Is this frame rust too far gone?

I would bet the truck is being sold due to the corroded frame.

 

What's the asking price OP?

 

Price, mileage, and how long you expect it to last!
I’m from Vt and get it.
Definitely check cab mounts and rockers!
Also motor mount area by the cat and rear cross members above spare tire if it has one. Look under hood at clamps power steering lines etc.
I got rid of my 12 due to rust and frame time for replacement close to expiration date. It was better than shown in your pics.
Once frame is deemed bad not much value left in it!

 

Im usually pretty optimistic in these threads, compared to all the southern guys at least. But I zeroed in on the same two areas you circled.

Im also curious what the stuff is coming out of the rectangular hole in the frame near the right of that first pic..? Looks like maybe some sort of coating was done at some point internal to the frame? That could be good or bad

 

If you’re asking if it’s too far gone, then you know it’s already started. Rust is like cancer. I’d pass.

 

Welcome to the forum.

It appears to have terminal rust in the open laminated areas of the frame. (under the doors) If that is the case: it's done. It doesn't look like it's approaching the "broken-back" stage quite yet, but it's pretty tired. If the laminated sections are that bad, the boxed sections and the body mount areas are going to be worse.

 

Asking price is 17k Canadian
has 160,000km
Body, interior and engine are immaculate

 

The owner said that Toyota inspected the frame at the time the replacements were happening and determined it was good so they put the corrosion coating on it. I haven’t gone back to check the inside of the frame yet by the cats but plan to go in a few days

 

Good advice

 

That's the first inspection. I'm curious if they did a second/final inspection before the 12 years. It is possible not and that perhaps it was sold shortly after 12 years for that reason IDK.

Run the VIN# on Toyota.com and you should be able to find out.

I'd also look on the passenger side rail in addition to the areas already mentioned. I say that b/c that's where mine went at 11.5 years old in Massachusetts.

Note that I never looked anywhere else once I found the exhaust hanger falling and inspected that area and the outside of that rail. Nor did I crawl beneath the truck as I knew I had enough to get a new frame. I don't believe the dealer did either, I pointed out these 2 spots when I dropped it off in the interest of saving time and risk of lifting the truck.

This is the passenger side rail bottom where the exhaust hanger attached..about a 13mm hole, the hanger coming down is what first alerted me to poke around.



Outside passenger rail right below the Tacoma door badge, about 15mm hole. A push with 2 fingers caved it in to a 1x2 inch hole.

 

Chances are it's rusting from the inside out too. That was my experience when I had my frame replaced last year. If it's not under warranty or had the frame replaced I would mess with another Tacoma coming from a rust belt area or further North.

 

OP seems stubborn...... go ahead and buy it bro!

 

You'll want some frame inspection tools. A screwdriver and a hammer are good choices. Try to hammer the screwdriver into rusted areas. Many times they look ok on the outside but are nearly rusted all the way through. Not to say it's not fixable. They sell frame plates and you can always make your own and weld them on.

 

I believe I would be a HARD pass , like someone else said , its probably rusting on the inside also . Just imagine what you cant see.

 

"Touched up" I'd say no. Fixed? Given enough time and money I suppose anything is fixable. Personally, I'm dealing with a similar problem on the truck I already own, so if I encountered that on a truck for sale, I'd run like the wind. Whether it's worth it to you is a personal decision based on the time, money, and skills you bring to the table. If you don't have at least two of time, money, and skills, I'd pass. Best of luck whatever you do.

 

There is clearly some scale rust that would need to be removed, and the area repainted. In the pictures provided, the cab mount looks about the worst, but it may not be that bad; I doubt there’s a frame perforation there. As mentioned, a ball peen hammer and a screwdriver would be useful tools if you had access to the truck to confirm it’s really just surface rust you’re looking at.

Check out the second pic in this post. It shows delamination in the c-channel section of the frame, and it’s something that would be a hard pass for me. If you can get pics from the interior side of the frame there and up by the cats, it would be very useful.

I spent a few days doing rust remediation on my Taco, but and overall it looked worse than what I see in the pics you provided, especially the tow hitch mounts. But use of an air needle descaler, Coroseal and a couple of coats of paint have it in pretty good shape now. You’ll want to do something similar should you choose to buy this one.