Hitch Receiver Rust

I know it's hard to spend a bunch of money on something you really like and have BS like this happen, but it does. I would try not to get too caught up in it, otherwise you will loose a lot of sleep over stuff that is unavoidable in the end.

Why this is happening it there is a large amount of pressure (pressure=force/area) in the worn areas. The force is small and the surface area it's contacting is also small. In this case it's wearing on the high spots. If it were distributing the force of the hitch over the entire flat surface (not possible because of tolerance) the wear would be minimal and wear evenly.

Nit pick physics aside, you have some choices.

1. Hit it with some Rust-oleum and call it a day.
   
2. Mitigate the rust (wire wheel, sand, stripper, etc) and paint it. - However it will still wear because of the pressure points.
3. Take it the dealer and have them "fix it" - See #1.
   
4. If it really bothers you, take it off and bring it to an shop to get stripped and powder coated. The power coating will hold up a better, but still wear through eventually. Also you cannot touch up powder coating... sort of.

My opinion here, nothing else. The truck is a tool and it will show normal wear. I would call this normal wear. See #1.

 

JW Black is my norm. I also like McCallan 18 but damn. Johnny for the win last night.

 

This won't be the point of failure due to rust. Look in the 1st gen forums, the frames like to rot out on us. You can always replace the entire hitch assembly [Toyota (51908-04020)] if it's bad enough. It's a few hundred $$ at most and a few bolts 10-20 years later. More than likely the bolts will be rusted into your frame by then and it won't matter.

 

You need to relax if interewebs and a bit of rust get rev'd up...

 

On my 2nd gen they didn’t replace the hitch with the frame even though it was far more rusted than the frame and it holds on the rear bumper! They probably won’t cover it (you can ask). Wire wheel and paint, don’t sweat it to much Your still driving the most reliable truck on the road. Laugh with the trolls

 

Looks like normal wear & tear to me. Doubtful if Toyota will handle with a warranty. I'm pretty sure they could handle that in the Toyota body shop at your cost.

I'd recommend to remove the rust, prime with a rust converter, paint your color of choice, schmear some graphite or moly added grease on the inside of the receiver. Store the ball/hitch in the cab when not in use.

The Receiver/Hitch interface will always rattle and move some. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to put the hitch into the receiver with a tight fit.
This is normal.

Oh......try to relax a bit.

 

When two pieces of painted metal contact each other paint can, will and does come off.

Once you make moisture available to an unpainted surface rust will form and break the bond between the metal surface and paint. This is why your paint is flaking.

Your pulling a trailer in and around salt water. Paint is gonna chip and metal will rust. This is not Toyotas fault.

Wire wheel. Paint. Clear.

Done.

 

I am going to guess you probably rinse the whole trailer and rig off with the vehicle every time after using it in salt water, right? But probably without detaching the trailer first and without taking the hitch receiver out when you do it...leaving any water and salt accumulated in the bottom of the hitch receiver there. Toyota is going to (rightfully) say that rust of that type is normal wear and tear on a vehicle used in or near salt water.

 

You need to lift that a bit more

 

my receiver is rusted too just like that, as is the chain attachment point from where I bashed them off some rocks and bent them when on the Fortune Creek trail. so i just took the whole damn thing off and threw it on the ground, when I put on a RCI bumper that had more clearance and its own receiver. maybe we can do a class action.

i have a two package for a 3rd gen for sale btw. game used.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ent-consolidation-thread.355928/#post-9724990

 

How do you deal with the water coming in the front of the receiver?

 

I leave my hitch out because I don't like bruised shins. I do stuff a rubber plug in it just because it looks better does zero for rust through. There is a lot of clearance between the hitch and the receiver the trouble starts if you leave the hitch in all the time.

 

I'm only writing as I did not see anyone make a similar comment. I'm not picking a fight, and hope your skin gets a little thicker since I don't think anyone has been too terribly hard on you.

My opinion, I tell you to piss off if you are making a warranty claim.

My reason is this did not happen overnight. If you would have brought it in at the first sign of chipped paint, I would have had someone grind and repaint it, but it's a little more than noticable which means it was not maintained well.

Hell, I may have even swapped the hitch for a new one if it was brought in early, and you made a big deal, but this is pretty far gone to not cite negligence on behalf of the owner.

I don't often take a dealerships side.

Again, not picking a fight with you

 

I spray everything i see rust on with woolwax or fluidfilm. It's preventive maintenance. Salt or saltwater is the worst thing possible for your truck if you're concerned about rust. In Vermont they salt the roads and rust here is a fact of life. I waxoyled my new Tacoma as I've had excellent results from it in the past 30 years or so. My Kubotas get woolwax or fluidfilm on wear areas at the first sign of any rust or bare metal.
You can keep rust away, but it's no set and forget. My friends dad has a farm truck from the 70's with zero rust here in Vermont. He oil undercoats it every year and spot coats any problem areas.
My cans of fluid film come out often to spray various things I have. I hate rust but so far I've managed to win the battle with minimal effort.

 

I have a little rust back there... Show me a truck that does not have some marks around the receiver hitch especially where the chains connect. Just get a shaker can and put a little paint there once in a while you’ll be good to go. I’ve also got rock chips on my side steps can’t help it drive on gravel roads and get rocks. I do the same as shaker can sprays right over these. No big deal.

 

I think the OP checked out.

 

Of course. The replies were not what he wanted to hear. So, he buggered off.