2003 Tacoma Frame Repair HELP.

My wife and I just bought a 2003 Tacoma.
3 owners
Been in Alaska all of its life.
The 15 year extended warrenty just expired on 29SEP right before we bought it.

Seller lied to us that she didn’t know about the frame rot and crack.

This truck only has 104K miles on it , it’s in really decent condition considering the mileage and Care, but the frame is just terrible.

The cracks are near the lead spring attachments and half of the knuckle isn’t attached to the fame. I’m in need of a welder honestly. But does anyone know of parts that are specifically designed to reinforce this frame?

Any help would be great!

I want to figure out opinions of Tacoma owners before I go in myself and start welding away.

I have welding experience but if I took it to a professional, how much would that cost??

Thanks everyone.

John
701-680-9365

 

Doesn’t look like an Alaska frame to me. Where are they using salt up here?

I bought a 2001 Tacoma last March in Anchorage with 157,000 miles. The CarFax showed it was an Alaska truck it’s whole life, which was what I was looking for - vehicles tend not to rust here because salt de-icers are rarely If ever used up here. My frame is immaculate, noth8ng like what your images show. Vehicles up here tend to have dents and broken windshields, but not rust. Nothing like the vehicles in salt-happy Wisconsin where I spent most my career. I suspect the seller lied to you about a few things.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for responding.

Carfax showa it went from
Washington to Ketchikan, AK
Ketchikan to Fairbanks
Then Fairbanks back to Ketchikan in like 2007. And the truck has been here in ketch ever sense.
This is according to carfax.

We know the seller lied to us. And unfortunately there isn’t many laws in Alaska that protect the buyer.

This particular truck was never coated.
So maybe up in Fairbanks they use salt on the roads. Plus Ketchikan has all the rain of southeast. Probably another contributor.

Pass on the word if you can.

I appreciate your reply. Looking forward to more people responding to advise.

Johnathan Maro
701-680-9365

 

this company makes repair patches for rusted out frames
https://www.autorust.com/product-category/toyota/

But first of all, you should bang your frame thoroughly with a hammer to see what areas are rusted through and need repairs. The worst area is right where your frame is rusted through in the picture, where the leaf springs attach to the frame. Another common area is along the inner frame rails, by the gas tank and the catalytic converter.

Also, if you type in "frame rust repair" in the search box, or even on google, you'll find lots of threads and info about frame repairs

Oh and if you or a friend knows how to weld, it is going be be much less expensive than having a shop do it

 

I would take her to the court...not sure if she would liable but it's worth a try.
And look for a new frame because who knows what else is wrong with it

 

Not knowing the Labor rates in your neck of the woods I can only say down in my area that could easy turn into a $2500.00 plus job then some shops will not touch that kind of work.Down here everyone is so busy a 6 to 8 week time frame is quite possible to get in.

If you can do the fabrication work yourself make your patch panels and do what needs done.

Finding a used frame in good condition in your part of the world getting it to you might cost as much as the frame

To me the work to swap a used frame I would just build a new one

As for a New Frame unless something has changed the New frames would only be sold after all the warranty claims are finished if the company building them decides to keep making them for those year trucks.

It is quite possible the owner was unaware of the frame problems or the history of the truck. I still hear stories weekly about people being clueless about frame issues who knows .

It comes down to your call

 

I’d vote to get some patch panels like the ones from autorust and have someone you know or a reputable shop weld it up for you.

I’d be sure to check the whole frame over with a fine toothed comb so further down the road you don’t find anything else unsettling...

 

look at this sample
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2002-tacoma-trd-with-63k-miles.574247/
a mint frame but already with one perforation, if you take the weld patching up route , you will never know where else and when things brake down the road with these weak and rusty frames

IMHO with money if you love the truck just because low miles , then buying a new frame and triple-coated before installation will be the way to go , I know can go up serious money but some have friends , tools and skills that can get all done maybe for less than 10K , again that is up to your wallet.

I regret to buy used, so if I get what is in mine to get a new one I will do it in a heart beat but im not ready for that change yet.

 

701 area code. Do you live in ND and what did you pay for this truck

I would take your number out of the post before you end up with a shit tonne of robo calls

 

I am from South Eastern North Dakota yes, but I am Active Duty Coast Guard stationed up in Alaska.

All I'm going to say is that we thought we were getting a great deal as per the milage on the truck at 104K

I think we are going to do the Autorust Safe-T-Caps route. The truck was huge expense and I am not ready to just give up and part it out. we just bought it and I am a DIY person. I hope to have the T-caps ordered soon, along with other replacement parts for the rear that I find are in need of replacing.

But please keep commenting folks. It helps with the mindset that we have options to fix this ol girl up.

 

Channel that bitch up. Dont know how to weld great. Go to harbor freight and buy cheap mig and bugger her up. Lots of life left in that frame. I've schmooeyed up worse. And I've gone sending it, jumping ditches etc. Normally I'd be haste welded so close to spring mounts, but hell give her a whirl

 

I happened to me too. I used the safe-t-caps. First I had a welder do it but then he just half arsed it I found out. For the cost of a welder I bought a really nice used Hobart wire feed.
I have now used the safe-t-caps from the front sway bars to the rear spring mounts.
When I did my front suspension I then cut and made my own plates that supported all the way to the engine cross member on the inside and all the way to the front bumper on the outside.

As for the section after the rear cross member I ended up just cutting it off and welding in another section. I cut the old sides out of the exiting frame and used that to box the new frame.
SO I weigh a lot more than I did before but I am stronger than it was new.

Also once you get done use https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-i...ByoTzD84tAkK8DPl1rz0BmazBS2efRwsaAmTHEALw_wcB to coat the inside where you cant get too.

and

$100 Magnet Paint & Shellac UCP99-01 Chassis Saver Paint Gloss Black, 1 Gallon Can

https://www.amazon.com/Magnet-Paint...8&qid=1542643460&sr=8-4&keywords=magnet+paint on the outside to seal it in.

When you get to the parts under the cab, don't be afraid to take the cab bolts loose and lift it up some. It makes jut much easier to get in those spots. I just replaced my cab mounts (replacing cab mount bushings vs just lifting the cab is 2 different tasks) After I did I went back and re-welded some of the spots that looked bad.

I bought mine with 45K miles. Dealer said it was in "excellent" condition. I asked about the frame, he said it was fine. I bought it and had it shipped to me.
He said it was clearly sold as is and I should have checked. He said I could pay to ship it back and we could let the lawyers fight it out but he would charge storage fees on top of it all.



The nice part about this is I could do it a little at a time. I started in March and I am just about done.

So yes it is do-able

If I had it to do over again... I would have just swapped the frame. Not nearly as much work as People think. It would have saved me a ton of time. Around the south west you can get a frame for cheap. A guy in Utah is selling one from California rust free extended cab with 4x4 front end brake lines and all for 450. another guy is parting one out on TW asking 200 for the frame.
If you where nearby I would help.

Sorry this hapened.
Good luck

 

I finally received a quote from a local welder in town to fix up my leaf spring attachment rot.

We are looking at about $4500 for repairs on this rot.

Should I pay the guy to weld it for me, or tear it apart weld it myself? I know I can do this type of work, but I don’t want to mess up the frame at all. I don’t think I would mess it up, but you never know

 

Did you not take the previous owner to court? That’s fraud.

That’s a lot of money for patching.

I would buy a clean frame from California, Arizona, or anywhere in the West and swap it. Cheaper and better than patching it.

 

For that quote just what are you going to get done??

If you have the means to do the job why would you farm it out?? Not Having the time to do the work I could understand .

Just how do you think you would make it any worse ??

 

I would definitely do it myself if I were you. Why spend $4500 to pay someone else when you can do it?
What do you think you could mess up??? Can't really get worse than it is right now....

But anyway, if you decide to pay, for $4500 I'd get a clean rust free frame instead

 

4500, vs buying a rust free frame hmmm.

 

No way in hell. Even if you pay for that repair there will be more rust in the front.
Use Safe-t-caps and weld them in yourself or better yet replace the frame and treat the newer frame and never worry about. " Frame including all front suspension parts brake parts 3rd member cv axles and steering rack and rear springs $450. "
for the price of repairing that frame, you could drive down rent a haul trailer, load this up take it back and do a frame swap or pay somebody to do a frame swap and still come out cheaper.

 

Currently still in the process of taking her to court if she doesn’t comply with the nasty letter my lawyer is sending.
Alaska Consumer Protection Act covered us under the unfair or deceptive act practice.
I don’t have a lot of time to devote to it but if I had too I really would. I haven’t welded in a long time but that’s the only reason I shy away from doing it myself.

at this point the seller is on the hook for the frame issues because she knew about it prior to the sale and didn’t tel us until after I took it to the mechanic and the machsnic and her has talked before about the frame.

So it’s not my money persay.

I could probably have her pay for a new frame straight from Toyota too

 

Did u show it to a mechanic before you bought it?
Or buy it and then bring it to a mechanic?


Sure the seller may have misled you but a quick glance under the truck you would have seen this so really you're the only one to blame unless you somehow purchased the vehicle and it was shipped to you at a later date in that condition without inspection.

I'm afraid that truck is probably only good for parts at this point..

Maybe that letter will scare the seller into refunding you though.

Edit: the selling price may also have a factor in this. Obviously if you're paying well above blue book value truck SHOULD have a good frame. However if you're paying well below blue book value then maybe it's sold as parts car.