Frame Rust Recall

Yeah, so Toyota wasn’t interested in any of it. They thought the rusty seams and the small spots I have are surface rust and “normal” for a vehicle at 75k miles. I beg to differ. They tried to point out that even brakes rust after sitting a couple days without use! Meh! I don’t think it’s a viable comparison. They pretty much told me to get lost and until I have holes, not to bother with them. I brought up the fact that it was treated two years ago and I’m seeing rust again. I asked if Toyota would treat it a second time and was told “I’ve never seen a Toyota come back with perforation after being treated”. Not really a direct answer.

conclusion: I guess I’m getting a wire brush out and some sealer before this seasons woolwax.

I’ve owned Hondas, Volvos, Subarus, VW, Nissans and jeeps. None of which have had frame rust after 7 years and 75k miles, if ever. Toyota wants to call it normal. I think we all know better. The cross we carry as a Taco owner!

 

They almost certainly just sprayed the treatment over whatever was there, little to no prep. I'd bust out an air needle scaler and hit every weld with it, you'll have a lot of additional rust exposed that way. The scaler won't do much damage to non-rusty paint. Focus on the welds and those spots like in your pics where you can see the rust bubbles under the paint. I use a small stiff wire brush to get in the nooks and crannies, some sandpaper on the flat spots, then apply Corroseal and/or Rustoleum rust converter, then some satin black paint. I'm about done with the visible parts, next will be the welds on the inside of the frame. They're not bad but now that I've started, I'm going to finish it.

My rust looks to be in the same ballpark as yours, it cleans up well. But my efforts won't be tested like yours will; I hope you'll post back in a few years so we can learn how things held up for you.

 

I have surface rust on welds and minor stuff on seams. Doesn't matter if your truck only has 75k. Mine has 45k. You introduce salt water to metal, it's gonna rust. I fluid film every year and my rust hasn't grown at all.

Blame your state for dumping extreme amounts of salt solution on the road to make you "safer" all the while corroding vehicles and making them death traps for the unaware. No one files suits against them. You can go out west or down south and see nice old trucks and cars from all makes that you'd never see in the salt belt.

It doesn't matter what you drive, it WILL rust if you aren't proactive about it in the SALT BELT.

 

They're not going to do anything for you unless you have a dime sized hole in the frame from rust. Your photos at first glance don't look bad at all for a Maryland truck. Personally, I think you're over exaggerating a bit. You should have seen my 04 prerunner (totalled by falling tree in that bad appapolis storm last year) that came out of Baltimore. Looked hideous but solid throughout.

 

Fluid Film will stop existing rust and let moisture out and wick water off. You don't need to go grinding on the frame unless it's loose scale.

Fluid Film and Wool Wax it yearly and forget about it. Do NOT wash under your truck in the winter.

 

If you’re really worried about the rust, use por-15.

 

Unless you can paint inside the frame, that won't stop the rust.
They don't just dump rock salt on the ground anymore, they spray calcium or magnesium chloride, and even a spec of exposed steel will rust, flake, and the rust will travel through the grain in the iron under the paint.
Nasty, nasty stuff. Only way we've found to stop it is something like lanolin that keeps the oxygen from reaching the iron.

 

Por15 will flake off. Use chassis saver

 

Mine was coated and rotted several years later, though mine is a 2010.