Front frame rust possible repair

I thought I was going to be special and not have to deal with frame rust on my Tacoma, maybe a bit too optimistic...

Anyways, I've hammered out a good amount of the rust on the passenger side and ended up with a golf ball sized hole. I'm sure the rust is also on the drivers side but it hasn't gone all the way through to the surface yet.

I'd like to get some more years out of the truck since its in fantastic shape otherwise and I've owned it for a bit over 10 years now.

Here is a link to a video showing the damage and a few photos.

https://youtube.com/shorts/yLXa6s3kXBk?feature=share

Overall I'm thinking about having some Safe-T Caps welded on or another vender who sells the same thing. I've found three different brands so far.

https://www.autorust.com/product/front-frame-section-tac-230x-d-r-passenger-side/

Has anyone had this project done on their truck? Opinions of what to do next? I'd like to not buy a new Tacoma and deal with the same issue. Are 3rd gen frames the exact same?

 

That’s sucks wish you the best of luck.

 

I had a similar issue like the one your having except the hole I had was a bit smaller. A little over a year ago, I had it repaired by an approved SafeTCap shop and they did a great job. They even treated the entire frame as part of the repair.

 

Yes, and I’m also on the west coast:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/another-frame-with-a-rust-hole.844748/

 

So you live in salt/snow country, had the vehicle for a number of years, and the frame hasn't been treated with any preventative product along the way? (Pics don't seem to indicate any)

If it has been treated, sharing frequency and product type might help others avoid similar results.

 

I feel like folks out west tend to assume they don't need to treat their frames since it's generally much drier climate. I briefly considered moving to Colorado and asked a lot of locals how they deal with vehicle rust and literally nobody I spoke to said they even thought about it.

But these Tacoma frames have always been a unique case and even if you live in the desert and only drive through rain once a year, it would still be a good idea to crawl under and look at it regularly.

 

Nope, call me naive. The big kicker is you don't any signs until its far gone and rusted through the surface.

 

Just read through all of that, I'll use the photos and such for a fabrication shop in the Western Washington area

 

Never had an issue with rust in Western WA over millions of miles. I wonder if OPs truck has spent some time in a rust area . . Tacomas sell for high dollar around here and I have seen many shipped in from Northeast and and Midwest to be resold

I think the rainy fall, winter, and spring helps us here, all the wet roads wash the crap off. We are good for one snow storm a year and when that comes the Cities, counties, and DOT treat with some deicers, but it's nothing crazy.

My 2005 frame was so clean you could eat dinner off it.

Good luck OP! It looks like it can be fixed

 

They don't salt roads in WA. They use some sort of sand I think.

 

lol, they definitely use both deicer and salt in the state. They use sand when temps fall below the working range of liquid deicer.


Screen shot from the wa dot page.

 

Keep us updated on what you end up doing, and if you get the repairs done