PSA: if you have the option, park your truck facing uphill

Like most Taco owners in the rainy northwest, I lie awake at night wishing Toyota could design a rust-free frame. As we know that will never happen, here is something I have learned:

I have a sloping driveway which forces me to park on an angle. Over the last few years I have consistently backed into my parking spot, which leaves the truck pointing downhill. No more.

I have been very diligent about washing my frame after off-road and back country trips, and done all the Fluid Film treatments etc, like anyone. I ran water through the frame channels until it ran clear etc. I actually tried pretty hard in comparison to what most might do to keep my frame spotless based on Toyota’s abysmal record with frame rust on all of their trucks.

After I got the frame rust recall letter from Toyota Canada, and my Toyota dealer told me that my frame did not require any treatment, I decided to do some closer inspections of my own as I don’t necessarily trust my dealer.

What I did was remove the two rectangular plugs in the frame that are behind each of the front wheels. What I found was disturbing. The frame was not rusting (yet), but the front boxed section of my frame had a 2” deep wet cake of mud, sand, and pebbles collected within. I observed this with an inspection camera I had.

I suppose what was happening, is every time I put the truck away wet, parked on a downward slope, the sand, pebbles and mud would run forward into the front boxed section ahead of the last drain hole, and sit in the corner, right where the frame bends upwards for the wheel arch. There is no drain hole there. The mud and silt built up in layers over time until it was a thick cake.

If you park you car on level ground, this effect would be minimal, but with my truck parked nose-down, it was exaggerated. I also found there is an internal bracing plate, inside the boxed section, at the cab-mount, that really prevents hosing this area out properly.

I spent several hours with the plugs removed and the truck facing upwards scouring all the wet debris from this section by jetting water through the plug holes. In so doing I learned a lot that I suggest you might consider if you don’t live in Arizona or SoCal:

1- Park nose-high:

If you have the option, park your truck facing upwards, or on the flat. Avoid nose-down parking in wet weather. I have found water freely drains to the rear off all of the frame rails with the front elevated. You are not “shifting the problem” to the back, as water and debris spill off the frame where the C-channel flattens out. Any debris that does collect on the rear of the frame is dead simple to remove.

2- Wash frame nose-high:

When you are hosing out your frame, wash the boxed section with the front raised. You may be surprised at the amount of crap that comes running out out. Also, when washing the back of the frame, you don’t want all the mud, salt, and debris running forward into the boxed sections.

3- Inspect box section yearly:

Once in a while pull those front plugs behind the wheels (you will need new plugs as they are one-time inserts) and wash, dry, and fluid-film the front box. With the wheel removed, and a flashlight, you can get a look in there.

4- Be thankful for open C-channel construction:

I am thankful that most of the Tacoma frame is open C channel, and is easily inspected and cleaned/coated. I suppose you could argue less stuff gets into a boxed frame, but with the bitch of a time I had cleaning those front boxes, I realize once anything is inside a fully boxed frame, it’s likely there for good. C-channel has its merits.

Anyways......hope this is helpful to some.

(see post below regarding if your box sections were filled with that thick white goop under the recall campaign or otherwise. Some of this advice may not apply to you)

Edit: vvvvvv these are the size 4 plugs I broke. I needed to buy 4. Once you remove these you can push the size 5 plug on the inner side of the frame out without damaging it.

https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~plug~hole~90950-01987.html

 

What kind of frame coating have you tried? I just bought a Tacoma and I’m looking for recommendations as I also live in the PNW.

I have used the Chemical Guys Bare Bones stuff on my previous truck but it definitely doesn’t hold up to the rain.

 

I have had good success with Fluid Film. It seems to be the right balance between washing off too easily and being gross and goopy.

 

I should add: some of you might have had Toyota fill the front boxes with that white goop, under their most recent frame recall campaign up to 2017 MY. If so, I think all of my suggestions still apply, as those plastic shields they put in at the opening to the boxed sections are hardly gonna stop everything leaking forward. The only thing you might not want to do is hose out the boxed sections if they are filled with that snot. It would still be worthwhile to keep an eye on things.

I am not sure if 2018 and later Tacos come pre-filled with that goop in the front boxes, or if that is just for the recall. Maybe someone could comment here on the status of more recent Tacos.

 

Do you use the aerosol cans? If so, how many cans does it take?

 

Seems that my frame will rust away to nothing.
How long before I have to buy another truck?

 

I use aerosol, and a rag. I don’t coat the whole underside, just the frame and suspension components. If you are judicious, four cans will suffice for a yearly treatment. Be sure to drop your spare tire and get the cross braces that support it and your gas tank, as they are often the first to rust.

 

Lease a new one every year!

 

Thanks for the info and recommendation

 

Thanks for taking the time to make a thread of substance.

I am a little surprised that it’s not more active, so “bump”.

Did you take any pictures as you were doing any of the work?

 

Do you live by the sound or beach? Most tacomas in the PNW don't have rust issues since we don't salt our roads. Rain water is not a big issue.

 

I always park nose up when I think we have rain, helps the water run out of the bed of the truck, if any gets in

 

Good post @Stocklocker. Well done.

 

Just curious if there would be a reason to just ditch the frame plugs to start with?

 

And if we can’t do that, could we drill our own drain holes?

 

Good info here. Thanks for this post.

 

Lightning holes are the best!

 

I know it is a , but I enjoy seeing all the Pickups and 1st Gens running around here, along with all the other old stuff.

 

They use brine and salt where I live in winter. Mostly brine, which is actually worse as it’s already liquid and readily picked up by your tires. Driving behind the brine truck is never a good day. Always makes me cringe.

Also, any sediment that stays wet all year will rot your frame, salt or no salt. Those wet cakes of mud in the hidey-holes are your worst enemy. Especially where the cross members meet the frame. That pocket collect silt and is often the first place to rust.

 

The frame plugs I am talking about are on the vertical, and would catch wash off the tires without the plug in there.

I’ll take some photos, hold tight.