Cream puff truck crap frame

That definitely qualifies.

 

I would like to hope.

 

High strength steel is typically prone to rust. In a strange reversal of what you might assume, the stronger the steel the more rust prone, due to high levels of carbon in the steel. This is why they don’t make stainless steel frames etc......even it it wasn’t cost prohibitive.

Toyota failed OP by not putting even the most basic of durable coatings on the frame. That’s all on Toyota, not Dana. They just didn’t care, and maybe it’s come back to bight them.

There are cast-iron bridges in England that are still standing because they painted them properly.

My work truck is a Ford F-150 that has Fords ‘e-coated’ frame. I’m running an experiment as my work truck will be traded in before frame rust is ever a problem. After two years with no cleaning......none at all.......many gravel miles.....and two salty winters.....the Ford frame has minimal, if any rust. Toyota frames leave the lot rusty.

It’s one category that Toyota chooses to deliberately cheap out on, and only on their truck frames. The cars are fine.

 

Ok black dog, no I never coated with fluid film. Never heard of it until this forum. I'm not computer savvy and I have only had a smartphone for less than a year. Dinosaur that I am I was relying on the dealership to inform me during maintenance and inspection visits. They just kept telling me it was ok. Now don't I feel foolish for believing them.

 

I have a new friend who is an expert at rustproofing, painting, and vehicle maintenance. He is the one who discovered the severity of the problem. He thinks some of the problem is due to the amount of welding on the frame because the heat weakens the steel.

 

The welding doesn’t help, but is common to many frames. Most are welded together. Weakness is not what causes a frame to rust. It’s exposure to the elements. If you properly coat your welds, all is good.

 

My frame was coated at some point before I owned it. Had no idea it had to be done over and over and over again.

 

Hopefully it wasn’t coated with rubberized undercoating (Ziebart etc). If so, that’s why your rust is so bad. The oil and wool-wax based coating like Fluid Film don’t trap moisture against the frame like the rubber stuff does. Ziebart etc, guarantees the death of your frame.

If you get a new frame, don’t let them put any rubberized coating on it. Fluid Film is not that.

When I was discussing coatings I was referring to the factory paint, or coating, not undercoating.

 

Not rubberized. Not sure what it is. Thanks for the advice

 

Oddly enough, I have the opposite experience at work with our Fords. They rust out bad.... And we wash the jebeebus out of them after every snow shift. Lol

 

Maybe you're washing them too much.

 

I have two friends with similar trucks. (Chevys) One washes his a lot the other rarely washes his. Guess which one has the most rust.

 

The one without corrosion prevention.
DUH !

 

What makes you think one has it and one doesn't?

 

Lol after spending 12+ hour shifts plowing snow, salting roads, and throwing down chemicals, there is no such thing as "washing them too much"

We actually fluid filmed everything this year, including the 10 and 20 ton dump trucks. Should be interesting to see how that affects things

 

Didn't know you are a snow removal company. That's really hard on equipment for sure.

 

DoT. Even harder on equipment lol

 

Ok you didn't say that, now I get it. What is the average lifespan of a DOT truck?

 

Pickups (F-350s) 5 or so years.

Dump trucks (10 tons and up) 8-12 years, depending on useage and configuration. Although the last 2 or so years for most of them they're basically glorified likes of rust shaped like a truck.

F-450 w/ dump beds - current on at my shop is entering it's 12th year of service. It really should have been replaced 3 years ago.

This is all in St. Louis, MO, where any given week of the year we see 3 seasons.

 

WOW. I'm sure it takes a tremendous amount of maintenance to keep them going.