2007 Tacoma Rust / Frame Replacement Help

Hey y'all, I'm brand new to Tacoma World as I'm looking to purchase my first Tacoma and looking to build my knowledge on what to look for when shopping, especially in the frame replacement/refurb department. I'm looking at a 2007 Tacoma 4x4 with 230k miles and the dealer sent me some picks of the undercarriage and stated the frame had been replaced. I know this falls in the 2nd gen frame recall window but the dealer has not specified if the repair was done through the Toyota factory recall process. The CarFax does not report any accidents, but the vehicle was purchased by the dealership at auction a year and a half after the second owner purchased it. Is something fishy here?

However, it looks like there's some suspect welds that don't appear on original OEM frames at the crossmembers behind the front axle; this is based on very quick research I did looking at pictures of 2007 OEM frames that don't seem to have welds where this frame dones. It also appears that the frame has some replacement/ID stickering that is different than the rest of the frame.

Photos are attached, please help me, what do I need to train my eye to see when inspecting Taco undercarriages.

Thanks!

 

Welcome to TW Brent

 

You can create an account with Toyota on their website. (It’s free)
You’ll then need to enter the VIN# and add it to your vehicles.
Then, you can get all the service records preformed by Toyota.

 

Is that rear shock absorber even bolted down all the way?..

The rubber cushion doesn’t even appear to be compressed.

Edit: Frame looks fine to me. My 1st gen had a replaced frame. Different but similar.

 

Welcome to TW. That frame looks great and has the same stickers as my 06 which has had the frame replaced. If you buy it apply fluid film every fall and it will last forever. Inspect the rest of the truck - the frame isn't a problem. The biggest thing to check is the power steering rack. They are a known wear item, are expensive to replace. I had to replace mine at 110K miles.

 

A follow-up comment - order of buying a truck - #1 A rust free truck from AZ/Cali/CO with no frame replacement. Great if you find one, no rust so easy to work on. #2 A truck with a new frame, it gets a fair number of new parts (like LCAs). #3 A truck with that isn't #1 or #2. As you are in Illinois your best bet is #2 if your are not willing to travel to find #1.

 

I was concerned about the shock too. And I appreciate all the feedback on the frame. I was to use the Toyota VIL tool to find the truck, but couldn't find a record of frame replacement...but given that many people have validated that it looks like a recall project. It probably is.

Yes, I'm looking for rust free as much as I can and am willing to travel as best I can! This truck lived in northern Chicago all it's its life and I can see it on all the hardware except the new frame...

On with the rust free search!

 

I would also recommend a continued search. My 1st gen had the frame replaced and I think I was blinded by it. You’ll regret it once you started wrenching on it. Every bolt snapped. The body had some rot I overlooked. It’s just not a fun time. If you can afford to wait and you plan to keep it long term it’ll be worth finding the right one. I think I owned mine less than a year before I ditched it.

 

The only rush I'm in is self-imposed. I've just been dying for a truck for a while, but I'm also stingy as fuck and if I spend my money on something its going to be what I want and I'm going to hold it a long time and put some love into it.

The only car I've owned is an 04 Mazda 3 I bought right after my 16th bday and it's like 99% rust now, but she still runs true for damn near 17 years old. So basically, if I can track down a diamond in the rough project truck in the next couple months, I'm good.

 

That's funny, yeah having the frame,fuel lines,brake lines, lower control arms, etc,etc changed for free really sucks.....

 

I wish I had known this before I bought mine.YESTERDAY
It wouldn't have changed my mind but it would have been helpful to see the service records.
Apparently you can just add any VIN number to your account.

 

OP, Toyota’s factory welds aren’t pretty, so the cross member is normal. That shock’s threads were most likely stripped during removal and someone used a nut under the washer to take up the tolerances and compress the bushings. Not a huge deal, easy fix to clean up the threads, but it might be page 1 to a long book of frame swap shenanigans.

I will say there’s an upside to that truck: BARGAINING POWER. If you don’t mind having to potentially correct little mysteries here and there, it could be a good buy. What trim? Double cab? If it’s a 4x4, double cab I personally would be comfortable with paying $10k for a frame-swapped +200k mile truck and only with the dealer’s work warrantied in writing. Otherwise I would continue the search in a dry state. As much as dealers would like you to believe it, 4wd Tacomas are not rare and the market IS cooling off.

Depending on your budget and how much space you need, a brand new Tacoma in the “Utility” SR trim, extended cab, 4wd, 4cyl can be found super affordable. Great engine, great gearing, wonderful blank-canvas truck for around $24k.

 

For reference.
I just paid $10,500 for a 2007 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner V6 Double Cab with 208,000k miles.
No frame rust whatsoever. No rust underneath period besides the exhaust.
Purchased in East, TN ...vehicle spent most of its life in Texas.
Looks like the transmission was serviced @180k and the Timing and Valve Cover seals replaced at the same time.
Alternator and Idler Pulley were the only other issues besides the Output Shaft Seal leak.

 

Thanks, i'm from Northern Ontario Canada where we love our salted roads (NO) . i paid 10,000 CDN$ for an 07 with 250,000km on it 155k miles. absolutely love the truck bought it from a certified toyota tech, the hardest it's worked is carrying kids hockey bags in the back. doesnt use a drop of oil, change it every 5,000km. i've just noticed a frame crack at the left side rail, between the two leaf spring mounts, just about right over the axle roughly. frame isnt broken through, but i'm wondering if there's a repair kit to fishplate the frame? i'm a licenced tech but would have a shop with a hoist to do the repair. just looking for advice from anyone who's been successful in repairing something like this. body is good on the truck and i've just turned 300,000km. / 185,000 miles. it likes it's fuel, however i dont mind paying a bit extra for fuel for something that is common to have well over 500,000km.

 

Safe t cap at the website autorust.com sells plates. Just choose the correct one for where you are repairing, each color is a separate plate in the photo below. I would thoroughly inspect the forward boxed portion of the frame as that usually starts to go by the catalytic converters

 

Heads up, this thread is almost 3 years old and OP hasn't been around for 2 years.

 

I had no business looking at TW before my morning coffee….