Undercarriage Rust on used Tacoma

As they say…… Put up or shut up.

 

This is not bad rust glad you caught it early. I would not spray over the rust as was stated in previous post that's wrong . If you plan on keeping the vehicle a long time I would start with a wire wheel on a drill and brushes for those hard to reach areas. Then Ospho rust neutralizer , Eastwood chassis primer, Eastwood black chassis paint then either Amsoil heavy duty metal protector or Woolwax. The above applications apply two coats each. I would do it in sections and take your time don't cut corners. Rust never sleeps Neil Young. Miss those San Diego days fond memories.G.L.

 

Is it cool to treat the hub assembly, whatever is behind it, and the suspension with fluid film or should I leave it be?

 

LOL

 

I spray everything but, the brake rotors, wheels, and exterior surfaces. I have avoided directly spraying the exhaust but, after seeing my flanges look like yours, I am re-thinking that. the excess with burn/melt off the pipes but, maybe it would slow the rust on the welds/flanges. Ski

 

One of the nice things about getting older is you quit worrying about shit like surface rust!

 

Aren’t you just like 57?

 

In my 60's, retired with a healthy pension and drawing off the goobermint social security teet. My wife is still petite and smoking hot and the flag pole still works. Life is still good brother!

 

do or die moment ig

 

or how about pipe up or pipe down?

 

dude if you live in CA that rust will not affect your ride if you do nothing, and it will not affect the guy who buys it after you move on from it. Treat it because you want to and can, but don't sweat it..

 

Ok, this’ll settle it. 2017 85k miles Baja built So Cal car- one caveat: that isn’t rust on the exhaust pipe, I drove it though New Mexico on a long dirt backroads trail one winter and the red clay it picked up out there literally baked onto my cats and pipes.

 

I figured you wouldn’t put any pics up……..
Goodbye……..

 

Nah that's rust, but minimal.

 

OP, you're good, just hit it with a brush then paint it.

 

Completely normal for your area……looks great for a ‘17

 

1) This original post is a gold star example of why you should have an expensive used vehicle (such as a 3rd gen Taco) taken to a shop for an independent inspection before buying. That includes racking it on a lift for a thorough visual inspection. HOW ON EARTH DOES ONE BUY A USED TRUCK WITHOUT INSPECTING THE UNDER-CARRIAGE?!?!? Seriously! WITAF?!?!?

2) Thankfully for the OP that is surface rust.

3) As far as treatment / corrective action, one should NEVER EVER simply paint over any kind of rust. Encapsulating rust only makes it worse. I would pressure wash, gently, the undercarriage. Or drive it through one of those car washes that has underside cleaning spray as an upsell option a couple of times. Then I would Fluid Film it. All of it. Even in SoCal where salt is not used on roads. A Fluid Film (or Woolwax or Cosmoline) coating should last 2-3 years and maybe more in SoCal unlike Pennsylvania where it needs to be re-applied every spring or your frame will completely rot out in <<10 years.

 

I meant the pipes, the flange is lightly rusted. It’s seen salt twice in Oregon and Washington , but not much else. The clay is finally flaking off the pipe- I tried to power wash it first and it didn’t come off because it’s baked from the hot pipe- wire brushing works but it takes too long so I ignore it. The flanges I will ignore also because you are right- only lightly rusted and I don’t think they’re going to get much worse.

 

Been through this thread twice and I see it from all sides. If 3rd gens become valuable in 50 years like early Broncos, people would be very excited to see metal in this good shape. And yes, given a normal life in California, this won't have any effect. A good treatment using proper methods (lots of other posts here about this ranging from fluid film to sand, paint, and cosmoline) would be nice and provide some piece of mind and keep it from spreading (what I would do). Nothing a messy weekend won't fix, but it would sure tic me off to do this on a new-ish vehicle bought in California.

But on a high-dollar CPO vehicle I would have passed on this one. The carfax will tell where the vehicle lived. Lots of rusty vehicles from the North that look shiny on top are being sold here in Florida. I have advised friends to pass on vehicles with carfaxes showing life in salty states. A lot of people, I suppose, don't care. I would.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-prevention-in-non-rust-states.813740/

Reference point for you