Rust Protection in SoCal Necessary?

Having a new truck, I’ve been reading a lot and absorbing new and common info related to the 3rd gen Tacoma.

One of the topics is regarding rust where a lot of folks apply seasonal treatment to prevent it.

Does this issue still exist on new Tacomas? Is this a concern for us in SoCal? Specifically, I am in the Temecula area so nowhere close to the salty ocean.

 

I guess it depends on your version of "issue." No, these frames aren't rusting out like the 1st and 2nd gens were. But, 3rd gens have been known to start developing surface rust around the welds. Also, I'm not sure what kind of roads you drive on. You may be in SoCal away from the ocean, but I don't know if you have any dirt roads you drive on where they apply brine to keep the dust down or not.

But, for what it is worth, I just crawled under my 2017 this past weekend. I live in Michigan and used Woolwax over the winter. My rear shock appears to have more rust on the bottom of it than the entire frame does. The truck was also in Connecticut before I purchased it and it is unknown what kind of treatment they did, if any, since it was a lease.

 

Yes, I live in socal and use woolwax. I've seen a ton of tacomas and 4runners by the beach with a lot of surface rust. Also caltrans uses liquid brine in big bear and everywhere that snows

 

The frame replacement campaign already applies to your truck so it's the same shitty frame as the previous 2 generations

 

Yes it does. However, mine only consisted of adding body plugs. CRC was applied at the factory.

Speaking with the dealership, and in all my time on here and researching trucks, I have yet to see a 3rd gen (or even late second gens) even close to needing a frame replacement. The dealership said around 2008 and 2009-ish, Toyota was having them write checks to buy back trucks that were only a couple of years old. They would then be sent to the crusher.

So back to your point: yes it applies, but more as a precaution. I'm actually kind of impressed with the shape my frame is in considering its entire life has been spent in the rust belt.

 

Sorry to revive an old thread. Just want to share my experience with some rust.

I have been to big bear quite a few times. The last 2 times I noticed some heavy staining on my undercarriage. I figured it was just from the snow. I hosed it down the best that I could. Spent some good time washing my undercarriage with just tap/hose water.

Well here we are 6 months later. My new magnaflow stainless muffler is covered in rust, along with the rest of my exhaust. My less than a year old Ironman rear springs have a bunch of rust. My rear axle housing has some rust here and there. Going to be a pain in the butt to correct this.

So I would say @IEsurfer is correct. Big Bear does lay down some sort of salt or brine. Maybe here in SoCal we should be a little more conscious of rust prevention if snow wheeling. Just a PSA.

 

shoot bummer sorry to hear, also a lot of us SoCal guys like to camp and wheel in other states like Utah, Colorado etc where they do lay down salt/brine/mag chloride so it’s cheap insurance to buy a few cans of woolwax or fluid film