2003 Tacoma frame rust repair

Is it leaking from rust through?
MIG it?
Also had the bright idea to put lag eyebolts in ceiling/floor joists above rope hooks in bed to rope the bed from above and lower the truck rather than lifting the bed.
Amirite?

 

@BossFan
I assume you can weld better than that Pumpkin chopping Bonehead.

All that for a few pin holes?
Could have pulled the third member and welded Pumpkin from front
My $0.02

 

Amazon Undercoating gun I bought was $29. Looks the same as pic.
Needle gun is used to remove paint and rust. Small one from Amazon $19

 

My diff cover isn’t leaking. I just thought that when I hit it with a wire brush, it might poke through.

I’m no expert welder by any means, but I have a Millermatic 211 which is much more powerful than the flux-core welder that that TW member used.

Funny you mention the lag bolts. I thought about running to Harbor Freight and getting one of their I-beam hoists. I have a steel I-beam that spans my garage ceiling.

 

I didn’t see one for $19, but I did find this needle descaler for $38. I wonder if HF has any of these?

 

Of course they do. They actually have teo different sizes. The smaller one is $30 and seems to get good reviews. On my way to HF this morning.

 

Yeah, throw the old one out as it must be completely rusted. Then you have two choices: cancel the LSPV entirely or put a new one

If you want to cancel it, it is pretty simple. Upper line coming from the front of the truck is the IN while the lower line is a return line that sends excess fluid and pressure back to the front. Facing the differential is the OUT.
Connect the line for the IN to the rubber flex line the OUT connects to (it then goes to a splitter on the diff that sends the fluid to both wheels). Plug or remove the return line as it is no longer needed (it comes from a splitter located inside the driver's side wheel well)

If you want to replace, you have two choices as well:

Put a new one. OEM is pricey $$$$ but aftermarket tacoma LSPVs are now available on ebay!

Do the same as you would cancel but put a manually adjustable proportional valve by the master cylinder on the line that goes to the rear brakes

 

So my trip to HarborFreight this morning yielded a needle gun, am I-beam trolley, a hoist, and some ratchet straps.

 

I also removed the factory bedliner. It wasn’t as bad as I thought. There is one bad spot where some of the mulch I picked up last spring got under the bedliner and there is a hole.

you guys will have to walk me through on how I should patch that after I finish with the frame/crossmember. Rest of the bed looks good (I think). The first pic shows the mulch.

 

So the I-beam trolley I bought is too small. The I-beam in my garage is 7” wide and this only goes up to 5 1/2 or something like that. I decided to use my lift. I raised the lift so it would be higher than the bed, then I backed truck unde it. Next, I used 4 ratchet straps to go to the gold down in ea. corner. I almost forgot about gas cap but realized it as I was lifting bed. I was able to maneuver filler mech around fender, and it was free. I rolled truck out and brought in a little landscape trailer. Lowered bed down into trailer (supported by crossbars of 2x4 and 2x6).

 

I just lightly started brushing away at some of the rust. Going to grab lunch and start with the needle gun. I’ve never used one of these before, are there any tips/tricks I should be aware of?

Looks like the spare tire crossmember might be salvageable, but the bars that go across the tire look pretty rough.

 

Good work Frank
This write up will help many people in the future.
Thanks for sharing

 

@BossFan
Coroseal works best on rusty metal so no need to needle gun to bare steel.
Just knock off the loose rust but leave the surface rust and iron oxide flash which gets converted to Magnetite which is an inert iron oxide.

 

Ok. Thanks. I’m hoping the coroseal gets delivered tomorrow. A duet I needle brush it, do I need to wash it down with anything before applying the coroseal?

Also, what do you make of this passenger shock mount. Not good, right?

 

I foam gunned frame with Simple green and pressure washed.
You don't want oil/grease contamination.
Crusty shock mount is your call.
Salty sand gets trapped In that area of frame from hole in backside of mount.
Safe-T-Cap makes replacement shock mount or use a bolt and 11ga. flat stock steel.

 

Ok. Thanks. I got the rear crossmember all cleaned up. I also loosened most of the bolts. Still need to unbolt it but wanted to hold off on that, especially since the gas tank crossmember is so rotten. Lol. Do you think I should replace the spare tire straps? It’s only $75.

Also, the lines coming out of the LSPV. The flare nuts on the ends are toast. Do I just replace the lines or can I cut the ends and re-flare them?

And what about fuel tank/hoses/charcoal canister? Someone recommended replacing the seals. Anything else? I think the tank is ok but posted a picture below (along with charcoal canister). I think I sometimes get that P040 error code.

 

I would spend $75 on spare straps.
Pull the fuelp pump hatch and replace gasket.
Clean, inspect EVAP cannister and hoses. The corrugated EVAP hose is expensive and discontinued, be careful.
EVAP hoses can be replaced with fuel line.
Brake lines reflair if you already have the tool. Cheap flare tool don't work well on steel lines and the good hydraulic flare tool costs more than new brake lines. Looks like the spare hoist is new. Clean, paint, grease it.

 

If you go the route of replacing the gaskets and hoses, here are the ones I had to order:

 

Thanks!!

 

Ordered all the parts (LSPV, gaskets, fuel tank straps). I looked into the Safe-T-Cap but will also consider the suggestion of making my own replacement using a bolt and some 11 ga flat stock.

I think temp will be in the 40s this week in northern NJ so am hoping to do the Simple Green/pressure wash combo before applying the corroseal. Fingers crossed.