Frame failed

Your original frame lasted this long, and that was with faulty steel. The replacement, not faulty this time, is going to last at least that long, hopefully twice that. It'll be around awhile. All the more reason to take good care of the rest of the truck.

Congratulations, and good luck!

 

This is one of the easiest frame replacements I have seen in a while, glad to hear it's gone so smoothly . I can't remember if it was mentioned before, but if you plan on upgrading suspension or anything like that, now is the time to git er done.

Also see if they can take some pics of the process, it's not everyday you get a (mostly) brand new 13 year old car

 

mine was done in july .replaced shocks rides like new.love it

 

Not sure how, because the frame job I just had done on my second gen cost Toyota USA a little over 22k...

 

On paper. Retail prices, not real money.

 

Very true, but my response was to which option is cheaper for Toyota USA

 

We can only hope the new frames hold up the jury is still out on that one.

It is not like the frames failed that first exposure to winter

 

A while back there was a thread about the new frames rusting just as badly as the old ones. There wete pics too and there was certainly alot of rust covering everything that was new with the replacement. Atleast in that case it didnt look too promising...
With that said though any frame would rust with salt all over everything! I feel so damn lucky to live in a state that dosent use salt! We use cinder, end up with some paint cbips and a cracked windshield every few years sometimes but better than salt any day!!

 

I would apply something like Fluid Film from day 1 and should be applied by the dealership as a preventative.

 

I posted this on the 131 pages of the 3rd gen frame thread. Thought I would share here

Well here goes...

I finally got my frame replaced on my 02' ext cab Tacoma. I was told on June 16th that they would replace it 2 - 3 months. The frame came in Oct. 16th, so 4 months later. I asked them if I could supply front suspension parts and if they would install them since there doing a complete front suspension tear down anyways. They said sure, I supplied front struts, rear shocks, upper control arms, inner tie rods, outer tie rods, upper ball joints, lower ball joints, and sway bar links.

They took everything apart and gave me a rang. They told me all 3 drive belts needs to be replaced, front bushings, positive cable is corroded, muffler, gas tank skid plate, and rubbers on rear leaf springs in case of heavy loads. I took them up on the first three and declined the last three recommendations, way too pricey (they wanted $600, $500, and $500×2). I figured I could do it myself much cheaper.

Picked the truck up today with new frame, front suspension, drive belts..etc. Drove it about 60 miles and so far so good. The funny thing is when I left the dealership the manager had an unreal look on his face, he charged me $390 for extra labor for thr front suspension and the extra parts. He then said you do realize we did $13,000 worth of work?? I smiled and left immediately.

Also, I forgot to mention this in prior posts due to fear of jinxing it. The truck has a prior salvage title on it. If a dealer says they can't swap out the frame due to it being salvaged, I would take itelsewhere. It can be done, my truck is living proof

 

I went to the dealer Friday and asked about the frame rust issues. They said that the recall ended in march. I cant find the information on it now but seems like the deadline was 3/31/16 but got extended to the end of the year. Anybody got documentation on this? I thought of taking it to one of the other two dealerships around here and seeing what they say. All this would be after I get my truck back next Tuesday, it was having the recalls on the lower ball-joints and tire carrier done.

 

should be 15 years after truck was put in service.

 

I thought it was the 96-2000 models that was effective for. If 15 years is the case, I better act quick. Mine was assembled in November of 2001.

 

Have you ever had the dealership run the VIN, to see if it was ever sprayed?

 

date it was sold.

 

I asked them when it had ever been to toyota and they said just for a small wiring problem and that was it. Someone has reundercoated it before but it is coming off. I just got it last month. it doesn't have any visible holes in the frame yet but I haven't tapped on it with a hammer either. Around where the leaf-spring attaches at the very back some of the metal is flaking apart. If it was just the outside f the frame I would be ok with undercoating it but what worries me is what the inside of the frame looks like. I was going to take the bed off and clean it all up but if the dealer will go for a new frame I would be happy.

 

X2!!
Yip it was the in service date not the year model!

 

96-00 was the buyback program where Toyota would buy your truck back for 1 1/2 times KBB value (if I remember right) if your frame failed. 2001 -2004 was the frame replacement program where Toyota would/will replace your frame if it fails, provided it was inspected and coated prior to the deadline which I think was back in 2011?

 

I watched the video too...man that's not good. It looks like a lack of undercoating but also shit steel again. What's the status now? Is the truck parked?

 

I have good news, mine was at the dealership for the recall on the spare tire carrier as mentioned earlier in this post. They still have my truck and they said that they can not remove the carrier because of the rusted bolts and frame and that they are trying to get permission for all the extra work that would be involved from corporate. Well after a few days of that they said now they are trying to get permission to just go ahead and do the frame swap, hope that happens. Is this the way its worked for everyone else?