Frame Issues. Should I undercoat?

Purchased a 15 TRD OR AC 4x4 in August. I know all about the frame issues with earlier years. Are they still having issues with these newer models or is it just too soon to tell?

Headng into my first winter in Pa I'm wondering if I should have it undercoated. They definiteley use salt on the roads here.

I usually keep my vehicles ten years or more. I haven't had any of my prior vehicles, which were almost all Toyota's, undercoated and never had an issue with rust. Based on their history I've considered having the Tacoma undercoated to eliminate the potential problem. The price is low enough that it's not a factor. Is there a down side to having it undercoated?

I'd much rather not need to ever have the frame replaced even if they do it for free.

How many of you have had it done in areas with road salt?

 

personally i would throw a good coat of paint on it. i had my '07 undercoated as part of the frame recall and they use an oil based undercoat that remains "tacky" forever. or maybe find a better undercoat that actually dries
just my $.02

 

A few cans of Fluid Film from Lowes now and occasional blasts from one of these gizmos pictured below during the winter, you should be good

 

there are a lot of vids on Fluid film but here is one, ignore the song, lol
https://youtu.be/xxEvlPsGvRA

 

I have been considering the same thing. The highways out here do get mag chloride, but rust is not near as big a problem as PA. I grew up north of Pittsburgh, so I know what you are talking about. The jeep I drove in high school had fiberglass floors because the floor boards rusted through. Anyway, from the research that I have done about it you do not want to undercoat it for two reasons. The first is that the undercoat will plug drain holes, which the Tacoma has some small drain holes along the frame. This will cause salt and water to get trapped in the frame making things worse. The second reason is that as it gets chipped and eventually cracked it will trap the salty water between the coating and the frame making it rust worse. I am personally going to be doing fluid film on mine as I have read great things about it.

As far as whether the problem is solved or not I think it is too soon to tell. I haven't seen anybody with a 2010 post a picture of a messed up frame yet, but its only been 5 years. I would hope that they fixed the problem, but if they didn't this will be my and I am sure many other's last Tacoma.

Edit: Just saw you are from Mt Lebanon. I grew up in Mars, just outside Cranberry, small world.

 

Read your post. Seems to me you have answered your own question.

 

I googled gizmos and didn't find this - could you give a link ?? Thanks.

 

GM even coats their full size frames from the factory with a black waxy substance & Toyota hasn't gotten with the program

Coat your frame now. There have been pictures on TW of 2015's that already rusting at the weld points. Just wait until they have a season or two of salt & sand.

It will be too late then!

 

I live in Pa also and yes, PA loves salt like sluts like c....... Well, you get it.

Supposedly, according to toyota they have switched frame supplier around 2011 or 2012 blaming the rot on manufacturing defects, or some such thing. My truck is a 2013 with 38k miles. Been through 2 Pa winters and spending weeks at a time in Hatteras NC which leaves your vehicle coated in salt. I wasn't very good about cleaning my truck off last winter because of how cold it got. I would try to run it through a car wash with an undercarriage spray during slightly 'warmer' days.

So far mine doesn't look too bad for having as much salt as we do. Typical rust starting at the weld joints. Pretty common. No rust on flat areas of frame.






This is where a lot of people have the frame rot through. Beside the catalytic converter. No rust or paint peeling. (Not the area with the most light, but beside the converter).

 

haha, gizmo as a gadget, not the actual name. It's Karcher chassis washer - $90 or so

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUt-7wWg9tQ

 

As long as I got U 2 smile I've been successful. Thanks for the link. Looks like it beats getting down on you hands and knees unless that is your preference. Thanks again.

 

my pleasure...... Was in upside NY last week and took me some time to wash all caked up mud from under the truck. Another sunny day here in Jersey.. going to climb under the truck with a can of Fluid film and get it out the way for this season, while it's still clean.

 

Looking for $90 - Amazon says it's discontinued - ebay is $114 with shipping Home Depot is $130 plus tax. Thanks for any leads. I'm in NJ too. There is a brewery by me if you like beer I'll buy you a few for a try out. Thanks.

 

Mmmm, beer... which brewery? Screaming' Hill brewery by chance? I actually do not have that exact tool. I learned about it later, after I built my own from what I had around the house. Regular Surface cleaner (sidewalk, deck etc) + pressure washer extention + home brewed rolling cart .... the thing is a monster and has a few functions around the household. It actually works like $600+ mosmatic undercarriage cleaner (google it)

generic surface washer from big box store will work..
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EZClean-15-in-Gas-Surface-Cleaner-AEZ31023/203105727

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaSXKs84AAs

 

There is a simpler product that might work, requires no additional equipment other than a common garden hose and less expensive ($27 total):

The UnderWasher



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO5AJnjIgec

 

That is a good sign that the frame issue has been solved. The old frames would look much worse than that after 2 PA winters. There is a thread with a 1 year old 2015 in Florida that has all kinds of rust starting on the frame. He claims that he hasn't been driving through salt water, but I don't think I believe him after seeing this.

 

I wouldn't go that far, what reason for him to lie here? I read somewhere that Texas's Tacos more prone to corrosion vs South of the border ones? Wonder if that is the case there...

 

True no real reason to lie. Take a look at his post though, I think that there is no way even with the old frames that it got that rusty in one year with no exposure to salt. If it did our north eastern friends are really screwed.

I don't think that the Texas vs Mexico thing is true in this case, no way are they using two different frame suppliers for the different plants. Just my thinking on it anyway.

 

Fluid film seems to be the way to go.
I would add a frame plug kit also.
There is a thread on it.

 

Just checked out that thread. Don't take my word for it OP, but it looks like 12 and up has the frame plug kit from the factory.