Is this too much rust?

Hi there,

I am looking to buy a used Tacoma. I have been doing some research on how to check the integrity of the frame in person (hammer, feel inside of frame for peeling, etc.). But based off the pictures, do you guys think this is too much rust?

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

 

Yes. These frames rust from the inside out, I bet if you tapped on those spots with a hammer it would break through in several areas

 

Not great, not terrible. Not really enough information, either. Are there pictures the back end of the frame? They tend to be worse around the spring hangars.

And even so, its the inside that really makes the difference.

 

It doesn't look too bad in those images, BUT you need to look a LOT harder. A key place to check is the rear part of the frame between the front spring mount and the shock tower. Take a small hammer and bang on the frame up and down listening for the dull sound of delaminated rust.

Where's the truck spent its life? That's the number one risk factor to consider.

A few examples from the Ohio rust belt:

This truck was taken off the road *immediately* on examination. It was probably one of the last Gen 1s to qualify for replacement in 2018 when I talked to the owner. In the first photo you can see where the frame is about to crack in what's otherwise a nice looking truck.









Here's another one, rougher overall, that shows the parts of the frame in your images above aren't too bad, yet the truck is a basket case in the rear frame.

 

Nobody can trust these frames regardless on how NICE AND CLEAN THE FRAME may looks like.

Here is the example of a clean frame, the pictures shows like new frame and even do has a hole on it....

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2002-tacoma-trd-with-63k-miles.574247/

Due to that and the nice examples pictures already 4XDog already post.... I will not buy the truck of the OP in question.

 

what you should worry about is not about rust that show on the outside of the frame, but on the inside.
These frames tend to rust form the inside out, so what you can't see is often much worse than what you can actually see

As mentioned above, the worst part is usually where the leaf springs attach to the frame, right behind the cab

It's good that you already know about the hammer and feeling the inside of the frame for rust flakes and chunks. But remeber that if you buy a truck with a rusty frame, you can't leave it like that. You will need to remove the rust, treat what's remaining, repaint the frame, then have it rustproofed. If you don't, it's only a matter of time before it will start to turn to swiss cheese and fall apart

 

'rust flakes' or 'frame coating' flakes? (with or without little rusty specs)

it seem to me upon careful pondering that the damned coating they used on these trucks actually rusts on the top of the coating
from that humidity and condensation you think?

 

Gotta do a hammer check; these rust from the inside out because the boxed segments hold dirt, and that dirt holds moisture against the frame.

When my '99 got bought back it looked a lot like that, but...


Even though the rest of it was mint.

 

Test it with hammer.Frame restoration isn’t something I would wanna tackle but if you can get it for cheap it can be worth it if the frame is mostly really good still.Just not my thing because we don’t deal with that issue much down here

 

Thank you everyone for the input. Wow, a lot of those trucks look mint on the body, but I guess the frame is really a different story. Since I am not in a hurry to buy, I think I will pass on this one and try to find one with less rust.

 

What year is it, or did I miss that?

compare to others:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-prevention-treatment-consolidation-thread.355928/

 

Oh sorry it was a 2001, 175,000 miles, for $5000 Canadian. Originally an American truck but for sale up in Canada now.

 

If these frames rot out like that and are so problematic why do people keep paying $40000 for their Tacoma's and why does Toyota not correct the problem ?
I made the mistake of assuming they had when I bought my 2017. It just went in for the CRC treatment and passed their inspection but I cant believe how much rust formed on the frame over the winter compared to the 2 it went through before. I live in Ohio. I still love this truck and will keep it.
I really like the 1st gens and have been thinking about getting one but I am going to look at some older F150s instead when I am ready. I lost faith in Toyota. I have been buying their products since 1988.

 

You know with all these bad frames I have only found one close enough to bring home because it was a 4 cylinder Auto I passed

I just must have bad luck I need a project Laid off for the first time in 35 years

 

There is a section in Tacoma Owners manual spelling out frame maintenance and exposure to road salts. Condensed version is,
Rinse undercarriage after exposure to road salt.

 

Paint flakes aren't that bad. It's rust flakes and chunks like this that you have to look out for:



Then the coating you are talking about, you mean the stuff toyota sprayed the frames with during the frame rust campaign? Their so-called Corrosion Resistant Coating (CRC)?

 

no i mean the original blackish coating that starts peeling off at some point in some places
any clue what exactly it is? some special secret formula
its probably like the first thing to go bad but definitely not sure of much of anything anymore lol

 

Dodge, Ford, Chevy, Nissan, they all suffer from frame rust too. The problem is not just on toyota, it's the damn winter salt and chemicals they put on roads during winter. That's what kills the frames and makes cars rust to shit. Even the best grade of steel will rust when exposed this crap. The only way to prevent this is to not drive your car during winter or if you must drive it, to have it rustproofed every year before winter

 

Ah, the factory black paint then. Well, this is simply paint. There is only two things that can explain paint peeling off: improper preparation of the surface to be painted or bad paint, simply.

The fact it peels off more inside the frame is because they can't reach and treat/prep this area as easily as the exterior of the frame. Or maybe, as they dip the frame in treatment/solution, the inside does not dry completely between treatment and paint steps and it causes a reaction with the paint, reducing its adherence to the inside of the frame

 

It is by far the liquid brine that has made the rust problem much worse .

Melt the snow so people have wet roads