2001 Tacoma Frame Rust

If you know that it wasn't coated I don't think you're going to get any results from a dealer, because that whole program was to save Toyota's ass from handing out new frames in the first place. Guess it couldn't hurt to try though.

Previous owner of my truck didn't have it done and my conversation with dealer lasted about 3 minutes. I did a five-step process to restore my frame last fall, and its still rust free after a near record breaking winter. Lots of dirty work

 

I'll second this. If you're eligible, this is an offer you don't want to refuse. I took mine into the dealership for an inspection, they didn't charge anything for it. They worked with Toyota, I was eligible, and a month later I had a 25% down payment for my new '14 dual cab 4x4 long bed.

I never knew about the warranty extension so I never brought mine in to get the frame treated, it didn't cause any problems. The main thing they care about is whether it was purchased in a place that uses a lot of road salt. 99 or 2000 was one of the last years, I'm not sure if 2001 was where they started replacing the frame instead of buying the truck back.

As for treatment, if the above fails and your frame is still solid, then get it up on ramps and cleaned up as best you can. Then get the 1 gallon fluid film application kit from Kellsport with the pro gun and soak that baby down. Rinse it real good each spring (no soap) after the first storm washes the last of the salt off the road. Repeat the FF application each fall before it gets cold out and things shouldn't get much rustier than they are already.

 

And keep in mind - you can drive around with a frame that's not structurally sound and everything will seem just fine right up until it breaks in half, or you're in an accident and get turned into hamburger because there wasn't a frame to protect you. If it's rusted out, you need to get it fixed or junked ASAP.

 

Yes call them and tell them you bought your truck and not sure if your frame has been inspected. They will ask you for vin number and run threw system. If it hasn't been inspected, tell them you want it done. It's no cost to you.Even my 03 Sequia had to be done! Let us know final outcome if you don't mind. The more we know the better. If it's not eligible you can go other route for piece of mind.

 

So I just called the dealership and a lady answered. We talked for a second and she said that I would have to call back tomorrow between 7:30 and 6 because that is when service opens. She said that my question was a service question so I will call back tomorrow and let u guys know.

 

Cool,can't hurt. It doesn't take long . I waited while they did mine.

 

Well I called them and they said that there is no open campaign for my truck. So I guess I will just have to paint and protect the frame as much as I can. What are your guys opinions for what I should do now?

 

Try to get some photos up if you can, that would help. Worst area is usually near gas tank on driver side, where leaf spring meets the frame. There are many approaches and strong opinions on how to go about sealing your frame up

 

Okay. I will put them up tomorrow.

 

That sucks. For some reason here in northern Va., toyota dealers are much more willing to please. Anyway these guys will get you right.

 

For the rust buybacks / frame replacements, it's not the dealer's call. They send your VIN to Toyota HQ and the answer is either yes or no.

OP, I'd focus on stopping the rust more than sealing the frame. If you sand down absolutely everything and don't miss a spot, then seal it up with paint real good, that might do it but I'm not qualified to say either way. If you keep an oily coating like Fluid Film on there then oxygen can't react with iron and the rust can't progress. If you just clean it and seal it, the smallest perforation will get the process going again. If something wipes off the fluid film, it will just flow back over from an adjacent area.

There's a couple other good oily coatings out there but I can't remember any names at the moment. I think WD40 makes a product like that too. Don't use old motor oil or chainsaw oil because it just makes a huge mess and doesn't protect for very long.

 

The TSB should have been taken care of a few years ago, not sure they extend. However the frame recall only applies to Tacoma's purchased in a cold weather climate state (don't have the notice in front of me), so if the Taco was purchased in CA then it probably does not qualify.

http://forums.edmunds.com/discussio...ma-frame-rust-warranty-expired-without-notice

http://tacoma-upgrade.com/2009/06/i...2004-toyota-tacoma-frame-recall-for-rust.html

 

on a side note they ended up just spraying my frame with w/e the used and it has already started peeling off. it was sprayed in January and was not fully cured until that summer, even then was a little tacky to the touch.

before the TSB I had sprayed my frame/under-body with used oil every October so it was protected from the winter elements.


I am going to drop the gas tank shield this spring and wire brush it then hit it with Chassis Saver (http://www.magnetpaints.com/underbody.asp). This stuff coats well and uses very little. I used about one spice container full to triple coat my hitch, a wheelbarrow, 2 shovels, parts of my trailer, and still had a litle wasted on the bottom.

 

1. Scrape and wire brush all rust scale. For most of the open areas, a sturdy wire brush will work well. For nooks and crannies, use a cordless drill with 2"-3" extension and a wire wheel that looks like this,
with brass bristles.


2. Once the frame is cleaned up, it's ideal to use a cleaner like acetone or Klean Strip Prep-All. I just brushed everything with a dry, fine bristle paint brush to remove dust and blew compressed air through inside of frame until nothing came out. (My rust scale was so bad that if I tried to rub with cleaner on a rag, the scale ripped the rag up and I had cotton fibers everywhere)

3. Spray inside of frame with Eastwood Internal Frame Coating. Start from the very front and move back. At a certain point the frame opens up and is no longer fully boxed. As I mentioned in an above post, two cans should be plenty. I made two light passes on each side and made sure to overlap.

4. After previous product has dried to mfrs. specs, coat entire frame with any quality rust converter/reformer. I used a Klean Strip product that is no longer made, however a Rustoleum Rust Reformer will do the trick. Its a milky substance that comes in 8oz jugs. I used roughly 40oz. Its important that this product be brushed on by hand. Use cheap 2"-3" wooden handled brushes, they'll junk after you're done. Mop the stuff on heavy and swirl the brush to get into all the pores. Let it cure according to the mfrs specs, two weeks for me.

5. Top coat the frame with your choice of paint. Rustoleum satin black was my choice. Definitely wear a respirator. It will need touched up in the future so don't get fancy.

6. There has been some controversy on this, but I used old motor oil, straight outta the Tacoma, to coat my fully dried and restored frame. Yes, it was messy (this whole process is filthy from start to finish, you're going to go through some t-shirts), yes it dripped (I parked on old cardboard and burnt it afterwards, oops). I did this after coating everything I could with heavy grease by hand. If you're careful it doesn't drip a whole lot and honestly I think Fluid Film is a huge rip off, especially if you have some shop do it. No peace of mind in that. (EDIT)--->I'm biased because a shop sprayed fluid film on my company truck; it was thin and they missed a lot. I'm sure, if applied properly and thoroughly, that its a quality protectant.

I understand that rust is inevitable, born and raised in Erie Pa where we had 130" of snow this year and the salt turns my red truck white. This is what my frame looks like today. I wash it off about every other week in the winter. Its not perfect and will need touched up, but I know it's not rotting underneath me.

I really hope this helps, I want to kill the frame rust threads on TW

 

How did u get the top of the frame?

 

Any which way you can, a short coarse file or just by hand with sandpaper. There definitely some spots you can't reach. The way I see it, it's not going to be a brand new frame- but just from the way it held up this winter I know it'll keep the Tacoma solid till it hits 200k.

P.S. My truck came from Niagara Falls, NY, which is known to have even worse road salt than PA. There were literally only a few square inches of the frame that weren't covered in rust. Luckily no perforations following hammer tests. This project takes forever but it works and is well worth it!

 

Ight. Sorry about no pictures they will be up by 1:00 tomorrow. My truck has over 200k miles so I'll be taking the bed off and trying to get to every inch that I can once I get a car to drive around for a while.

 

Good luck with those bed bolts. Half of mine broke the weld inside on the studs. Just spin around. Then when you cut nut off you are left with a spinner. I would suggest that you put some heat on them if they are super rusted. I used breaker bar and regret my impatient approach. These northern VA . roads get covered with salt and sand. Now they even pre-treat them! Sure is hard on frames! Sounds like similar road conditions.

 

Here are the pictures

 

I can post more if u guys want to see certain parts of the frame that aren't there. Just let me know