, but I don't see many other outcomes beside them just saying it was an error on their part and giving my truck back.

I still have two years on the frame warranty so maybe I try again in a year or so after a couple of winters in upstate SC vs w Texas.

 

When i went into the dealer to get mine inspected they immediately took it and gave me a loaner..it ended up being at the dealer for almost 6 weeks getting the frame replaced. They made it sound like 90% of the time was getting the frame itself as opposed to the actual labor of replacing it. I did end up back at the dealer after about 3-4 weeks to swap to a new rental car and my truck was still sitting in the back exactly where it was from day 1.

 

Mechanics always "reccomend" service its major part of their revenue stream. Just have them replace whatever is covered under the recall and get the hell outta there