Repair costs?

Attached are images of my rear leaf spring and a rear middle frame crossbar. My truck isn't eligible for the warranty frame replacement, so what am I looking at in costs?

 

EEEK! Never had to deal with frame rust issue. No idea myself other than a lot.

 

Uh oh, with this amount of rust on your frame, you should definitely check if it hasn't rotted elsewhere.

Rust on these frames is pretty nasty. Can look solid from the outside, when in fact it is paper thin. Bang on it with a hammer, especially where the leaf springs attach to the frame, right behind the cab, as this is usually the first place where these frames rot. Also, the frame rails by the gas tank and the catalytic converter, as these are also commonly rotten spots on rusty frames

The thing is that these frames rust and rot from the inside out, so the rust could be worse than what you can actually see on the outside. Try to poke a finger or something in the square holes on the frame rails to see how much rust chunks and flakes there is in there. If full, not a good sign, but it is the hammer that is really going to tell you if it's still good or not.

Depending on how bad and where the rust is, it is possible to put some patches to a rusty frame. Though the cost will depend if you or a friend of yours know how to weld, as this is going to be less expensive than having a shop do it

 

it's going to cost more than the truck is worth to repair that unless you know a welder that is able to re-weld every rusted part of the chassis.

This guy's a welder. he did it all himself. here's the post.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1995-rebuild.404579/#post-11304137

 

Damn it. I don't need this right now. Welp, maybe I can sell it for enough to pay off the loan.

 

Got an appointment tomorrow at the shop. I owe $5,500 on her. Paid 7k for her about a year ago. Funny thing is, I don't remember the rust being so bad when I bought it but I feel like I definitely made a major mistake.

 

Will do

 

FYI. I had two shops recently quote me $1500 and $1685 to replace from the rear leaf spring to the center of the truck. One shop would use two sections of saf-t-cap and the other would fab their own. Estimates are for both driver and passenger side. For me it is worth it to invest in the repair.

 

Just curious where you live??

I take it you don`t get under the truck to often to allow things to get that bad.

One good winter with liquid brine might do that.

Don`t forget the cost of new leaf springs and the assorted brackets and hangers.

This is one of those jobs one can only estimate up close and in person.

I hope the shop your going to has worked on these Tacoma`s before.

It will be your call to spend the money to repair

Sell as is you might find someone needing a parts vehicle .

Part it out.

Your not going to get any where close to what you need.

Best of Luck

 

I live in NY. Unfortunately I don't get much time under it as I like (not at all really).

 

Welp. Shop said there's a definite hole in the frame caused by excessive rust but there's nothing that they can do because the previous owner didn't get the frame sprayed when the recall came out.

 

Now NY is a Big State are you out west Towards Buffalo or closer to Albany

If you decide you want to fix this if your close enough I would be glad to help you get this fixed .

Better then new.

 

Rochester area. I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't really afford to fix it so I'll probably try selling it.

 

Best of luck I can only offer I hate to see these trucks go away .

If you change your mind shoot me a Pm.

 

I'd like to fix it but I don't have the money right now.

 

Update: called Toyota USA corporate this morning and got confirmation after much chagrin that there's nothing they can do.

 

SolitaryNomad: Where did you take it? Who told you that there's nothing they can do? If the previous owner didn't take it in for the recall, that would only affect the warranty from Toyota. Rmorit posted that 2 shops he went to at least offered that it can be fixed. Have you tried a welding/fab shop?

 

Let me clarify. There's nothing they (local Toyota dealership) can do under warranty. All other options cost more money than I can afford as a part time retail sales person and college student. Unless someone has the parts to essentially donate I'm gunna have to sell it.

 

Buy a new frame?

 

OP: was your truck ever treated with anti-corrosion coating by toyota?