Frame rust at weld points

I’m currently a 2005 taco owner. I bought the truck in California and I have it down in Florida right now with a 4-wheel camper on it, but this thread is not about that truck. That truck on the frame has very little rust for its year and the fact that I’ve had in Miami for last 2 years

i’m looking at making a new purchase of another used taco, it’s a 2017. The truck looks great. Everywhere on top inside drives great mechanically it seems “perfect” no issues. However, looking underneath it appears to have considerable amount of rust in the areas of the weld mates on the frame. Let me know what you think about these photos attached. The area where there are no weld mates seems fine. Some bolted connections seem rusted as well. Wondering if I should pass on this truck or this is not too bad.

 

It could just be surface rust. It’s hard to tell from the photos. Take a wire brush and work an area to see if it removes it easily AND that there is no pitting underneath.

You can then treat it, but once rust starts, it’s tough to stop it.

The 9th photo “appears” to show signs of pitting??

 

Looks like majority is surface to me. Here in NY ive seen much worse

 

I would pass on that truck it looks like it has sat in water.

 

While aesthetically un-appealing, it's just surface rust. They all do that around the welds on these frames.

 

Quite a bit of salt in the air in Miami
I would get on that damn quickly. It is just surface rust at this point, but you will want to get it taken care of

Spent almost five years on Pembroke Pines……was nice to get out of the jungle

 

There are more fish in the sea. Why take a chance if you don't have to?

 

That is very, very mild surface rust. Pretty much bare metal and unprepped metal is affected.
Nothing at all to be concerned with at all.
Pressure cleaning with one of these would be a great first step to get rid of any salt/chemicals.

Next treat the affected areas with Klean Strip GKPA30220 Phosphoric Prep and Etch
Same as OSPHO but a bunch cheaper, available at Homey Depot.
Works 2 ways,
1-remove it wet and it cleans of the rust and etches the bare metal to accept paint, 2-let it dry and remove crust with wire brush and acts as a rust converter. Your choice.
Now you can paint with your choice, etching primer with epoxy topcoat or Rust-olium primer and Rust-oleum topcoat.
Or you can just leave it.
At minimum, I would PC the underside.

 

How many miles on it? That's part of the equation too, we are talking about a now 7 YO vehicle.
Either way, that particular truck came from a state that hates vehicles and roads, and loves spending tax dollars ruining them.

 

If you’re north of GA, this one technically doesn’t look terrible.

In FL, there’s plenty of relatively rust-free trucks available to choose from. Seems counterintuitive be in Florida and buy a truck that looks like it came down from the rust belt. I’d punt.

 

Bought this wand at Home Depot for $15. Gets way underneath and up on top with the adjustable head. The spray pattern is adjustable.

 

The rust on the diff, exhaust and inside the spare tell us it's not been treated all that well, even though the frame *may* be healthy.

A borescope inside the closed parts of the frame would be useful.

But 17's aren't hard to find unless that one has some odd parts combo you crave. Meaning if a '17 was *my* goal, I'd keep looking.

 

I have a 2017 live in South Dakota. I keep mine pretty clean. It has some signs of surface rust here and there but it doesn’t look as intense as yours does however, on mine I sometimes use a can of black spray paint that has rust inhibitor in it for small spot treatments. I think it depends on other things like mileage wear and tear etc. You should be able to tell whether they’ve gone rock climbing and seeing how dented up it might be underneath. in the pictures I see an excessive amount of rust, which would tell me they’ve had it out in the backcountry or beach, probably and a lot of water. My Sport has been mostly on roads very little off-road, just for hunting trips. I keep everything underneath washed off as I am able. I wouldn’t normally worry about a little bit of rust personally on a used vehicle if it seems in good shape, and mechanically sound. If you pursue this, suggest you check the side of the block for oil seepage around the steering pump. Good luck.

 

hell no , well atleast for me im not used to seeing that much .keep in mind these models have the transmission coolers on the outside, i can already see it leaking .

 

when i get a chance ill take oics of mine, it still looks like new

 

Not that bad, compare to others:
Rust Prevention/Treatment Consolidation Thread | Tacoma World

 

That truck was ridden hard and put away wet.

 

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions. I really learned a lot from this.

 

I'd agree that it is just surface rust. But it has gotten started, and will spread from there. I wpuld expect more frame rail surface rust if the teuck had ever been submerged/driven through pooled salt water (like a shallow pool on the beach or in the surf) rather than starting at the welds and spreading outward. The framerails don't seem to have enough rust biting in and causing any major pitting. This could be tackled with a wire brush. Then prime, paint snd coating the frame with a good rust inhibitor, like cosmoline.

I wouldn't pass on the truck with a frame in this shape, but I would spend some time tackling the visible rust. Cleaning the frame and underbody thoroughly and degreasing it, then cosmolining it.

 

https://youtu.be/mM7zYIj9uV0?si=kymJKIPEmYbo_APV