help wanted, how to inspect 09 for frame rust.

Hello everybody. My name is Michael and I just signed up here as I am looking to buy a tacoma for my daughter. I found a 09 AC 2.7 manual local to me in the Chicagoland area that has low miles and appears to be in great shape but in doing my due diligence I did reach out to Toyota corporate and they state that it has never had its frame inspected under the Customer service bulletin/campaign. it has only been in Illinois for about 2 years but unfortunately came from the D.C. area so it does fall under the "High Risk" category. they also told me that any extension of warranty for this truck ran out in 2021. I spoke to 2 different dealers about getting an inspection done, cost, and what it will include and was told that they can do it but the soonest one was 1week out, cost was $95-$165, and it only includes a visual inspection. they will not do the hammer test like they did on previous models. I will most likely try to have one of them do this but I would like to try to look at it myself first to see if I should even bother going that far. The Fram looks clean to me from the outside but all I can find on the searches is what a truly bad frame will look like and information that it will look good until it doesn't. if there any known and accepted inspection that I can do myself before I have it done at the dealer? sorry for the long windedness, thank you all in advance.

 

look especially along the passenger side near the cats, Toyota frames often start rusting there

for comparison to others see:

Rust Prevention/Treatment Consolidation Thread | Tacoma World


welcome to TW

 

Will the dealer/owner allow you to physically slide under or put it up on a lift for you, Pre-PPI? If so, I'd grab a headlamp/flashlight and your trusty hammer. Check all obvious frame spots, but especially around the Cat Converters and the Leaf Spring mounts. Pretty much any junction/bracket point. If unsure what to look for (beyond a straight up rotted frame), go full PPI and any legitimate independent mechanic that you'd be paying to perform a PPI should be OK with doing at minimum some hammer tapping, especially if you have a nice chat with them.

 

Ball peen tapping in places mentioned, particularly the boxed areas.

Probing suspicious spots with an awl

Camera working off your phone USB port in boxed areas, as they rot inside out.

If seller is unwilling to allow, walk away.

 

One of the worst spots, and easily missed spots , is the rear frame on the passenger a just after the front mount for the leaf spring. It rust from there up along the muffler. The muffler “hides it”. And you can’t see it easy.

Also, the front portion of the frame (under the front doors) right before it “bends” up to the engine bay.

If you aren’t looking from UNDER the truck. Looking at the outwards at the inside of the frame, you will never see the “bad” areas that start “first”. Once you see them from the outside, it’s too late.

 

Welcome To TW...

 

It will only take about 20 minutes too know if the truck is a go or not.

 

I would bring a plastic bag / cardboard and a proper working flashlight and inspect the frame to include the above mentioned areas plus the rear bumper frame cross member, radiator support / frame area around the radiator. I would look inside the frame circular holes to check the interior frame it will be a soda straw view. Post some pictures we will be able to evaluate the frame for you. G.L. Winter is coming

 

I have pics in my album, but the 2 spots I know mine failed are

Outside passenger rail right below the Tacoma door badge..that hole just being pushed with my fingers caved in to about 1x2 inches.
Bottom passenger rail where an exhaust hanger attached, smaller hole but enough to fail.

I never crawled under to look further as I knew it was compromised, plus I'm a 2WD. The dealer said it only takes one spot to fail it and they stop there, I had the service writer note the 2 places I mentioned so my guess is they never dug deeper.


I would suggest start with your visual inspection but if that looks good I would definitely bring it somewhere to have it checked as well, even if on your dime. I've seen horror stories of people buying these and being stuck with them at a huge loss.

 

thank you everyone for the information thus far, I am working with the seller to get it inspected. she agreed to let me take it to the local dealer which is better than nothing.

 

Ball peen hammer

I just failed a 2010 F-150 from Ohio last week that a guy was thinking about buying. The parking brake cable bracket was ripping out of the frame right below the driver door

 

That's a must if you ask me. Seeing as you're past the 12 year window, you want zero evidence of issues before you proceed.

 

Tell the guy doing the inspection that you'll give him an extra $50 if he finds a soft spot in the frame.

 

That's only good if the truck was within the warranty period. Kind of a moot point now...

 

If it has not started it will these frames will need constant attention .

If you plan on more then a few years of life.

After all these years it only takes a glance. It will need work the question is to repair or to keep it from needing repair in the near future.

 

Not really....you're giving him incentive to give a good thorough inspection.

 

hello again all, minor update. I had an appointment to have the truck inspected but there was an issue with the registration so I needed to postpone. I did take the time to try to get a good look at the Frame though. I had spoke to Toyota customer service prior and was told that the truck never completed its service campaign inspection when it was active. it did look like it had a coating of wax or cosmoline on the entirety of the frame so I couldn't see any real rust at all. it looks very solid with no swelling I could see. I did get a good look down the passenger box section from the passenger door going forward and it looks like there could be some rust in that section that may be concerning. it sounds solid when struck and has no soft spots on the outside but it may just be in the early stages. I wasn't able to see the drivers side since the brake lines are running up the opening. does anyone have an opinion on the rust seen in this section, good/bad/other, safe/fixable/run away? does anyone have a good phot of that area on a clean frame? thanks again in advance.

 

That look really good IMO
My frame rotted out in that area and currently replacing it

 

My frame is super clean; I can go take a pic of that area if you want (or you can just buy my truck lmao).

 

that would be great if you could do that, thanks so much.