Where's them Rusted Frames

Well, well...
I contacted Toyota and they gave me the go ahead to get it inspected. BUT, when I call my local dealer and mention a frame inspection and tell them it's gonna need a whole frame replacement, they act dumbfounded.
I had to inform Pitts Toyota management of a 2 year long settlement....Surprised me they aren't informed better by Toyota Corp. Even with being in the southern states.

Edit:. I'm happy that something is being done about it. I don't want anyone thinking I'm ungrateful...

 

A Georgia Toyota dealer would not even now about rusted frame replacement.

 

I'm not surprised. Everytime I mention my frame to anyone around my area they all have that same look on their face..

 

Well I poked around with a hammer on the frame today , no holes that I can find . Lots of flaking and scaling in some areas . Inside the frame near the cats is full of scale but no holes I can see .

 

It's called "proper maintenance for the service conditions"...

 

Went to work on the frame with a hammer today and can not find any holes . Just scaling and flaking. Some seperation of layers .

 

Got off work early and made it to the dealer just before closing. I talked with the collision tech and had to point him in the direction of heffler claims just so he could be informed on the situation.
He was totally unaware. We checked out my frame by just kneeling on the ground and he says 'Yep, I'd say you need a new frame.'...
So, he has no clue what to do. He asks if I need an estimate and I tell him, No, Toyota is supposed to furnish a loaner vehicle, frame, and every nut, bolt, and anything else that breaks while replacing the frame. You should have seen the look on his face..Lol.
He was a cool guy. I'm not knocking him. Just uninformed at the moment.
So he says he'll make up an estimate and I told him it's around 14,800-15,000. No estimate needed and to just look over the Heffler website and I sent him an email that Toyota supposedly sent out to all dealers regarding frame inspection/replacement.

So I'm making headway. He's gonna do some searching and talking with other management and will contact me tomorrow.
I also had a Toyota customer service person give me a case number today and says they mailed out cards in the mail this month stating instructions and that there was no further action required from class members.
We shall see...

 

No rust but look at the second picture real good, Give it some time. I have an 05 Durango. It has surface rust but it has no holes or layers of metal coming apart. It has been through the same salty snow roads as the Tacoma.

 

Wow, seeing what the bottom of the frame rail looks like new, I can see why I have such an issue.

 

That welded reinforcement tab just sandwiches salt and road grime in there to fester.
Great looking frame BTW.

 

I see a pine needle in the second pic, some in the fifth photo too--am I missing something?

 

correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that should be happening to a frame.

 

My point is that it should not happen to a frame that has had "proper maintenance". If I am wrong then I apologize.

 

That's not lamellar corrosion, just the manner in which the frame is constructed. When rust does get in there it "fishmouths" as shown in this photo:



Armkb's proactive preventative maintenance has saved him a lot of hassle. I'll get a photo of a similar area of my "Florida" truck's chassis in the morning...

 

Yea , that's my frame ! I cleaned and sprayed with Rustoleum rust reformer every year and this is what I got

 

Painting over a rusted area isn't going to help. The only proper way to prevent a rusted frame is to use an oil based rust prevention product. It will creep into areas that paint will never get to. I have a '12 Tacoma, live in the north and with a once a year application and regular washing my frame looks like new.

 

Cleaned and painted since 2008 .Originaly not painting over rust . Power wash and paint . Then wire brush and paint after surface rust started to appear .

 

The problem is that you can't clean rust off between overlapping metal. Evern when you do clean with a wire brush there is always rust left behind in the small pitted areas of the metal that will bleed out of the newly applied paint.

Oiled metal will not rust.

 

Do you apply the oil treatment yourself?