Possible frame crack?

Checking out this 2012 Tacoma with 48k on it. While crawling around, I noticed this possible crack. No rot on the frame or body but it has a trailer brake controller on it so I know it pulled a trailer of some sort. Everything works well, clutch is strong etc.

Put a deposit on it that's refundable if it truly is a crack.

Thoughts?

 

You should have an outside chassis repair shop look at it. It does look like there is a crack. It also looks like the frame may have been replaced.

get the vin # and enter in the Toyotas website.

https://account.toyota.com/XUI/?rea...ZpY2F0aW9uLw%3D%3D&response_mode=query#login/

 

I entered the vin on the website, I could be missing something but it looks like they just did a frame inspection and moved it along.

Thanks for the info.

 

Sure looks like one to me. Being directly on a 90% bend and at the point of highest stress, it's very possible.

You should be able to catch the crack with a fingernail and if you jacked the frame/truck on one side and stressed the frame, it would amplify the crack.

 

Well crap.

 

If it is a crack, it's very recent as no rust has formed yet and rust loves a crack. Since it's at a dealer and that is a hazard just waiting to happen, they should take it seriously. I personally wouldn't touch it without a replacement frame as welding it may give mixed results.

 

It’s tough to give an accurate opinion via a photo on the web, but I would wager that’a a crack. It looks like a thin hairline fracture, but it is likely propagating out from the interior radius (the weakest part of the formed box section), where it would look like a BIG crack. Get it inspected very well by a third party (not the person/group selling it).

Source: was a former structural materials inspector.

 

Is it a crack or a line in the coating that was applied to the frame at the factory? Were you able to get a fingernail in it? Did you bring this up with the sales department?

 

If it is a crack, good catch!!

 

No rust in that “crack”

the likelyhood of there not being rust is about zero

I dont know what it is since it does look like a crack, but I don’t think it is

Grinding off the paint might be the only way to know

 

what if the crack formed due to a specific incident that happened a week before OP stepped on the lot to look at it? There would be no rust …

 

honestly it looked like the edge of a layer of paint to me. ....which could be just as concerning if they were painting over rust to cover it up. definitely get a qualified 3rd opinion

 

My fingernail definitely gets caught in it. It extends from in front of the shock mount to the rear of the shock mount then disappears. There is a similar looking "crack" on the passenger side but fingernail doesn't catch on it. I can visualize it and feel it with my finger tips.

My wife saw both of them as well and it was brought to the salesman. He looked mildly horrified as they just took the truck on trade in the last week. It's originally a VA truck and still has VA stickers on it (I'm in PA).

 

...looks like a crack to me,....and on the top rail, possibly a crack with rust....

 

You can see a definite tiny separation here. Paint line ? No way.

 

It looks like there is some rust perforated on those welds. If it were me I’d run..

 

photo from mine. driver's side view. original frame, no rust.


fwiw, no issues with the truck. passenger side view had nothing.

 

You're talking right above the bump stop, right? If so, run.

 

This truck has 4x4 problems. Its a pass. If you input the vin into the toyota app, add the truck to your garage & then you can see all toyota dealership maintenance. Based on the 4x4 problem listed above & the previous owner told them to only spend 30 mins on it. That means he did not want to spend the $$$ to fix it. Probably only been shifted into 4 lo once/twice since new. That's a no buy in my book. Thats a bad truck owner.

How many owners has it had with only 48k miles? Have you tried to put it in 4 lo? Does it still have a blinking 4x4 light?

Your frame recall is 12 years long. So for my 2013, I have till 2025 to get it inspected. The process takes awhile and you need to start beforehand. Seems the previous owner got it done in 2019. They should have waited just a bit. You can't used this recall anymore - they already did. So if the frame is rusted or broken, it's out of your pocket.

 

Is there a gap in the metal? really hard to tell from these photos. It kind of just looks like a ridge of the metal. I'm not sure why the ridge is there though...Get it inspected for sure before buying