Excessive Dust/Dirt in 2nd gen frame - cause of rust?

I've seen a few posts about this for 1st gens, but I have not seen much about it for 2nd Gens.

I just bought an 08 Tacoma and have been doing a variety of work to it. Over the weekend I was changing my front shocks and broke welds holding the sway bar nut to the frame. I also was adding an LED light bar in the bumper, so I figured I'd fish a nut through the front of the bumper and replace the broken welded nut with a new nut.

To my surprise I found about an inch of dirt in the frame. Given that most of the access holes have been covered with plugs, I'm not really sure how it got in there, wonder if it was sucked up from the back with some type of vortex action, or if the small holes that are left uncovered contributed to it over the years.

Here's one side as I first found it:


Here it is again after a few minutes with a vacuum and extra flexible hose:



Anyway, I was thinking that this could be one of the causes of the frame rust. I was also thinking about a remedy/solution.

Has anyone tried this stuff before?
http://www.jegs.com/p/Eastwood/Eastwood-Internal-Frame-Coating/1412511/10002/-1

Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

Due to the fact there appear to be rocks in there, it looks like someone wheeled the shit out of that thing.

Mud in your frame may contribute to frame rust, but I doubt it is the root cause.

I've seen a seriously rusty frame on a Tacoma that never went off-road (Grandpa's truck).

 

I have had good luck with Eastwood products but have never used that particular one. I personally wouldn't hesitate to appy it.

 

I wish I knew the background behind this truck....I found a ton of dust in the driver's kick panel. So much so that I thought it was a flood truck! But then I looked around at the carpet and other things and realized that it couldn't have been a flood because I would see similar evidence other places.

I feel like the prior owners worked at a gravel quarry and never rolled up their windows. Maybe the they took it off road a ton...not really sure. Wish I knew.

My theory is that there's a vortex/vacuum that creates just from driving the truck and it sucks up debris and dirt from the road (especially gravel roads), then that sits in the frame and holds moisture whenever it rains....causing rust. Curious as to what the inside of the frame of your Grandpa's looked like, if he had dirt in there or not.

 

My Grandpa lived in OH and only did two things. Watch golf and go to the grocery store. Doubt he had anything but dust in there, if that. lol

He bought his '08 in '07 and had 21k on the clock when he passed last year.

 

I'm surprised by the amount of stuff inside. I'm sure it contributes a bit, but not primary cause, as Jaded said.

 

Yea, I wouldn't think that just dirt/dust would be corrosive... unless there is some kind of salt in the dirt.

 

for all things rust:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-prevention-treatment-consolidation-thread.355928/

 

That thing was definitely wheeled. I'm sure it saw some water crossings as well.

 

The Jeep JK frames can hold a lot of muddy water in them. I had a hell of a time with those. I had to run a regular hose in there and "flood" it all out to get it clean. No telling what will happen to those frames in 10 years.

Maybe they took it to Redneck Yacht club for 1 weekend and ran with the windows down??? hahaha

 

The problem with dust and dirt is that they hold moisture. Rusted out rear quarter panels low behind the wheel wells on older cars was a very common problem because dust would collect inside in that condoned space and stay get damp. Better design combined with better corrosion protection has made that less common.

 

interesting read, thanks TW

 

Yes, it is from 4 years ago.

I’m just giving you a hard time.
The area where the door meets the fender flares holds all kinds of stuff.
I hate to think how much is in mine. I pull leaves out of it every time I’m under there.

 

That’s actually not bad at ALL. I usually find my frames full up to the factory tie down holes. So they’re literally half full. Once it gets wet, it stays wet for ever. Then rots from the inside out.

 

i actually stumbled upon this thread from a semi-related search of 2nd gen body panel corrosion.
for the first time I finally saw it, noticeable 2nd gen tailgate rot along the bottom, or the beginnings of, on the road this past week. I recall asking about this on TW maybe a month ago, but did not really get anywhere with it to see if its a reality or not out there ... seems like it is