1997 tacoma frame rust opinion.

Hello all, first post on TW. I wanted to share a photo of my 97 tacomas frame rust and get your opinion how bad it is. These are the worst spots. The rest of the frame looks solid and i did the hammer and screw driver test. All of it is solid and sound like metal. Im in socal but the truck was also drivin from 1997-2001 in ohio and indiana. I plan on taking it to get clean and treated asap

 

Doesn't look terrible to me. I would definitely clean of the crud and rust proof it.

 

little wire wheel on the drill and some rustoleum

 

As the owner of 3 Michigan "enhanced" trucks, I can say that looks like a dream. any exterior rust can be wire-wheeled off and painted, and the interior of the frame should be cleaned with a pressure washer and compressed air to get the dirt and rust powder out. afterwards, hit it all with fluid film and call it good. keep in mind that even with undiscovered rust penetration, there is a ton of support for frame repair out there that can address most any issues.

 

Looks minor, but it grows/expands exponentially. So get on it this spring. Waxoyl inside and out after cleaning that off.

https://www.waxoyl-usa.com/index.html

 

Doesnt look bad at all. As mentioned above wire brush and spray it.

 

that muffler has seen better days...

 

Gotta agree with everyone here. If it passed the hammer test, just be proactive about wire brushing off the external rust, and give everything a good coating of Fluid Film/Woolwax/Waxoyl. Give the rearmost two crossmembers another good look & hammering (the spare tire & fuel tank can hide a lot), but they bolt/rivet in, so they're pretty easy to replace.