Rusty Frame?

Hey Everyone, just bought a 2006 Toyota Tundra SR5, its got real low mileage at 91,000. I was thrilled to find this truck for sale because I was hoping to keep it forever with the low mileage seeing as i only drive 5,000 miles a year. I had it in for service yesterday and the mechanic was telling me that I shouldn't plan on keeping it for more than a few years because of some of the rust he spotted on the frame and drive shaft. The truck spent its first 2 years in Ohio which I didn't know was an issue, I'm from Colorado and we don't have these issues here. Anyways I'm here for your guys opinions on the shape of the frame regarding the rust.

 

I'm hesitant to vote in the poll as I can't tell from the pictures. The first pic looked fine, the 2nd one is concerning. I've definitely seen far worse.

Before giving up on it I would see how much you could clean it up. Do some searches here and google. There are things you can do to keep that from getting worse.

Most of us use Fluid Film on ours. That's a preventive measure. You'll want to "repair" it first, even it's even possible.

 

I see the beginnings of potential problems. I do not see perforations which is good. You have a good looking truck and if I was you I’d start right away trying to save this baby.

Depending on your shape, you can get it back to restoration levels and stave off whats going on from worsening with about 2-3 days of work under the truck.

Plan on washing the chasis off as best you can with a brush and sponge using some degreaser like 505 from big box store.

Buy 2 jar/tubs of moly lith grease from the auto store and start hand rubbing the frame with the grease soaked sponge. Every square inch just like you would waxing a car. Make a plunger out of a long thin stick and plunge as much grease on a rag soaked in the grease wrapped around a sponge down the frame.

Load up the frame cross members in grease and shoot the crevices with a grease needle. After its all done spray PB Blaster in all the overlap seams of the frame along the front boxcross member near the tires. This will penetrate into those hard to reach areas you can’t grease up.

Your other alternatives are sell it to another knowing person (wrong), trading in at dealer (they will pop you), or a frame recall (Toyota VIN look up or call them).

 

That frame is fine, there's nothing there but surface rust. Like PHM said clean it up, paint it, and grease it.

You guys would cry after seeing some frames here in PA.

 

Just for your interest , back years ago I restored , well semi restored a couple old 52 chevy trucks for a guy. He didnt want me to do a frame off resto which I would have sand blasted the frame so I found a product called por 15 and sprayed this old rusted frame. I cleaned , wire brushed, wore grinded ? You name it and then sprayed with por 15. As I recall it is suppose to react with rust and or moisture and bond to it and prevent further rust . I did his frames and they actually looked good but I didnt see them after to judge how it held up . I sprayed some other truck frames that I sold such as old dump trucks and soforth but all those were sold so I didnt get to see how thet held up. This stuff is about the hardest paint I ever tried to clean off my hands or anything I got it on. You can google it and see all about it and judge for your self. It was expensive , over 100.00 a gallon back 18 or so years ago.

 

In Wisconsin that would be considered clean. Get under it with a wire brush to knock of the surface rust and bubbling paint with rust under it. Then put some sort of rust converter or even better POR15 or KBS Rust Seal (Very similar products but I prefer KBS) and just stay on top of any new rust. I wish I could find a truck that clean in the rust belt. My F350 with only 55K miles looks worse than that.

 

After looking at pics again I gotta agree that it is not that bad. I have seen a lot worse that never caused an issue except some easily replaceable components, brackets and what not.

 

For reference here's my brothers old Jeep YJ that was roughly 17 years old and under 150k

 

Looks good to me. Looks a lot like my truck.

But I live in Montana, Things rust slowly here. To me that looks like 20 years worth of rust with another 20+ before there is anything to worry about on it.

 

Here’s my 00 tundra before the frame replacement.

 

Clean it up. Por15 and call it good. Its not that bad.

 

Agreed with many of the posts on here that frame in NOT in critical condition... It needs a good washing, some rust reformer spray and painting ( rattle can) ... best option is POR.
You can wire brush / wheel some of that surface rust right off

Come to New England if you want to see rusted frames... the 2003 that I traded last month was being held together by rust...
yours just need lil TLC and it will be fine

 

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, I’m looking forward to having this truck for a very long time!

 

I'm gonna agree, that's not near as bad as a few that have been posted up on here. I'm fortunate enough not to have to deal with real rust, just surface rust.

 

I can imagine about those PA vehicles. Took a trip through there last month and when I got back home I was seeing the beginnings of rust on places that were spotless for years. Its been almost 11 months since Fluid Filming which was good while it lasted. Most spots have worn off except for the protected areas.

The full grease rub with Moly Lith is my newest project. The Litium lays up a dense film whilst penetrating the metal pores. The Moly-b (mineral) acts like a back up lubricant shield like graphite if the lithium dries up.

Looks like the OP might have an oil leak somewhere up front. Maybe VC gasket? Or, breather hoses?

 

He did mention a small oil leak, couldn’t identify where it was coming from, and said not to worry until you see drops on my driveway.