Areas to check for rust when you get a chance

I discovered these when I was doing an early spring detail and clean-up over the weekend. Check these areas out when you can for rust formation: Bed side cover/cap rear on both sides and the front edge of the passenger side fender under the plastic edge of the headlamp. (This area on the drivers headlight side is fine.) When I determine how the fender caps come off, I'll light sand and prime and then apply white plastic electrical tape as a buffer to protect to protect and seal the areas from the edges of the bedrail caps.

Same for the area at the headlamp edge except it's the clear plastic edge that is causing it. You can't see the bed fender areas until you ease the molding up just a bit as shown; so the repair shouldn't be visible either: No hint of if otherwise. I spotted it when the sponge I was using moved the cap up a bit. Looks like I can pull it up just enough to get a thin piece of white cloth first-aid tape under the edge of the head lamp. Granted, it did take eight years to get to this point but it looks like another salty winter will transition this issue from surface rust to bubbles which are hard to stop once it starts.

 

I’ll check mine, if you’ll check your frame up by the converter on the drivers side.

I’m just kidding bud. But seriously, take action early on that part of the frame.
Be proactive or regret it later.

 

hah! Thanks! Already done last fall: Did my own "Felix Unger" inspection last fall before I took it to the dealer for the Toyota campaign inspection. It was coated, plugged last fall and passed as "good/no trouble found". (I inspected their work afterwards too, then used two cans of Fluid Film on it before it got cold. I'm good until 2026 (I hope)

 

I checked. And in the process I found out how the tailgate cap comes off. I popes a few of the clips loose trying to get a picture. Lol

Tailgate


Bed

 

Nice! Looks like you're good! Glad to see it. My tailgate is good, and the lines on the bed are on 6" or so at the back. Pretty sure my truck had a cap on it before I go it, so that may have been a contributing factor. Glad I found it. The headlamp area looks like a simple tolerance/spec when they mounted the fender or built the body: just a hair off and the driver's side headlamp is close but doesn't rub the body at all.

 

Thanks for the reminder to continue to pay attention to that area of the frame. I have an oil change due soon. When I have it up on the ramps, I'll roll my creeper around under that area and tap the frame with a small hammer and listen to the rings. I didn't see any issues before Toyota inspected it, but that's not proof that there aren't any.
The frame looked good to me with the exception of the welds throughout the entire assembly. I brushed satin Rustoleum on all of them including the rear end and it has stood up well during "salt season" here. I have to say though the hitches on these trucks seems especially prone to rust. Stay ahead of it: eventhe factory high-quality ones on Volvos, Ford and Chevy trucks, and a few after-market ones from Draw-Tite and Reese.

 

Following up: I checked the frame area next to the driver's side Cat and it looks good there and has a nice healthy sound with the hammer tap. The Fluid Film, and Rustoleum satin touch-ups I did held up well except for the steel piece across the front under the bumper holding the tow-hook and tie down. I know this area takes a beating in the winter from the salt and moisture, but it has to be done again and watched. A little surface rust on the "splash-plate" under the engine which was surprising; it has to be done again. Finally: the hitch had loose paint here and there at the welds. I'll have to be more fussy about removing the scale and repainting it and give it heavier Fluid-Film applications. To be fair,< and I mentioned earlier, I think every hitch I have had on my vehicles, factory or aftermarket (regardless of brand) have been prone to rust and needed yearly attention or they looked shabby after only a few years if you didn't watch them closely. Keep an eye on them.

 

Yeah the welds on the hitch are prone to rust.
I spray mine with WD a few times a year. Is not as good at FF, but I can’t hurt.

 

also, clean the leaves and crap out of this area...

 

Re: Previous: "Look right there": YES! Not too long after I got my truck I noticed what I thought was a couple of leaves in there. It turned out it was filled almost half way up with all sorts of debris and the bottom few inches was mostly muck. Both sides. I was amazed there wasn't any rust. I cleaned it out and flushed with clean water. I checked my son's 2005 and it was filled almost to the top.