Another Tacoma Frame Rust Issue....

Sorry, I know this horse has been beat to death but I have a issue I couldn't find an answer to.

I bought a 2003 Double Cab from a dealer in Kentucky this past January. I thought I checked the truck pretty good and even got up under it in the snow. Noticed a couple of small spots of rust but nothing crazy. A couple weeks later I noticed large patches of rust on the frame rails. There was some sort of undercoating that was just flaking off because it was sprayed over the rust. Other sections had thick build up that was still kinda wet like tar. I am currently swapping my lift over and this is the first time I have really go up in there good. I now have large portions of rust showing!

First, since I bought this truck after the deadline is it covered under the warranty? There are no holes thru the frame or soft spots, just general rust all over. Would that even be included? Is the undercoating that Toyota uses a tar-like spray that never really dries? I am currently putting my OME lift on it. If they did a frame replacement would that affect anything?

Pics;







I am petty bummed right now. I paid a pretty penny for the truck because it only had 58k miles. Besides this problem i have had a couple of small issues. With stock size tires the speed odo is 4 mph faster at 75!

When I initially saw the rust I figured I would just fix it myself but after seeing how much is rusted up I am afraid it is more than I can handle.

Am I SOL and just going to have to spend a lot of time with a wire brush and paint?

 

I live in Texas and have had worse rust then that... Its nit bad at all

 

So you think this is something I should just clean up myself and not worry about?

 

I am by no means a expert but i think with some good prep (Wire wheel) And some kind of coating (I always use por 15 on frame restorations) not sure what guys around her recomend

It does not look that deep Again i cant tell just from pictures 100% but you just need to get the rust off and keep it protected And keep checking it ones any starts again tackle it right away and get it cleaned back up..

 

Thanks!

 

My frame was replaced in 2009, and it is already worse than yours.

Of course tmy new frame doesn't have the undercoating. I thinks that's toyota frame coating, and so you may have a frame warranty through 15 years from when the truck was first on the road. Did it come from a more Northern state?

 

What you have 'taint nuthin'!

 

chuh!
Check the leaf spring perches inside the frame… thats a common spot for it to rust through, tap it with a hammer, but that looks great. Scuff it and paint it up

 

I just went thru with what your dealing with. Just had surface rust last year. Went over whole frame with wire brush on 4 inch grinder and put a frame coating on. Looked great on the outside, but knew I had to do more to stop it. Got busy with other things and a year went by. A month ago I found some perforations by right rear leaf perch that is welded to frame. Outside still looked good. Ground out the bad spot and had it fixed at welding shop. I then tried to get all loose rust out of inside boxed frame. I then mixed up a concoction to put inside of frame to stop or slow the rust on the inside. I took about a gallon and a half of mineral spirits, 9 toilet bowl wax rings and 1 1/2 qts. of non detergent motor oil. Heated this up to help the wax melt and sprayed it inside frame after taping up all the drain holes. After about 15 min I opened up holes and let excess come out and did it ever come out. I then sprayed outside of frame. Time will tell, but it's way better protected than before. Not worried about it now!

 

looks like it was inspected and then under coated by dealer, for the recall already. have a dealer look it up to be sure.

 

Thanks for all the help!

CarFax shows it from Kentucky but I guess they salt the roads up there? Nothing on the CarFax about getting the frame inspected or coated.

I took a punch to the notorious area in front of the leaf spring mount before I bought it. I got a solid "thunk" all around that area on both sides.

Reason I worry is that I have an 03 Ext cab that I am swapping the lift from and selling. It was a Tennessee truck and the frame and all of the under carriage look great. No rust at all. Guess I just assumed that all of the southern-ish Tacoma's would look like that. Hate to sell such a clean truck for one with rust issues (and that cost several grand more!) but I really wanted a double cab.

I will check with Toyota about seeing if my warranty is extended and then get the bed off for some work!

 

My frame looks so similar is scary. Its had the toyota coating (in 2009 by a PO).

Except i have no rust on the bottoms of the "main" frame rails like u.

I was actually at the dealer today for a corrosion inspection and the tech said it was nothing. Im gonna take the bed off this summer wire wheel off the old crap and por-15 the rusty parts.

 

Tell me more about how you applied this mixture. I've been wanting to do my 2 tacoma's and my tundra with something like this.

By the way, welcome, neighbor.

Kirk

 

It looks like they coated over existing rust. (A no-no, won't stop the rust) In my book that could possibly be concealment, but you probably couldn't prove it. So you're probably just gonna have to deal with it. Good luck.

 

Kirk, I took a 20lb. propane tank and tapped an air fitting into the side. I removed the shutoff valve and screwed a fitting into the top that would extend to bottom of tank. I attached a 3/8 inch hose and valve to the outlet. I added a 1/4 inch piece of flexible copper to the outlet of valve that I could work into the holes of the frame and in my doors. This only needs about 10 to 15 lbs of air to work.
On the outside of the frame I used an undercoating gun to spray the liquid on. When this liquid cools it turns semi hard, so heat it up a little to spray. The mineral spirits then evaporates and it solidifies more, without ever flaking off. I can't post pics yet on this forum, so PM me and I can send you some pics if you want. Bob

 

Kirk, I figured the pic thing out! Let me know if you have any questions. The gray primer is a KBS coating, that is comparable to POR15. I then put a topcoat of a flat black paint as the undercoating is not rated for UV rays.

 

Well, here is my story. This past November, my wife and I were planning a 3,000 round trip to the Florida keys. I had was really running behind, getting my oil change done before the trip, of which I do myself every 3K. Being I wanted to do a coolant flush and fill, I made the fatal mistake and went to a dealer. I told them, don't try to sell me the "kitchen sink" as my background in the car business started in 1969, the day after I returned to the States, from overseas in the Air Force. I started as a VW, dealer mechanic. Progressed to Porsche, Audi, Ferrari. I have been a mechanic, shop foreman, service advisor, service manager. I do not consider my self stupid. The service advisor said they would do a multi-point inspection at no charge. Again, I reiterated, don't try to sell me the "kitchen sink". well, he comes to me and tells me I need an air filter ( I just replaced it 3 days earlier), front rotors resurfaced, due to pulsation (hmmm. How did they determine that without a road test, and they do not pulsate), BG fuelinjection cleaning, throttle plate carboned up. Here's a good one. Clean battery posts, for $30.00. I just did that when I replaced my air filter. Then he comes back and tells me my frame needs replacement and Toyota will pay for it. He also said it would take 3-4 weeks to complete and Toyota will pay for a car. That is when the troubles all started. I can resume this story of woe in another post, if everyone wants to hear more.

 

from my understanding of what they did its power-washed the frame, let it dry overnight (with heat and fan) and then applied the coating. no prep work other than that. At least it's covered for another 5 years

up to you if you want to start a post but not on the stealership quotes

 

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