Bed underside rust

Oh, tacoma beds always rust through right there, on the seam between the bed side sheet metal and the bed floor.

I think it's because the wheels do throw rocks at the bed, eventually cracking the kind of bedliner layer that is on the bottom face of the bed, allowing moisture in and making the seam rot from within

Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is cut what is bad and weld a new plate in

Here's what I did to fix mine:



I used L-flashing angle, the type you use for roofs, to patch my bed. It's pretty much the same thickness as the wheel well section but it's also a tad thinner than the corrugated bed floor

 

Damn dude, nice job ^

 

Mine rusted in that exact spot also

 

I was going to say almost precisely the thing that Onakat already mentioned if he didn't already mention it. Yes, from my experience having just replaced my bed entirely I would attest that the seam of metal between the wheel well and the center portion of the bed that runs front to back all the way down the bed is what rots out. I guess the factory seam sealing material just eventually corrodes and falls out and you're left with a place that water can get it up in there and cause rust. I resealed that whole seam on the bed I was refurbishing before then painting over it and lastly undercoating it before mounting.

 

dudette! for lack of a better word i cannot think of right now

 

Some fine looking work and clear explanation of what's going on

That's exactly what's going on

 

Anyone ever paint the underside of their bed? Ive got a bit of rust down there and Im thinking anout hitting it with left over POR15 ive got from painting the frame.