How fast is a Wisconsin winter gonna rust out my pristine frame on my 96??

So i have less than 60 days before i move to Wisconsin. how long will it take for wisconsin winters to eat my truck alive...literally?

 

Spray it with Fluid Film inside and out

I'd be more worried about how big the girls are in WI. Long winters and all that cheese

 

LOLOL im hoping to import one to the state with me

 

It will last as long as the rest of the truck if you properly care for it.

 

obviously if i was staying in the south but 1st gens are known for rusting out the frames...i only have 200k on my 96 i really wanna try and get at least 500k out of it

 

If it is rust free and you use proper undercoating yearly (fluid film, krown, rust check) something that does not dry the frame will last as long as the rest of the truck.

 

Take care of it and it will last forever. It's not the "winter" that kills frames, it's the crap they put on the roads, so periodically hose off the undercarriage throughout the winter as well

 

yeah from what ive read they definitely use a salt mixture and in some places the brine from cheese lol

 

I just moved from California to "winter salt on the road" country. They are not kidding here after winter everything is white from dried out salt water. It takes few good rains to wash out the road, sidewalks, power poles, fences etc.

Tacoma frame is not made of stainless steel, so no matter how good the paint is on it, salty water will find a way to get in contact with the metal and start working on it. My truck is zero rust now, and my only hope is in fluid film twice a year (3-4 cans every time).

My plan is to pressure wash the frame from the inside and outside after the winter and once it dries apply solid dose of fluid film. It actually takes more fluid film inside the frame than outside. I did a lot of spraying inside in "known" areas that is around leaf spring front hanger where the frame bends upward. There was a lot of dust/dirt after the winter in there, which I flushed out with 1400psi pressure washer (I made a custom tip from 1/4inch tube that is bent 75 degrees at the end). I put the tip inside the frame through each drain holes and blasted inside of the frame till only clear water run out.

After the summer I would just wash the frame from summer dust (inside and outside) with normal wash and after it dries run the second dose of fluid film. Again inside and outside. Hopefully it will keep salty water away from the metal and protect the frame from rust. I do the same with my 2012 4Runner, so hopefully my grandchildren will inherit both trucks from me.

 

I hate the way they over-salt the roads here in Milwaukee, considering how little actual snow we seem to get lately. Lots of all-wheel-drive "Suburban Activity Vehicles" on bald mismatched tires as well as neglected rusted-out hoopties running around, and drivers who seem to think slowing down in bad weather is for wimps until they're sideways in a ditch. I'd make friends with your local self-service car wash and make sure you don't let the salt sit when it's 34º and everything's melting. My truck came from Arizona, and I'm not thrilled about exposing it to our toxic brew of salt and (apparently) cheese brine, but this forum did turn me on to the Fluid-Film thing, so I'm going to give that a try. Took me about 3-4 cans to coat all the key spots, as well as spray thoroughly inside the frame. I'm planning on re-applying this fall and we'll see how it goes. Problem I had with my 4runner was the rockers rusting out - every 3rd-gen 4Runner around here seems to have rotted rockers, but weirdly I don't see this issue with Tacomas here, so there's that.

 

Look into eastwood's "internal frame coating" which has a long hose on the can with a radial spray nozzle. One can for each side of the frame. Then I would put a few coats of an actual chassis paint on everything underneath WHEN IT'S CLEAN and before winter fluid film the crap out of the bottom of the truck. I would spray the inside bottoms of the doors, inside lower corners of the tailgate, and above the tailpipe inside the bed. Over the rear wheels on the inside too. I've lived in New England my whole life and there is a way to keep them looking good. You just have to stay on top of it.

 

Most of the fat girls started out as skinny girls. You'll soon be experiencing the outrun a bear scenario. I don't have to outrun an angry bear, I just have to outrun the guy next to me. As long as a girl doesn't get AS FAT as the others she is still "the skinny one".

 

wisconsinite here. good advice already given - fluid film and regular washes are your safety net. If your frame has surface rust on it now would be a great time to POR-15 the whole thing.

welcome to the dairyland.

 

If I lived in road salt country I would construct a device of PVC pipe with strategically drilled holes that I hook up to my garden hose and drive over every day to rinse off the undercarriage.

 

ain't gonna work when it's 4degrees F outside...hoses come off in the winter.

OP could always use a pump-action garden sprayer filled with warm water in the house and crawl under there. it's probably easier to just stop by the local carwash. scrub-a-dub has a la carte wash options, basic wash plus underbody is probably only $4.50 or $5.00

 

What part of the state are you in? I'm probably gonna end up in portage that's the only place I've found online with apartments listed that will be about 32 miles from work. I'll be working in grand marsh/ oxford area

 

I'm in Milwaukee. Lots to do outdoors in central Wisc. We've got lots of state parks that are worth a visit, and the Nicolet-Chequamegon National Forest is just a couple hour drive from where you'll be. You're really close to Madison too.

 

It won't last much beyond 10 years without meticulous care in the salt belt. They rust from the inside out and there's just no way you are going to get in every nook and cranny.


There's a reason Tacomas are so cheap on Chicago and Milwaukee CL

 

Even here in Northern Virginia, they still go nuts with the winter salt.
Less than 80K on my base-model '96, and the frame is still in good shape.
I don't think the PO drove it in the snow much, and I don't plan to either.
I have my FWD vehicles for that.
We'll see how long my Tacoma lasts!

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Get the frame all sealed and make sure you go through the car wash with the frame wash buster regularly to clean off all the salt