Frame Rust 2001 -2004

I'm thinking my frame has some sort of rot i can't find. When i put the front up on jack stands placed just in front of the cross member-before the frame kicks back in towards the center. When releasing the jack slowly, once the frame rails are touching the jacks and i keep lowering, the front end seems to 'sag' a good 2 inches.

Has anyone else experienced this? My friend with a 98 Xcab 5vz said his never 'sagged' and it was bought back for rot last year. He sees the flex too. Would the weight of the double cab alone be enough to cause this? Am i just seeing things? or could my frame be stretching/flexing that much due to rot somewhere that i can't see?

 

I think you're just seeing the truck's suspension settle. Frames do flex slightly but if yours was flexing that much it would have VERY visible rot issues.

 

This is with the front tires a few inchs off the ground, but i'm assuming you mean the rear leafs are unloading and 'teeter tottering' the front end down.

Next time i put it up, i'll watch the bed to see if it goes up while the front drops. Thanks for the (hopefully) logical explaination.

 

Just bought a little 2003 reg cab 2wd. Do you have to be the original owner to get frame installed or sprayed under warranty?

 

I am not the original owner. I would contact Toyota corporate and ask questions. My trucks previous owner had the truck frame go through the dealership treatment process less than 2 years ago. I found rust and holes. I contacted Toyota corporate and sent it to local dealer for inspection . New frame is in future.

 

I found a couple of soon-to-be holes, along with this (pretty major) hole in the frame. Have my inspection appointment on Monday. I'll probably get new shocks up front, a new timing belt/water pump put on, and my A/C fixed while they have it all apart. Anything else that I should get done?

In response to the person 2 posts up: you do not have to be the original owner to get the frame replaced/sprayed. However, you do have to get it into the dealership before the end of the year for the warranty to be valid, so get on that ASAP.

 

negative

 

It may have been covered here already but does anyone know how much a new frame from toyota costs if I ever wanted to do a replacement myself? I just paid 10k for my 1999 extended cab, 4x4 TRD off-road with 3.4 manual and 155k miles with records of all servicing done by the dealer.

The price was high but I am in Hawaii and things cost more here. Plus the truck was from the original owner and came from southern California. It has a clean rust free black frame which is the reason I paid so much for it. This is the truck I have always wanted and when the frame goes I won't mind spending a few grand to get a new frame for it.

 

So as an update - made an appointment at the dealership for 8:20am on monday. Took the truck in and there was an argument between CEC and the Warranty center at toyota corporate, so we got sent away with our truck at 11:30. 3 hours sitting in a dealership just to get the frame inspected (and fail).

Talked to CEC at Toyota and they were still convinced that my truck would be covered and not to worry it was a mixup between the dealership and the warranty center and I should hear back later on Monday.

Tuesday morning the dealership just called me back saying that Toyota would be replacing my frame "because it's the right thing to do...and as a nice gesture," but the last guy he replaced a frame for ended up having to pay $1,000 out of pocket for the repairs that weren't covered in the warranty. As he said "for things like bushings and brackets that were too rusty to put back on." I take it that this is not the norm. Sure, I plan on having some extra work done (front suspension, etc...) but I'm hoping that the frame replacement kit comes with all of those parts.

So, those of you that have had it done - did it cost you anything extra for stuff that couldn't be put back onto your truck?

 

sorry, what i forgot to add is that both dealerships i took it too said that since the inspection and coating was already done they refuse/can't reinspect it again which i think is total bull shit

so should i just keep forcing it (i'm thinking i'll talk to a manager next time) or just go right to Toyota Canada?

 

I thought the cutoff date was the end of 2011...not 2012.

 

Toyota told me inspections yearly for free. The replacement frames are supposed to be ok.

 

Hey Vantaco, Taco.VR4 is right, if it has been sprayed (by the dealership under it's campaign) your warranty is tact. They will inspect it yearly or take it in when you find a hole. Push it for sure, the guy you are talking to doesn't have a clue.

DC

 

Ya Fishin is correct...I bought my 2003 last year...it was treated buy Toyota 2 years ago and it failed. New frame , springs, brake lines, all fluids, front end parts. I bought new front bumper and timing belt...even though it only had 50k miles on it.

Antler...that is incorrect...you don't have to spend a dime. All fasteners and hangers etc. will be covered by Toyota. The replacement includes these items.

The bill for my replacement was about 13k paid for by Toyota...Never heard of GM or Ford doing this for their customers.

 

That's because frames rotting out from crap metal aren't the norm.

 

Fishin and ffirg are correct.

I had my frame inspected last Nov, passed, and recieved the rust-proofing.

I called on Monday to schedule another inspection and rust-proofing for this Saturday but was told that the coating is a one-time deal. The Service Manager (whom I'v dealt with in the past and trust) said that the deadline to recieve the coating was indeed 12/31/11 and that those trucks that were not inspected and coated prior to that date are no longer included in the extended warranty. He basically said that I got in just in time last year and that others who failed to do so are SOL.

They will still inspect my frame for perforations on a yearly or as requested basis and replace faulty frames up until the 15 yr extended warranty has expired.

 

That's what I thought. I thought I read somewhere that if you live in certain states (Alaska being one of them) that you do not need to take further action and that the 15 year extended warranty will still apply. It had something to do with those states not offering the rust proofing service. When I contacted my dealer they acted like they've never heard of the rust problems and tried to charge me for the inspection...I never went back so I guess I'm SOL if the frame ever fails...

 

Toyota told me that the extended frame warranty is ONLY good in the 48. That Hawaii & Alaska is another division.

 

damn there's so much speculation and inconsistency regarding this situation..

there's got to be a Toyota Service guy on this site that can set us all straight.. anyone out there??

 

As I'm dealing with this right now, I can for sure let everyone know that New York State is an exception to this rule. Due to EPA regulations in NY State, the treatment wasn't approved for an extra year. So, if you're in the state of New York, you have until 12/31/12 to have the frame treatment applied. So get in soon!!

Also, states outside of the 12 "salt states" in the NE are not covered in this warranty. According to Toyota they just "don't have these issues outside of the dozen salt states for some reason." Not sure if AK is covered as well, but I know for sure that Utah (a state that salts its roads more than the places I've lived in the midwest) is not covered.

Hope this clarifies a few things for people.