How bad is this rust?

Just bought this 2009 a week and a half ago. After reading about the horror stories of frame rust (and living in Pennsylvania) I wanted to check my undercarriage. There is definitely rust, but not really any holes completely though the metal or anything. Previous owner said last year it was recalled and they coated the frame. Judging by the pictures, is this anything to be concerned of? (Also bonus, last picture is the spare tire mount completely rusted and broken, need to buy a replacement)

 

It doesn't look too too terrible, except for the spare tire winch piece. Anything that looks flakey I would use an angle grinder with a wire wheel to clean down to bare metal. Anything really thick and chunky, I like to use a pneumatic needle scaler on. The needle scaler is much faster than the grinder for big stuff, but doesn't clean down to bare metal like a wire wheel. These two tools work good as a pair.

Then paint with a rusty metal primer or rust reformer, and over top of that with normal paint, then fluid film.

For inside the frame fails, Eastwood has an internal frame coating that I want to use as well once I get the outside all cleaned up.

 

Thank you! Do you have any recommendations for specific products to use? I keep hearing about POR-15, fluid film, corroseal, etc. but people say all different things about what is best.

 

I edited my post at the same time you sent this one because I realize I wasn't specific. I use Rustoleum Rust Reformer and then some generic Rustoleum flat black over top, and that looks good for me. Eastwood internal frame coating is good for the inside of the frame rails, and has a little hose nozzle to run on the inside. Then fluid film is a name brand of an oily based undercoating that just keeps the salty water off the metal, although I would wait to do this until the frame is all painted how you like, because painting on top of any oily residue won't stick really well

 

As a suggestion.

Before you use any rust inhibitor, you need to repair.

Strip down to bare metal, repair/replace, prime, paint, rust inhibitor.

You may want to contact Toyota to determine if you are in the frame recall/replace/repair next step group.

 

Rust Prevention/Treatment Consolidation Thread | Tacoma World

 

I've used POR-15, fluid film and woolwax. POR -15 can be effective but it really only bonds to rusted metal that is properly prepped by de-scaling loose rust, de-greasing and etching properly. It's kinda a pain, but if you do the work it can work well. It will not stick well to anything painted. I did the whole underside of my taco about 5 years in, and the vast majority of it has flaked off 6 years later despite my prep. I wouldn't do it again.

Fluid film and woolwax are similar products, both lanolin based. Either coats well and flow to get into crevices. Fluid film is thinner and smells pretty bad, for this reason I've switched to wool wax this year and am happy with it (also comes in black, so it looks better). They both need to be re-applied yearly (or more) as they do wash off with time.

Based on what you've got going, on I'd do regular woolwax treatments. Coverage will be better and far less work than POR 15. Wash out the frame holes well with water, let dry well and spray everywhere liberally. Buy the undercoating gun and get a gallon. Warm it up prior to spraying for best spray performance.

 

I had a similar experience with POR15. Despite prep, it still doesn't adhere well to anything really, and I could peel it off after it dried.

 

POR15 is garbage for light frame rust. Propagated on 4x4 forums cause it’s cheap and looks good once the job is done. Resto forums hate the stuff. The only situation I would (and have) ever used it for is to get some extra life out of a rusting to pieces frame. The prep is too touchy and the adhesion to any clean frame is sketchy at best. It’s meant to Paint Over Rust. So wherever it touches clean frame it’s going to peel just like super glue peels off.

Anyway, I like duplicolor engine enamel in Ford black satin as my rattle can coat once I get the rust wire wheeled down as much as possible. I topcoat a week later with corrosion X hd. That stuff doesn’t hardly wash off like fluid film. It makes a pretty grimey coat but it has worked well for me and smells like coffee sort of. But plenty of people use wool wax, fluid film, cosmoline 342, etc. I don’t typically like wax type films, I like petroleum based semi-liquid coats to create a better barrier.

I have used eastwood internal frame spray for the inside of boxed Toyota frames and it is good stuff. Extremely thin liquid so it runs like crazy but that lets it seep into all the crevices. I always topcoat that inside the frame with corrosion X as well.

the other thing to do, is if Toyota doesn’t help you out under a rust campaign (I don’t follow what’s going on with that and which years are still covered as of 2021), you can search Tacoma frame plug kit on here and find a thread that details the frame plug kit part number, so you can plug all the holes up mostly near the front wheels/fender and prevent crap getting thrown into the frame.

 

Are you sure the frame was coated.

If you haven't, open a toyota owners account and punch in your vin to see all dealer performed service

 

FWIW, the POR-15 product is typically used for lining fuel tanks. A common application is motorcycle fuel tanks.

Many motorcyclist have had issues with POR-15 not adhering or fouling the fuel system, generally plugging the fuel petcock.

Not sure if it is a good product for frames.

 

We drive disposable junk these days. If the frames were a better grade of steel and they were "treated", at the factory, all this rust would not be happening so quickly.
Granted, areas where they salt the roads heavily, does wreak havoc faster.
With the way the frames are rusting, it's like the frames are sprayed with a coating that creates rust faster than normal. What the hell!!

I plan to have the whole underside steam cleaned with a salt neutralizer, then sprayed with Dynatron Dyna Pro, or Cosmoline.

The "service (spraying)" the dealerships are doing to the frames, is a joke.
It makes the customer "feel good".
It does absolutely nothing but place a band-aid on the issue.
It does give the customer a sense of fixing, but it's a growing problem.

 

Thank you, just did that, here is what popped up. Looks like they did a CRC coating in December of 2017. Odometer is only at 103,500 now, so that was about 24,000 miles ago.

 

Rust doesnt look to bad to me. I wouldnt worry about it if it was mine. In PA its unavoidable. Thats just surface rust. Except for the spare tire hanger. Offroad people around here in northern michigan we drill a hole in the bottom of the frame just in front of rear tires as a drain and then you can park on a hill and rinse the inside of the frame with a hose. Then spray inside of frame with fluid film or used motor oil or hydraulic oil. Dont feel bad about getting used motor oil all over the ground, remember it was made by the earth for the earth lol.

 

You've never had the pleasure of owning a car built in the 1960 or 70s. Typically, the body would disintegrate within 10 years after production. Frame will be strong, because they were still making them from 3/8" or thicker steel. The term "Rust Bucket" was aptly used and applied.

Huge rust thru holes behind each wheel, fenders, floor boards, rocker panels, doors........

My point: Yes, I agree rust is bad and shortens the life of steel. The industry has made great steps to mitigate the rusting problem.
Fact: Ferrous materials (iron, steel) will rust. Its a force of nature. All you can do is slow the progress.

There was a car company many years ago that tried a stainless steel body. It didn't sell very well resulting in a short market life. Of course, some of that short life may have been due to the body was plopped onto a Fiat steel frame and powered by an anemic engine while being over priced.

 

Oh, but I have.
I have had plenty.
Granted there were issues.
Bad issues that could have been resolved at the manufacturing level, that was not.
The amount of rust that formed, for the most, could have been taken care of by the owner.
By the owner taking care of the vehicles better than they did.
But they didn't.

 

Best rust prevention i know of.......move to the desert lol. Thats where im headed im sick of working on rusty cars in northern michigan

 

These statements still apply to owner's of modern vehicles.

 

Well, sure they do. That applies to anything and everything. If it does not get taken care of, what happens?
It wears out and turns into a turd that gets set in a field, or behind the garage, or in the trash or landfill.

I get it completely.
WE - the consumers, created what we complain about, if you think about it.

 

Yep the dealer coating is clearly visible in the photos... which means the actual rust underneath is worse once you scrap off the shitty coating.